Gennady “GGG” Golovkin: Beating Kell Brook is a Signature Win on his Resume So Cut the Crap It’s a Mismatch!

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By Jeffrey “Italian Medallion” Cellini

Gennady “GGG” Golovkin is on the threshold of greatness…

Perhaps the only thing missing from his hall-of-fame resume is the need to fight and defeat an elite fighter. Golovkin announced that his next fight will be a title defense of his middleweight titles against British boxing star and undefeated welterweight champion Kell Brook on September 10 at the O2 Arena in London, England. The boxing community is acting as though that this is obvious mismatch and a farce for a championship fight. However, that could not be farther from the truth.

Besides holding the highest knockout percentage – 91.4% – in middleweight championship history, “GGG” perhaps has one of the hardest chins in modern boxing, having never been knocked down or knocked out in over 375 fights, neither as a professional nor amateur. “GGG” will face his toughest opponent of his career in this match. Brook has never been knocked down nor stopped either in his professional career.

Gennady Golovkin has made 16 successful title defenses of WBA middleweight title. He has secured his place in boxing history as one of the most dominant middleweight champions ever. “GGG” is currently ranked by Ring Magazine as the third best fighter in the world, pound-for-pound. However, he has not secured a signature victory over any another top tier level boxer. That is why this fight is very compelling.

Ring Magazine currently ranks the IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook as the tenth best fighter in the world, pound-for-pound. After defeating another world class fighter, Shawn Porter, for the title, Brook has defended his belt three times. At 5’9” in height, the challenger stands only an inch shorter than the champion. Furthermore, he will the best overall boxer that “GGG” will have faced come their fight. Brook offers Golovkin a legitimate threat for the title, especially with the bout taking place on his home turf.

Boxing history has shown that it is not unprecedented for middleweight champions to offer title opportunities verse smaller fighters, especially reigning or former welterweight champions, while trying to establish their own greatness in the ring. Everyone thinks “GGG” is scamming the public by giving Brook a title shot at the middleweight title. However, there have been a number of times when a defending middleweight champion has tried to secure their legacy by giving another elite fighter the opportunity for the crown.

Sugar Ray Robinson fought former undisputed welterweight champion Carmen Basilio, with the champion losing then regaining his title. Robinson’s victory in the rematch earned him the crown for a record fifth time. Robinson’s greatness was already secured before his rivalry with Basilio, however, the “Onion Farmer” was able to secure his own place in boxing lore because of the title opportunity. Brook will look for the same opportunity as well.

“Marvelous” Marvin Hagler, who recorded 12 straight successful title defenses, fought Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, and Sugar Ray Leonard (all former welterweight champions), seeking to legitimize his own greatness. Unlike the Golovkin-Brook matchup the Hagler-Leonard showdown was nearly 10 years in the making, with Leonard’s victory coming at the end of Hagler’s career. However, both “GGG” and Brook appear to be in the primes of their careers, making this a compelling matchup.

Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins fought former welterweight king (and three division world champion) Felix “Tito” Trinidad in a battle that unified middleweight crown. Hopkins, who holds the division record for title defenses, was not as dominant as some experts portrayed him as being when he was middleweight champion. After all, his list of challengers was not totally impressive either, with opponents like Steve Frank, Joe Lipsey and a badly-faded former welterweight/junior middleweight champion Simon Brown on his resume. Up until his victory over Trinidad, Hopkins did not have signature win to stamp on his record.

People forget that Michael Nunn, when he was the number one ranked middleweight champion in the world back in the early 90’s, offered Marlon Starling, who was WBC welterweight champion, a title shot at middleweight belt. There was no public outcry at that time over that matchup being made. The argument can be made that both Golovkin and Brook are the best fighters at the respective weight classes.

The Golovkin-Brook championship match is not a “Superfight”, but is clearly a competitive and interesting fight. “GGG” is putting more than his title on the line. His legacy will not be totally dependent on this fight, but a victory will perhaps give him that one signature win that is missing on his resume.

If “GGG” goes on and breaks Hopkins impressive record of 20 straight successful title defenses, he will be recognized as the greatest middleweight champion of all-time. A victory over Brook will legitimize his career, not diminish it. However, if Brook would happen to derail “GGG’s” title reign, the new champion would be the one on the threshold of greatness.

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