By Eric Thomas: #12 WBA Osumanu Adama (22-3, 16 KO’s) figures he has an advantage over the typical opponent that WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (28-0, 25 KO’s) faces in that he’s not afraid of fighting the hard-hitting Kazakhstan puncher, and he feels this will be the deciding factor in their bout on Saturday night at the Salle des etoiles, Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Not being afraid of Golovkin’s power can only help Adama if he has the chin to take his big shots, and the power to return fire. To his credit, Adama has never been knocked out during his 13-year pro career. However, Adama has never faced a puncher anywhere close to being as powerful as Golovkin, and you have to see this fight as situation where Adama is stepping into the unknown. Adama has only faced three decent opponents during his career in Don George Roman Karmazin and Daniel Geale, and none of them come close to having the kind of power or skills that Golovkin possesses.

“The difference with me is that I’m not scared of Golovkin,” Adama said via Fightnews. “Most of his opponents are too scared before they even get in the ring. I’m not going to run. I’m going to outbox him the start, and my hand speed will be the difference.”

The 33-year-old Adama failed to outbox Don George and Daniel Geale in the past. He was beaten by both of those fighters by decision. If Adama couldn’t out-box those two fighters then it’s hard to picture him being able to box his way to a decision against Golovkin. Even if Adama were to out-box Golovkin, just getting hit with the monstrous shots that he’ll be forced to absorb will likely make it difficult for Adama to win rounds. He can land more punches than Golovkin, but the judges will be more impressed with Golovkin’s power shots than they will Adama’s weaker punches.

The only way that Adama wins this fight is if he can score a knockout over Golovkin. It’s possible, but not likely because Adama isn’t a huge puncher.

Adama is going to need to prove that he can take Golovkin’s punches to the body for 12 rounds. It’s good that Adama has a good chin, but he’s going to be tested to the body in this fight, and that’s going to be different experience for him. Adama hasn’t faced any real body punchers during his career, and he’ll need to prove that he can handle Golovkin’s body attack if he wants to try and outbox him.