By Leigh K. Seto: In a day and age of smart phones and instant information, folklore of legends like Paul Bunyun seem as unlikely and as unheard of as Coca cola in a glass bottle. But the quiet rumbling even among the non-fanatics of boxing seem to be chirping about an undefeated fighter from Kazakhstan. Gennady Golovkin has had a slow rise amongst the flashier names and flashier styles of the sport that he has dominated foe after foe for just over a decade. His inability to garner earlier fame has been several key factors. No marquee opponents, late start in the sport and other stars getting the attention.
But as other stars fade, other stars rise. So here Golovkin is finally gaining some notoriety and respect well deserved. But with attention, also brings pundits with microscopes! The clamoring of a record full of the nameless victims and hypocrisy is also being heard now.
If we choose to praise someone, they also have to be held accountable for questionable decisions. As a long time fan and historian of the sport I think Golovkin is the thing the sport needs most. Whether people embrace this theory or not, I truly believe Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao just about killed the sport as that fight was watched from coast to coast in America and was a dud. Imagine going to a fireworks show on the 4th of July and 10 bottle rockets are shot in the air. People were not entertained nor amused and recent pay-per-view results have indicated that disdain. That’s where Golovkin comes in. He is always entertaining and his style allows him to get hit back a little too, which also adds interest. The problem lies in his opponents. Most die hard fans of the sport find most of these past fighters as a list of the unknown and unworthy. And some of his latest decisions seem hypocritical to statements he himself has made.
He has questioned Saul Canelo Alvarez’s choice of opponents. Miguel Cotto, Erislandy Lara, Austin Trout, Mayweather, Amir Kham are household names in a boxing house. Let’s say it wasn’t Canelo that went 4-1 against the named fighters. We would all say, this is possibly Hall of Fame worthy based on that competition alone. The problem with Golovkin he doesn’t have a single name on his resume that reaps Hall of Fame. He will get in the Hall of Fame based on achievements and milestones of a long career and not actually from a notable fight and that is very unfortunate. It’s true he has been avoided by some because of the way he dismantles opponents. But fighters like Andre Ward, Lara, Daniel Jacobs and Gilberto Ramirez have all indicated a desire to fight him and are mostly ignored. Golovkin’s most notable win was against welterweight Kell Brook who never had a single fight at Middleweight. He is calling out another fighter Floyd Mayweather who is 40 yrs old and has never fought at the 160 lb middleweight class. Golovkin has been in the media pressuring Canelo Alvarez who also has never fought at the 160lb middle weight class. I honestly think Golovkin beats Canelo easy. Canelo hasn’t even begun establishing himself as a full-fledged middleweight. I think junior middleweights like Lara and Demetrius Andrade will cause Canelo problems, which is his current weight class. Questioning Canelo Alvarez’s opponents when Golovkin himself is trying to fight non-middleweights, with a resume full of no-names is Hypocritical.
Now let’s talk about recent news. Golden Boy Promotions offers Golovkin his highest payday of his career $10 million dollars for a fight against Canelo Alvarez. Golovkin’s side calls it a “low ball” offer. Fair enough. Now middleweight champion Daniel Jacob’s is in negotiations with Golovkin and is asking for the smaller of a 40/60 split, Golovkins camp is saying he’s “over pricing” himself. Again, he’ll receive the highest payday of his career with a 60 percent of the Jacobs fight. Here is a guy who just needs a single respected name on a long career resume and he is allowing money (which will be the biggest check he’s ever received) to get in the middle of his legacy. It’s hypocritical again. One instance he’s claiming “low ball”, another fight “he’s overpricing”. After his last 150k pay-per-view embarrassment maybe he’s “over pricing” himself against Canelo and maybe he’s “low balling” Jacobs. Either way if he beats Jacobs and Canelo he will become the number one fighter in the sport and the money he is worried about now (again the biggest checks in his career), he will make more money than anyone in this rich sport. I think he can beat both of these guys, very easily. I just wish he wasn’t a hypocrite. Someone needs to tell GGG the bigger checks will come. Mayweather took the smaller purse against Oscar De la hoya and after became the wealthiest athlete not just in boxing, but in all sports. Take a cue from Floyd take the big fight by any means and reap the benefits. If you choose the reverse, the reverse will happen. No big fight, no benefits.