Does IBF & IBO World Middle Champ Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin Get Enough Respect?

By Boxing News - 10/02/2021 - Comments

By Ken Hissner: This writer wants to know if IBF & IBO World Middleweight Champion Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin gets enough respect?

Granted, ‘GGG’ is my favorite boxer, but if he would have gotten a well-deserved decision back on September 16, 2017, instead of a draw with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, would we be talking about Alvarez being P4P No. 1 today?

Just prior to the first Alvarez fight, ‘GGG’ had his twenty-three straight knockout streak stopped by Danny ‘Miracle Man’ Jacobs, 32-1, on March 18th, 2017, in a close fight at New York’s Madison Square Garden. It was even closer than the Alvarez draw verdict with scores of 114-113 and 115-112, twice retaining his WBA, WBC, and IBF titles, improving his record to 37-0.

In the ‘Canelo’ first fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, judge Adalaide Byrd had it 118-110 for ‘Canelo’ and, if not mistaken, received a 30-day suspension instead of a lifetime suspension. David Moretti had it 115-113 ‘GGG’ while Don Trella scored it 114-114, which was bad enough.

‘Canelo’ ran the last seven rounds after feeling the punching power of ‘GGG,’ and if were the latter doing the running, they would have called him “chicken!” While Canelo was inactive for a year, ‘GGG’ made a defense on May 5, 2018, knocking out top contender Armenian Vanes ‘Nightmare’ Martirosyan, 36-3-1, in 2 rounds.

Image: Does IBF & IBO World Middle Champ Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin Get Enough Respect?

On September 15, 2018, came the rematch again at the T-Mobile Arena with ‘Canelo.’ Though www.boxrec.com claims Abel Sanchez was still the trainer of ‘GGG’ if I remember right, there was a dispute over money, and Sanchez was replaced by Jonathan Banks.

Anyway, instead of ‘GGG’ remaining his normal boxer-puncher style, he decided to box with little power punching. The result, which could have been a draw, ended up with judge Glenn Feldman having it 114-114, Dave Moretti, who judged their first fight now reversing his score in that one of 115-113 for ‘Canelo’ and Steve Weisfeld with the same score of 115-113 for ‘Canelo’ whose record improved to 50-1-2.

In this writer’s opinion, ‘Canelo’ moved up to capture world titles at #168 and #175 to avoid a third meeting with ‘GGG’ yet giving Danny Jacobs his lone defense at 160 in between them! Jacobs? Why not ‘GGG’ who had defeated Jacobs?

After the loss to ‘Canelo,’ ‘GGG’ the following June knocked out Canadian Steve Rolls, 19-0, in 4 rounds at Madison Square Garden. Four months later, he won the vacant IBF & IBO titles when he defeated Ukraine’s Sergiy Derevyanchenko, 13-1, by scores of 115-112 twice and 114-113. The loser’s previous lone loss was a split decision to Jacobs.

At age 37, reports were “is GGG getting old?” It is reported on wiki box rec that he was 345-5 in the amateurs with an Olympic Silver Medal in 2004. So, that is quite a few fights up to this point.

Image: Does IBF & IBO World Middle Champ Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin Get Enough Respect?

It would be fourteen months before ‘GGG’ fought again on December 18, 2020, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, in Hollywood, Florida, stopping Poland’s Kamil Szeremeta, 21-0, in 7 rounds. That was his last match.

‘GGG’ is scheduled sometime in December to meet WBA middleweight champion Japan’s Ryota Murata, 16-2, who won his title in December of 2019 but hasn’t fought since. In May of this year, WBA Super Welterweight champion Erislandy ‘The American Dream’ Lara knocked out Thomas ‘Cornflake’ Lamanna in the first round billed as for the vacant WBA middleweight title. So I gather ‘GGG’ will be fighting Murata, who will not have the WBA title at fight time.

The IBF lists No. 1 and No. 2 not rated, with No. 3 being Patrick Wojcicki, 14-0-1, of Germany, who hasn’t fought since November 2019. He defended his IBF Inter-Continental title in his previous fight. No. 4 ranked Jaime Munguia, 37-0, had been rumored to fight ‘GGG’ but is scheduled to fight Gabe ‘King’ Rosado in November, who ‘GGG’ stopped in January of 2013 at Madison Square Garden, where this writer covered it.

This writer had the pleasure of talking with both Rosado and ‘GGG’ prior to that fight. First, Rosado in his hometown of Philly, I questioned why being a top contender at 154 would he move up to take on ‘GGG,’ and he said, “if I beat GGG, I will be a superstar!” I thought to myself, “you ain’t beating GGG!” He did have one good round backing up ‘GGG’ but otherwise took a beating. When the fight was stopped in the seventh round, oddly enough, Rosado ran to a corner and leaped on the ropes with his hands held high! I asked a fellow writer from Philly, “does he know he lost?”

My call prior to the fight to one of the sparring partners for ‘GGG’ was Philly’s Dhafir ‘No Fear’ Smith, who was in a second camp with him “how’s it going?” He replied, “he hits like a heavyweight!” I then asked about the other sparring partner Philly’s Farah Ennis, a future NABF Super Middle champ who was there in camp. Ennis replied, “he’s kicking the s*** out of me!” I understand he did better by the end of camp.

So, whether it’s Murata in December or whoever, I hope to see the 41-1-1 with 36 stoppages IBF & IBO World Middleweight champion improve with another victory at age 39 against a top contender! So, let’s give “respect” to a champion in and out of the ring who simply goes by the name ‘GGG’ for all he’s giving to boxing since May of 2006 when he debuted!