David Benavidez thinks Gennady Golovkin will still be a dangerous opponent for Canelo Alvarez to fight even now, with GGG about to turn 40 in April.
There’s an excellent chance that Canelo (57-1-2, 39 KOs) will be fighting Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs) in September in a trilogy match.
With the way Canelo’s work rate has dropped dramatically in the last two years, he’ll be at risk of locking to Golovkin, assuming we don’t see another controversial decision like in the first two fights.
This would be part of the two-fight deal that Canelo is expected to sign with Matchroom Boxing to fight Dmitry Biviol in September and then Golovkin in September.
In the two fights between the two stars, the first was scored as a 12 round draw in 2017, and in the second, Canelo edged Golovkin by a close 12 round majority decision.
The way Canelo gassed out in the second half of both fights, many boxing fans had Golovkin winning them.
Although Canelo did better in the rematch with GGG in 2018, he still faded badly after the sixth and ate jabs from Golovkin in rounds 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. Many boxing fans scored the fight a draw.
Golovkin still dangerous for Canelo
“I think Golovkin needs that opponent to bring it out of him,” said David Benavidez to Fighthype on Golovkin needing Canelo Alvarez for him to show the same fire he had in their fights in 2017 and 2018.
“He doesn’t look the same, but he’s been knocking these guys out the first couple of rounds, and he’s coming up to 168. That’s what everyone says; he’s coming up to 168,” said Benavidez about Golovkin’s three fights since his rematch with Canelo in 2018.
“I still feel it’s a dangerous fight for anybody, and it’s still going to be a great fight. I’m looking to it. I like both of the fights, and I feel like this one will be even better, so I’m excited to see it myself,” Benavidez said about wanting to come to see the Canelo vs. Golovkin III trilogy match in September.
The drop-off for Canelo in his work rate will make him vulnerable against Golovkin.
In this writer’s opinion, Canelo clearly lost the first fight against Golovkin, and it was troubling that the judges scored it a draw. In Golovkin’s best rounds, some of the judges gave them to Canelo.
It’s important that testing is done to ensure we don’t have boxing fans reacting with suspicion if Canelo turns up for the fight looking very muscular and vascular like he’s ready to compete in Mr. Olympia’s bodybuilding contest, as we saw in his rematch with Golovkin in 2018.
Canelo tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol in March 2018. If they’re going to do testing, it would be a good idea to have it done before training camp starts.
GGG scares his opponents
“I think what he has is he puts it in people’s head how f*** hard he hits,” Benavidez said about the intimidation factor GGG brings to his fights, even now at 39. “That’s what other fighters don’t have.
“He still has that hit. Do you know what I mean? He still knows how to set shots up, body shots. He still has the whole package, bro. I think some people are quick to turn their back on people.
“Five years later, I don’t think he’s going to get knocked out by anybody. When I was sparring Golovkin during the Danny Jacobs fight, he called me out to spar, and that was before the Golovkin-Canelo happened,” said Benavidez.
The power that Golovkin showed in his last fight against Kamil Szeremeta in December 2018 is more than enough to cause Canelo problems.
Benavidez wanted to spar Canelo in 2017
“They [Team Canelo] called me and told me not to go out there [to spar Alvarez]. I think they thought I was going to go back to Golovkin and say stuff about style, but honestly, I wouldn’t have. I would have kept it for myself.
“I’m not that type of fighter. I don’t go to a camp and try to expose another fighter. But even if you tell him, it’s not like anything is going to change. Nothing is going to change.
“Yeah, it would have been cool if I got the experience [of sparring Canelo]. I was young, super young. I was 19, but I know I would have done my thing.
“I would be down to spar. I don’t give a f***. I just love boxing. That would definitely be a great experience. But with a fight that’s close to happening in the next two years, it’s not possible,” said Benavidez about him not being given the chance to spar Canelo now. I would [spar Canelo if given the chance],” said Benavidez.
It’s unlikely Canelo will entertain the idea of sparring Benavidez at this point, knowing that he could be facing him soon.
