Would Gennady Golovkin get a taste of his own medicine at Super Middleweight?

golovkin78483By Robbie Bannatyne: The undefeated Gennady Golovkin (28-0, 25KO) with a knockout percentage of 89%, the highest in middleweight history, and most prolific among any active fighter in the sport is often referred to as the ‘most avoided man in boxing’.

However, this may all soon change if he makes his proposed move up to the Super Middleweight.

Despite his overwhelming dominance against Curtis Stevens, which saw him land 49 percent of his power shots, Golovkin was caught on many occasions with quick and powerful counter punches from the challenger.

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Kell Brook thwarts Procrastinations attempt to Steal his Time now he Must Shine

brook7777 - CopyBy Robbie Bannatyne: The English poet, Edward Young, is said to have been the first man to use the now famous proverb ‘Procrastination is the Thief of Time’. Ironically enough, the first time I was exposed to this message was when I was about 8 years old, it was painted in big, black, bold letters on a wall across a bridge in my native Johnstone, in the West Coast of Scotland – which is not exactly a breeding ground for thought provoking street art rich in wisdom.

For some reason I was instantly struck by the peculiarly out of place eloquence of the graffiti and I instinctively knew it would be the first and last time I would see such a sight in my hometown. Intrigued, I immediately went home and asked my mother what the message meant.

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Carl Froch loses some Composure but he will have the Clarity of Mind to Overcome George Groves

froch777By Robbie Bannatyne: The normally composed Carl Froch has become incandescent with rage in recent interviews with George Groves as they promote their much anticipated world title fight. His consternation stems from what he perceives as the young Groves undermining the achievements of a career which has seen the Englishman crowned Super Middleweight Champion of the World on 4 separate occasions. Groves slanderous comments, designed to defame the 36 year old, Nottingham natives credentials have clearly infuriated Froch to the point where the contest has breached the borders of being ‘simply business’. It is now very personal.

The pair faced off in an excruciatingly awkward interview in a Sky Sports Ringside special to promote the fight, where the tension and bad blood between the men was painstakingly palpable.

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Adrien Broner looks bloated ahead of big fight with Marcos Maidana

BronerMaidanaPrePC_Hoganphotos6(Photo credit: Hogan Photos) By Robbie Bannatyne: Recent pictures of Adrien Broner and Marco’s Maidana as they promote their upcoming WBA Welterweight Title bout, on 14th December, have provoked shock and awe among boxing fans, who cannot believe how overweight and bloated Broner is. It beggars belief that only six weeks before the biggest fight of his life, he is so badly out of shape. Judging by the picture, he looks at least 165lbs. In stark contrast, Maidana looks like a man who means business, and is ready to fight right now.

However, this isn’t the 1st time that the three weight world champion’s weight issues have caused concern- he was recently pictured with Floyd Mayweather Jnr looking flabby around the stomach area, whilst as usual, his idol, and ‘big brother’ was the picture of athletic perfection. Yet, these most recent images, so close to such a huge fight for the Cincinnati native will spark a whole new wave of controversy, and you have to speculate about how adversely affected he will be on fight night as a consequence of having to shed such a huge amount of excess weight in such a short space of time.

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Ruslan Provodnikov: Now is the time for the Siberian Rocky to Shine

provodnikov56By Robbie Bannatyne: Ever since Ruslan Provodnikov exploded onto the scene in his ‘Fight of the Year’ with Timothy Bradley he has been a name that has never far from fight fans lips. The man dubbed the ‘Siberian Rocky’ won an instant place in the hearts and minds of the boxing public after almost knocking out the undefeated ‘Dessert Storm’, on several occasions when he challenged him for his WBO Welterweight title. Despite tasting defeat, one still sensed that he was a dog that would soon have his day.

And so it proved when he finally realized his dream of becoming a World Champion by ripping Alvarado’s title from him in stunning fashion, forcing the Champions to quit on his stool in front of his hometown fans in between rounds 10 and 11.

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Predatory Provodnikov makes Mike Alvarado his Prey

provodnikov83By Robbie Bannatyne: Styles make Fights.

This is the truest cliché of all in boxing. And it was perfectly applicable to the hellacious battle between Mike Alvarado and Ruslan Provodnikov, in Denver, Colorado, last Saturday night.

The fight, which was valid for Alvarado’s WBO Light Welterweight title, had been billed as a bone fide fight of the year candidate ever since it was announced by Top Rank promotions. Those predictions proved to be spot on as it was a war of attrition from the beginning to the brutal end.

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Lomachenko’s World Title Credentials to be put to the Test

lomachenko7By Robbie Bannatyne: Society’s obsession with credential-ism is mirrored by the boxing worlds various sanctioning bodies alphabet vacant and interim titles which dubiously bestow the title of ‘world champion’ on fighters. These paper championship belts are now woven into the business fabric of boxing. They are essentially bargaining chips which are used as leverage to sell fights to the fans. Another of their principal purposes is to secure up and coming boxer’s big fights and even bigger paydays.

Vasyl Lomachenko, the Ukrainian double Olympic and World Amateur Champion certainly has the credentials which legitimize the hype that surrounded his professional debut on the undercard of the Timothy Bradley vs. Juan Manuel Marquez WBO Welterweight title fight at the Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas, last Saturday night.

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Timothy Bradley- The Pupil that took the Teacher to School

bradley6By Robbie Bannatyne: Placing the word intelligence in the context of hand to hand combat fighting seems almost like an oxy-moron. But anyone who watched the Timothy Bradley vs Juan Manuel Marquez WBO Welterweight title fight in Las Vegas on Saturday night will appreciate how important a factor ring intellect played in Bradley’s career defining victory against the Mexican legend.

His performance was the polar opposite to his display in his last outing against Russian slugger Ruslan Provodnikov, which ironically endeared him to the boxing public despite it becoming dangerously close to being the death knell for his career. That night Bradley allowed his heart to rule his head and nearly paid the ultimate price as he was close to being knocked out on numerous occasions.

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Boxing is a Fickle Mistress

By Robbie Bannatyne: The Sport of Boxing is a typically tempestuous arena where every fighter, no matter their standing, is only ever one defeat away from disaster. Two consecutive losses however, is perceived by the boxing public to be a full blown crisis, a fact Miguel Cotto will attest to.

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Amir Khan: Business is Boxing

floyd800By Robbie Bannatyne: To many it is common knowledge that Boxing is a Business first. Sport second. And the growing talk that Amir Khan will be Floyd Mayweather Jr’s next opponent proves this conviction to be unequivocally one of truth.

Boxing is a harsh and unforgiving environment. A landscape where one can toil for a long time yet rarely reap what one sow’s. Unless of course, their face ‘fits’ into the financial picture of the promoters and television networks, whose rapacious pursuit of wealth renders such qualities as merit and virtue a redundant currency in the sport.

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