WBA, IBO and interim WBC middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin is the nearest thing in the fight game to the pre-Buster Douglas Mike Tyson.
The 32 year-old Kazakh, unbeaten in 31 bouts and with the highest knockout record (90.3%) among current fighters – until heavyweight Deontay Wilder won again just last month ? simply can?t get anyone in America to answer his calls. Cotto, Alvarez, Froch, Cesar Chavez Jr, all seem otherwise engaged.
Those who do fight him seem to lose most of their ambition on the way into the ring ? as was the way with the opponents of the once Iron Mike – such is smiling assassin Golovkin?s fearsome persona and pedigree.
Enter pride of St Helens, Martin Murray. He comes face to face with Golovkin at the Salle des Étoiles in Monte Carlo at 5.45pm today (Saturday). Even though he doesn’t have what they call ?name recognition? in the USA, those in the know over here have seen and heard enough to mutter that this isn’t a fight GGG (as he is known) can take lightly.
Maybe not, but the only direct form line between the two is Italy?s Domenico Spada who Murray beat by a ?sloppy? TKO decision in the seventh round of their fight ? also on the French Riviera – in October. Spada was previously stopped in the tenth by Marco Antionio Rubio in an interim belt fight; Golvokin ?blew away? Rubio in the second round of his encounter also in October.
All sensible signs point to Murray being a staunch though ultimately outclassed opponent for the impatient Golovkin as he briefly detours to Monaco on his way to greater things.
In the event of defeat, the estimated £1 million Murray is picking up for the ?privilege? of taking on GGG may go a little way to softening the blow.
by Stan Wenners
Golovkin = Monte Carlo and bust for Murray
