AS though Gennady Golovkin weren’t frightening enough, on Saturday (October 17), he proved he could destroy a world champion relying predominantly on his jab.
We’ve seen his right crush Daniel Geale, his left hook to the body shatter Matthew Macklin. In his latest fight, an eight round victory over David Lemieux, Golovkin managed to inject drama into his jab. The shot stopped Lemieux, formerly the IBF middleweight champion, bringing his power punches to bear and ultimately broke down the Canadian’s resistance.
“I felt [I had] very good distance,” Golovkin said afterwards. “Every jab I touched. I was waiting a little bit. I wasn’t crazy attack, crazy style like street fight – not this time. David, he’s a strong guy, he’s a good warrior.”
His trainer, Abel Sanchez elaborated, “I see that [jab] in the gym every day. This was the best I’ve seen it in a fight… The perceived threat was there so he used the jab a little better and was able to do everything off the jab. Some of the hooks he threw off the jab were powerful too.
“The plan was to see what David was going to do. But David, he didn’t want to attack so Gennady had to press the issue. But the jab was magnificent today and controlled the fight.”
For Golovkin the whole event was a personal milestone. “Today was a big day for me and I’m very proud because I have unification fight and my first, debut pay-per-view,” he said. “It’s a big step for the future, for my story.”
“I’m very proud, I’m very happy. This is a big day for me. Madison Square Garden is the mecca of boxing,” he continued. “Today was a great atmosphere, an amazing time for me. I’m very proud.”
Golovkin now holds the IBF and WBA middleweight titles. He restated his plan to unify all the belts. On November 21 Miguel Cotto and Saul Alvarez fight for the WBC crown and December 19 Andy Lee and Billy Joe Saunders contest the WBO belt. “Whoever wins,” he warned. “I’m ready.”
The Cotto-Canelo victor is “not my dream fight”. “My goal is all the belts,” he said simply. “This is my plan A.”
