One of the biggest fights of the year is nearly here. With a little over a week to go, Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez will settle the score on September 16th in a middleweight bout that could be an all time classic.
Golovkin will be defending his middleweight crown against a young and skilled challenger that is Alvarez.
Can the Mexican overthrow the Kazakh?
Here’s what the pros think.
Mark Tibbs (Trainer)
I’m not saying Golovkin’s easy to hit and I know he carries a lot of power but Canelo has nice variety and movement.
I only watched it once but I thought Danny Jacobs ‘did’ Golovkin last time.
I don’t know how either of them make the weight because I haven’t payed close attention to that side of it but I fancy the ginger boy.
Ian Napa (Former British, Commonwealth and European Bantamweight Champion)
It’s an exciting fight but I think GGG’s power will be a telling factor that will determine as to how Canelo copes and adapts. This fight will result in a knockout but I’ve just never seen Golovkin in trouble.
He seems to walk through people. I go for him because of his raw power and when Canelo fought Mayweather he seemed vulnerable in stages of the fight.
Jim McDonnell (Former European Super-Featherweight Champion
I tell you what, I’m really excited about this fight, it’s the only topic of conversation in the gym.
I fancy Golovkin but some people look at his last fight and think ‘has he started to age’? If he has, he’ll lose but Golovkin is so clever and he’s going to be so motivated this time. I don’t think he really was for Jacobs. You can really get up for the big fights and they don’t come any bigger than this. My money’s on Golovkin.
My money’s on Golovkin.
‘Iceman’ John Scully (Former world class light heavyweight and trainer of champions.)
Ive got GGG by decision or very late KO.
I think his brutal jab is going to play a major, major role.
Nick Manners (Former pro and trainer of Josh Warrington)
I think Alvarez learned well from his super fight with Mayweather at an age when he could afford to lose it, whereas I feel as if Golovkin’s been biding his time, waiting for his super fight and still has something to prove.
I always go back to the David Lemieux fight, when Golovkin put his ‘game face’ on he made Lemieux look mediocre. Canelo is strong, youthful and vibrant but he’s going to have to stand with GGG at some point and get his respect.
And he doesn’t look like a runner to me. Golovkin’ got the extra power and has the bit between his teeth so I just can’t see him letting this situation slip.
I look for Golovkin to beat him up and stop Alvarez late.
Asinia Byfield (Southern Area Light Middleweight Champion)
Golovkin is a very good boxer who won everything as an amateur. But what’s happened is that he turned pro, got his fame and a lot of knockouts and now thinks ‘Hey, I can knock everyone out’.
So his boxing aspect has gone down the drain quite a lot. Canelo can knock guys out, too, but hasn’t neglected his boxing so it’s essentially a case of boxer vs puncher now.
I’m picking Canelo.
Glenn McCrory (Former IBF Cruiserweight Champion)
Triple G.
For me it comes down to size. Golovkin is not a big Middleweight but when I saw them at the press conference standing next to Oscar De La Hoya, it brought it home to me that Canelo is not the biggest LIGHT – Middleweight out there.
I looked at how he got pushed around by Floyd Mayweather who is not a front foot fighter but was quite happy to take it to him and I think, he’s a very good fighter and a great light middleweight but Golovkin is a great Middleweight:
I think size can often tell in a fight like this.
Barry Jones (Former WBO Super-Featherweight Champion)
I’m going GGG.
It’s a fight where you can easily make a case for why either one could win, but I feel that even though Canelo is the more adaptable of the two, the sheer weight of punches from Golovkin will force Canelo to stand and trade and that might just get him into trouble.
Donny Lalonde (Former WBC Light Heavyweight Champion)
GGG by mid round TKO.
MICHAEL OLAJIDE JR. (Former world class Middleweight)
I see Canelo not forcing the fight, as he does against smaller opponents (Cotto, etc…)
He’s going to try to be really slick and out box Golovkin, which won’t be easy. Movement from Danny Jacobs frustrated GGG but , I hate saying this….. Golovkin by late stoppage or decision.
I don’t think he’s slipped enough for Canelo to beat him.
Billy Joe Saunders (WBO Middleweight Champion)
Golovkin….. JUST.The current middleweight champion of the world wins this one by a landslide via 9-2.
As one might expect, a lot of people are putting a lot of stock behind Golovkin’s power, chin, and experience.
Will Canelo prove his doubters wrong? We’ll find out next week.
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