By Dan Ambrose: WBA Super World middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) says he plans on fighting four times in 2015 if possible, starting with his title defense next month against Britain’s Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KOs) on February 21st at the Salle des Étoiles, in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Golovkin fought three times in 2013, which compared to the more popular fighters like Miguel Cotto and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, is pretty good. Cotto fought only once, and Canelo just twice.
By staying busy and fighting frequently on HBO in crowd-pleasing fights, Golovkin is increasing his popularity with boxing fans even though he’s still not ever faced anyone that you can call a really good fighter. It doesn’t matter. The more Golovkin fights, the more he increases his popularity. As long as he’s facing a decent quality contender, the boxing fans lap it up.
“I hope so, 4 times,” Golovkin said via Fighthype.com, when asked if he plans on fighting four times in 2015. “My first fight is in February. My next fight is in May. I think two fights more.”
Golovkin is hoping to get the winner of the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. Miguel Cotto fight, if the two ever complete their negotiations with one another. There’s no chance of Golovkin getting a fight against either of them in May, because that’s when they’ll be fighting each other.
Golovkin will most likely use the May fight for an optional title defense against the best guy he can get. He’d like to face the winner of the Sergio Mora vs. Jermain Taylor fight, as well as WBO champion Andy Lee, but the chances are slim that any of them will want to get inside the ring with Golovkin in May.
Lee will likely be defending his WBO title against Billy Joe Saunders, and the Taylor-Mora winner has to face Hassan N’Dam, the IBF mandatory.
If Golovkin can fight four times like he wants to, he’ll definitely increase his popularity among boxing fans in the U.S if he can win all of his fights by an impressive knockout. That’s going to be tough for him because he’s likely to be matched up against some good fighter.
“He’s a good fighter, he will be the biggest challenge of my career,” Golovkin said about the 6’0” Martin Murray. “He’s big, strong. I saw him. He’s a strong guy. It’s a good experience for us. He’s bigger than me and taller than me.”
If nothing else the Golovkin-Murray fight should be interesting in order to see how much punishment that Murray can take. Most of Golovkin’s opponents have collapsed early under his steady punishment. Murray seems to have a tough chin, and he’s got a strong will to win. Murray may be willing to absorb a real beating for a number of rounds before he gets knocked out.
That should make for an appealing fight for fans because Golovkin’s fights have been ending too quickly as of late.
Golovkin can’t afford to suffer any bad cuts hand injuries if he wants to be able to fight four times in 2015. One bad injury is likely all it’ll take for Golovkin to have to scrape the idea of him fighting four times.
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