Vinny’s Views: Gennady Golovkin – Kell Brook Clash Earns “Special K” More Fans in Defeat & Daniel Jacobs Stop The Flip Flopping!

By Vinny “Glory Days” Lucci

The middleweight clash yesterday did little to wet our appetites on tonight’s boxing headliner. Such easy work almost felt like a prelim for Daniel Jacobs’ rematch with Sergio Mora. While their first bout a year ago looked unwarranted it did hold a few key moments of intrigue in its brief two rounds. Both fighters scored a knockdown in the opening stanza. In the second, Mora got dropped again and broke an ankle. Fight fans have held steadfast to the hopes of seeing the real WBA middleweight champ Gennady Golovkin fight interim champ Jacobs after he made a stunning one round execution of former champ Peter Quillin.

Mora, who is billed as “The Latin Snake” demanded a rematch citing the fight had incidental stoppage in less than four rounds. It officially went into record books as a TKO. The rematch was over in seven brutal one sided rounds. Mora seemed timid and unsure of how to gage his distance. He was dropped in the fourth and fifth stanza. In the seventh, he was dropped three times when his corner threw in the towel. At 6’ he is very lanky for a middleweight and yesterday had poor balance throughout. His best days are now several years behind him even though he protested he has lots of fire left. A trip south back to junior middleweight is his most logical move.

As for yesterday’s hero Daniel had a new spin on his next fight since his last defense where he stated a fight with “GGG” would have to wait until spring of ’17. The WBA has mandated the winner of yesterday’s bout fight the winner of the middleweight clash between unbeaten 160 pound champ Gennady Golovkin and unbeaten welterweight weight king Kell Brook. This has Jacobs singing a new song in the ring post-fight interview. “I want to prove to the world that I’m the best middleweight. If “GGG” gets the victory, that’s who we want!” The Brooklyn native looked strong but often sloppy in his hurried approach to hurt Mora. The openings left scribes and fans alike wondering what “GGG” would do with all the counter opportunities presented?

The “real” middleweight title fight took place at London’s 02 Arena today. Gennady Golovkin entered as the betting favorite and officially weighing in a pound less than Brook who seemed to look born to the middleweight division with well-defined muscles sculpted everywhere. At yesterday’s weigh in, “GGG” seemed a tad gaunt and pale which led to a lot of speculation among writers that he was possibly drained or ill. “GGG” entered ring in a robe fit for a king, pure royalty as he strode the ring walk with his trainer Abel Sanchez leading him. Kell wore a red t-shirt sans robe and no expression what-so ever.

When the bell rang, Kell took to lateral movement as “GGG” stalked and they traded jabs. “GGG’s” two and three punch combos wobbled the first time middleweight challenger but he stood his ground. While most gave “GGG” the first round, Kell had nice comeback in last minute letting loose some power shots behind a heavy jab. Somewhere in the minor carnage Kell sustained a small cut under his right eye.

Round two “GGG” continued to stalk his foe but had difficulty finding the proper range for his punches. Kell dictated the pace and used his ring generalship to take the round. He not only clearly outlanded the champion, but had good success in middle of the round hitting “GGG” lmost at will. Kell would paw at his eye but it didn’t appear to be a factor.

The third round found Gennady in hot pursuit of the challenger sensing he lost the previous round. He picked up the pace considerably and let loose a barrage from ring post to ring post. Kell, circled well, never running and slipped to the canvas. Golovkin’s power appeared to be different than what his fans have witnessed over last few years during his title reign. The power was there, but it was thudding. The jabs that raked David Lemieux like sabers seemed to lack the speed and snap to the naked eye. He was reaching too much to get inside the pocket, especially with the lead left hook, which allowed Brook to adjust to withstand the mayhem and “GGG’s” forward momentum. His efforts though clearly reclaimed command of the fight.

The fourth round was much of the same, with Kell circling well and having better command of distance behind his jab. Often “GGG” would miss his opponents chin by an inch. Brook continued to paw at his hurt eye which would bleed slightly during the action and quelled between rounds. He made some noise at the end of the round but it wasn’t enough to erase the progress the middleweight champion was making.

The fifth stanza opened with Gennady determined to stop his valiant foe from reaching the latter rounds. “GGG” started to unload long shots to the head and hooks to the rib cage. He was landing both hands but single shots from either side of the gate. A slightly stunned Brook smiled a grin of bravado and waved “GGG” back into the pocket as if to say he wasn’t hurt. The champion obliged like a harbor shark smelling chum and was back on the offense in a heartbeat to wipe the smile off Kell’s face. Ringsiders were on their feet sensing the moment was at hand where Kell was about to receive Golovkin’s full fury. Before the halfway mark, Brook’s trainer Dominic Ingle threw in the towel forcing referee to stop the contest.

It was abundantly clear he was trying to save his fighter from not only taking further punishment, but not have to suffer a knockout. While it appeared he could continue and was trying to fight back there is no doubt in my mind this was truly the beginning of the end. I predicted for fans the end would come by TKO before eight rounds were completed. If the bout was allowed to play out until its destiny reached fruition, I’d bet the farm “GGG” would have ended matters no later than the seventh round.

In the Post-fight interview at ringside with Jim Lampley and Bernard Hopkins, Gennady claimed he had trouble gauging the distance which threw off his timing, so he elected to turn the boxing match into a street fight. “I didn’t feel his power, but I felt his distance” the champion explained. Both Gennady and his trainer denied any illness going into bout but both he and his fighter gave his performance a 4 on a scale of 1 to 10.

Kell made no excuses but claimed as early as first round he was seeing four fighters in front of him out of the right eye yet mildly protested the stoppage saying he would rather prove himself and be knocked out and be given the chance to prove his champions heart. He also revealed his future plans are to move south six pounds to the junior middleweight division where he intends to flourish and take over.

As for Gennady, he upped his record to 36-0, 33 KO’s on a hell bent 23 fight knockout streak. The sold out crowd of 19 thousand were treated to an equation no one was really prepared for. In what appeared to be “GGG’s” poorest performance since he won the belts and captured the imagination of the boxing world while still looking overpowering, how would this fight have gone done if he was as magnificent as his other title defenses? Secondly, if Kell Brook had taken his time in vacating the welterweights one would have to wonder how great this cat could be if he wasn’t in a rush for middleweight supremacy?

When asked who the champion preferred for his next fight Gennady without hesitation is calling for Billy Joe Saunders who holds the WBO belt which is the last one needed for Golovkin’s impressive collection. The WBA mandated fight with Daniel Jacobs will obviously be put on hold. I pray the organization does not do anything pathetic like strip “GGG” of their version of title. I propose Daniel give pay per view star Canelo Alvarez a shot on what would be a huge double header bill alongside Golovkin Vs Saunders with the winner taking all the marbles and belts in spring of ’17.

Can you hear me folks?

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