There has been some interesting talk from the much-avoided 160 lb fan favorite Gennady Golovkin this weekend regarding potential future fights, with the Kazakh knockout artist speaking out to British media and on twitter to talk Carl Froch and new IBF middleweight champion David Lemieux – who captured his strap in exciting but no means technically excellent manner on Saturday night against Frenchman Hassan N’Dam.
I have absolutely no confidence in Froch fighting on and the more time passes, the more that belief looks to be reality. However, he had expressed an interest in a Golovkin fight and for a man as avoided as the Kazakh star – all publicity is good publicity and he wants the world to know he is good on his side of the bargain and really will fight all comers.
Given the Froch fight would be in the UK and at 168 lbs, one has to admire Golovkin’s attitude when speaking to the Sun.
He said;
“Froch is a proven warrior with a big punch. He filled Wembley in his last fight with George Groves and I have fought in some of the biggest arenas in the US, so it would be a huge worldwide event and a big test for me.”
“I was in London a few months ago and the people there invited me to come over again, so yes – I would come to Britain. I think you see a lot of action and a KO if the fight with Froch takes place.”
Froch has gone quiet since Andre Ward came back and that Golovkin first said he would fight him – and that should come as no surprise as he continues to seemingly contemplate retirement. His recent MBE from the Queen should really be the final cap on a career he can be proud of, and with a third child on the way and his Sky punditry duties – what reason does he need to fight on? He is a very rich man.
All the “Will he or Won’t he” retire stuff is getting a little tiresome now, so it’s probably best of Golovkin to put the Froch idea to bed and stay focused on the real possibilities in front of him at 160 – and that now includes a unification with the newly crowned Lemieux.
Again displaying his fight anyone attitude, GGG took to his twitter following Lemieux’s win and wrote;
“Golovkin vs Lemieux – Let’s make it NOW! Not “in the future” or “down the line”
He then took the trouble to tag in Lemieux and promoter Oscar DeLa Hoya as well as broadcaster HBO.
This is a fantastic fight for a multitude of different reasons. Of course it won’t satisfy the “Golovkin hasn’t fought anybody” brigade, but it would be the fight for (almost) all the marbles at 160 lb between the division’s two biggest punchers.
Lemieux definitely has that crowd pleasing style, also has a rapidly growing fan base, yet he still looked extremely vulnerable at points on Saturday in terms of his engine and his flat footed come forward style.
But styles make fights as they say and there will be an element of whoever lands first if this one is to come off and I see no reason why it shouldn’t. With Golovkin having just fought also, it could be made for the Autumn/Fall and hopefully by then what Miguel Cotto is doing as far as the WBC 160 lb title will be clearer. He may lose it to Canelo when they square off as expected around the same time, most probably at a catch-weight of 155-157.
When he signed with Golden Boy recently, Lemieux said he would happily fight Canelo also and one would be silly for thinking that fight isn’t far from Oscar De La Hoya’s mind, as it looks increasingly like the Mexican star is inching up gradually to the 160 lb division.
Yet for Golovkin, the quest goes on for opponents as he looks to stay as active as possible. At 33, he knows that time isn’t exactly on his side. Whether De La Hoya will chance the fight for his new Canadian star right now I don’t know. But one thing is for sure, Golovkin vs Lemieux would be guaranteed to end early!
And let’s hope it can get made as there will only be one real winner. Us, the fans.
Incidentally, who would you like to see Golovkin and/or Lemieux fight in the future? In and around 160 ?
Twitter @Undilutedpoison