12 Jun 2019
When Gennady Gennadyevich Golovkin (GGG) and Saul Canelo Alvarez step out into the ring in the early hours of Sunday morning in Las Vegas, there’s no doubt they’ll have the eyes of millions watching as one of the most hotly-anticipated clashes of 2018.
After the controversy of their 2017 match-up, which left Golovkin with a sour taste in his mouth after it was scored as a draw to the surprise of most, he’ll be seeking redemption this - weekend - specifically, he’s been quoted to describe the rematch as ‘100% the biggest fight of his career’.
If that’s not enough to get us excited, Alvarez’s recent drugs scandal which have caused the rematch to be delayed will have only angered Golovkin it would seem, ramming up the intensity of the fight in prospect.
With the WBA, WBC and IBO belts on the line, here we take a closer look at where the fight might be won and lost
Power vs Progression
It goes without saying that there will be skill, power and resilience on show, but the key to picking a winner will likely lie in who can bring those elements together best to work in harmony.
Although both men have recorded 34 KOs in their thus-far illustrious careers, it would be fair to say that GGG has the more devastating power at his disposal, especially given that his 34 KOs have come from just 39 fights as opposed to Canelo’s 52.
Add to that the fact that Golovkin has never been beaten in 39 fights while Canelo has been stopped once, and it would be easy to think that it might be a foregone conclusion - looking at that statistic under the microscope though, it doesn’t tell the full story.
Alvarez’s only ever defeat was at the hands of arguably the greatest pound-for-pound fighter the world has ever seen in Floyd Mayweather Jr., and many believe he has grown significantly as a fighter since then.
Looking back at GGG and Canelo’s first fight, many felt that Canelo landed the more eye-catching shots and some good combinations in spells but may have lacked the confidence to achieve that intensity for the duration. Through a less cagey approach alongside what many would describe as a better boxing style, if he can achieve a more sustained attack, he looks an enticing prospect to win on points at boxing odds of 2/1 to do so.
Desire and Diligence
Despite Canelo perhaps having the greatest potential to improve, he can’t punch anywhere near as strong as GGG and that cannot be overlooked as a potential avenue to defeat.
Add in the fact that GGG has an unquestionable desire to succeed that has only be amplified by controversy, and it may prove the determinant in giving him the edge to deliver a knockout blow at boxing odds of 23/10.
In a fight that looks close to call, the diligence of an experienced Golovkin may also be a contributory factor if he is to come out the victor. Given many thought he should have won on points last time out, that also looks to be a somewhat fool-proof bet at boxing odds of 2/1 to win on points.
If GGG does win, he’ll break the record he shares with the legendary Bernard Hopkins as he goes for 21 consecutive defences of the middleweight title he’s held since 2010.
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