GGG will walk through the storm again

IT IS not the fight anybody wanted but it remains significant since victory over Vanes Martirosyan in California tonight will represent a record-equalling 20th defence of the middleweight crown for Gennady Golovkin.

The holder of the three major belts (WBA, WBC and IBF) at the weight was supposed to be defending against Saul Alvarez (below) until he was hit with a drugs ban. Doubtless he will get his chance against Alvarez when the ridiculously lenient six-month punishment is served.

Were it down to me, Alvarez would never fight again, and I urge the boxing authorities to take more seriously drug abuse in our sport.

Given the multiplicity of WBA world titles in circulation at middleweight, world and super, there will be some who take issue with the number of defences accredited to Golovkin, since in the early part of his reign Felix Sturm held the super version.

There is no doubt, however, who will leave the greater impression on the sport. Though arguably in decline, Golovkin is still too good for all with the possible exception of Jermall Charlo, and the equal in stature with record-holder Bernard Hopkins and Carlos Monzon.

Golovkin is old school in the sense that he will take on all-comers, likes to keep as busy as possible, and is never out of shape. He also brings a style we had not seen before, unleashing a ferocious attacking method without getting hit, unless he had disdain for his opponent’s punches, in which case he just walks through the storm.

Naturally heavy-handed, he bludgeons through defences and he has a unique way of cutting off the ring, stepping across fighters to leave them no escape.

The knock-out of Daniel Geale at Madison Square Garden four years ago was remarkable since Geale caught him with a peach of a right, bang on the button. Golovkin’s reply was all instinct, landing a split-second later with a right and a left despite his eyes being closed.

Geale just folded. The same fate awaits Martirosyan tonight.

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