Middleweight star Gennady Golovkin has a very real problem: he is fast running out of credible opposition. In fact, Golovkin might have already ran out of suitable opponents. Making ruthlessly short work of Dominic Wade last night for his 35th pro win and his 16th title retention, Golovkin won without moving out of first gear. Golovkin was in such command he even dropped his hands and allowed Wade to hit him. Even this was unable to help the challenger.
Golovkin is making it look ludicrously easy, so much so that the pressure on Saul Alvarez to fight him, already enormous, is now monstrous. In short, if Canelo doesn’t agree to fight Golovkin after his May 7 fight with Amir Khan (should he do as most expect and win of course), and unless GGG moves either up or down for a big fight, there will be a serious problem finding a challenger fans, experts and critics will be happy with. And judging by his post-fight comments, 34-year-old Golovkin will not be leaving the middleweight division any time soon.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said to Max Kellerman. “Give me my belt, give me my belt!”
Golovkin’s comments were aimed at Canelo, and the feared fighter spoke briefly on the May 7 fight the Mexican star will have with Khan.
“It doesn’t matter who wins,” he said. “Just give me my belt. I need my belt.”
Maybe, if the May 7th winner doesn’t agree to take the fight, the belt will indeed be stripped from either Canelo or Khan and Golovkin will then fight, someone, for the vacant title. But who out there at 160-pounds is capable of seriously challenging GGG? Not since the peak Mike Tyson has a star world champion had such a problem finding a worthy opponent. So, if it’s not Canelo or Khan next, who could it be for GGG?
An obvious choice would be WBO ruler Billy Joe Saunders. Saunders claims he wants the fight, in the UK, but can a deal be made? Daniel Jacobs, a WBA belt holder, would be a suitable choice, even if there would be precious few fans willing to give the brave New Yorker much of a chance of winning. And another British fighter in Chris Eubank Junior would make an interesting foe for Golovkin. Eubank Jr has, in the past, made noise about being able to beat Golovkin, and it would be good to see the boastful fighter try and back up his words.
As easily as he won last night, Golovkin could fight again in a month or two; but who will agree to face him? The rate he’s going, Golovkin will not only break Bernard Hopkins’ record of 20 middleweight title defences, he will also smash Joe Louis’ record of 25 heavyweight title defences. And there’s a scary though: just imagine if Golovkin was a heavyweight!