As fans known, Gennady Golovkin and Kell Brook came face to face yesterday in New York, for the first press conference ahead of their massive September 10 clash in London. The two unbeaten champions – GGG the middleweight king, Brook the reigning IBF welterweight boss – had the opportunity to size one another up in person and Golovkin spoke later of how Brook is as tall as he is and will give him “the biggest test” in September.
Thus far in his pro career, Triple-G, 35-0(32) has scarcely been tested, barely even losing a round in any of his fights – he really is that good. Golovkin is also a massive betting favourite to defeat Brook, 36-0(25); with many fans predicting yet another KO victory for the pound-for-pound star (so far, no man has taken GGG 12-rounds; Martin Murray took him the farthest, into the 11th-round back in February of 2015). But Golovkin is not taking Brook at all lightly. In fact, he says he is expecting a tough fight from Brook, who he refers to as the best welterweight in the world today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMnDkTqLvik
“I know it will be an amazing atmosphere with huge fans – true fans – and it is the biggest test for us,” GGG told Sky Sports. “Just seeing him for the first time now, it was very interesting for me. I respect Kell – he is a man and he is a true fighter. I know history like Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Manny Pacquiao, he came up to junior middleweight and beat Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito. This is the biggest test for me. He is the same height as me and he is a big guy. I saw a couple of his fights and he is a string guy, the best fighter in his division.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbvuW8NqL3M
Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia and maybe another couple of guys would disagree with GGG’s assertion that Brook is the best at 147 today, but what we have on September 10th is the naturally biggest welterweight Vs. the best middleweight on the planet. Brook has “killed himself” to make 147-pounds, so a number of people who know him well have said, and it’s true, he does look massive. Maybe – hopefully for Brook and his fans – his not needing to boil down in weight will make him a stronger and more powerful fighter against GGG. Most experts agree, Brook needs every advantage he can possibly get if he’s to pull this win off.
Brook has home country advantage (and it will be interesting to see how the fans react on fight night: will they boo Golovkin, a very popular fighter who will be attempting to flatten a Brit, and if so, will this affect GGG in any way?) and he may weigh more than the defending champion on the night of the fight. Golovkin has certainly taken notice of Brook’s frame and physically strong-looking build. But this fight is about so much more than mere size: it is about skills.
Golovkin may not be able to manhandle Brook, but most fans fully expect him to be able to out-punch, outbox and outmanoeuvre his challenger. But this fight is no mismatch, and GGG will tell you that himself.