Weight, size, and size again. These have been two of the big talking points ahead of the big fight that is now just five days away: Gennady Golovkin Vs. Kell Brook. Initially, when the fight was first (shockingly) announced, to the, well, shock of practically everyone, the cry was, ‘Oh, Brook is a welterweight! He is too small for GGG.’ Well, since then, and as a result of some serious training, IBF 147-pound champ Brook has bulked up to middleweight – actually tipping-in at 167-pounds at last week’s check-weight.
This change to Brook’s physique has forced some fans (mostly British fans, it must be said) to change their opinion on the big fight. Brook himself has said a number of times that fans, and GGG, will be shocked and surprised by his size and strength on fight night. And today, when speaking with Sky Sports, the undefeated middleweight king said himself how impressed he is with Brook’s physical appearance.
GGG has never predicted an easy or crushing performance (though he does predict he will win by KO) and today he said he expects both a tough and interesting fight.
“My weight has been 165 or 163, but he’s huge. He looks good,” GGG said of his challenger. “He looks strong and big. It’s interesting. It’s very serious and it’s a huge fight. He’s my biggest fight and my biggest challenge. It’s my biggest step. UK fans are huge and crazy. I like the atmosphere. I feel great. It’s time to fight. I have to thank coach Abel Sanchez, who brought a new strategy for this [fight]. It feels great. I feel different and I feel good.”
So what will GGG’s “new strategy” be, other than to knock Brook flat before the 12th and final round? Another good question is, will Brook’s added bulk slow him down (GGG is also curious about this)?
It might be due to the hype (and let’s hope this one lives up to the hype) but the fight that will contest all but two of the world middleweight titles (not the WBA, who opted not to sanction the fight, and not the WBO belt currently held by Billy Joe Saunders – who GGG has very much got on his radar) suddenly looks a very intriguing one.