By Tom Donelson
Contributed to “dmboxing.com” since 2008
Member Boxing Writers Association of America
Gennady Golovkin destroyed what everyone stated would be his toughest test in Daniel Geales in less in three rounds. Geales started boxing but by the third round, he was forced to stand his ground and fight. The last knockdown showed the power and the chin of Golovkin all in once as Geale nailed Golovkin with a perfect left hook but Golovkin simply shrugged off the shot and landed a perfect right that sent Geales sprawling to the canvas. There are very few fighters who have not only taken Geales shot perfectly delivered but be able to shoot a right hand immediately afterwards to end the fight.
Golovkin is a patient technician who can knock you with one punch. He stopped seventeen straight fighters coming into this bout and is possibly the best Middleweight in the world as he pounds his opponent into submission but what often overlooked is his boxing skills. Against Geales, he cut the ring in half as he forced Geales to fight. Geales never could get his rhythm and nor could he hurt Golovkin so it was a matter of time before he ended up on the canvas.
Golovkin so far has been marching through the Middleweight division and the question is what is next. The two big fights left in the division would be against Miguel Cotto and Peter Quillin. Cotto showed that he could fight as a Middleweight as he destroyed Sergio Martinez. While many simply view Cotto beating a shot fighter in Martinez but that was after the fight. Before the fight, Martinez was the favored and there were as many pundits asking if it was Cotto who was shot. Cotto showed improved boxing skill under the tutelage of Freddie Roach and a more disciplined style as there was time in the second half of the fight; Cotto outboxed the boxer.
The biggest question is whether Cotto could take on Golovkin in a pitch battle. Cotto, like Golovkin, is a solid technician which he showed against Martinez. The problem for Cotto is whether he has the power to hurt Golovkin. Quillin has the power to face Golovkin but does he have the defensive skills and another problem, one fighter fights on HBO and the other on Showtime. So the politics of boxing may yet prevent this fight from ever happening but it would be intriguing since both men have knock out power and can hurt each other. The advantage that Golovkin has is his better defensive skills against Quillin.
The one fight that might be in the wing and worth a PPV would be Andre Ward, who seems to have problems getting fights at 168 pounds and Golovkin in a battle of two of the better technician. Plus both fighters are now featured on HBO. Ward, the superior boxer, against Golovkin, who has underestimated defensive skills and shown to be one of the best in today’s boxing in cutting of the ring.