Vinny’s Views: Gennady “GGG” Golovkin – Kell Brook Inside Information, Betting Odds & Fight Prediction

By Vinny “Glory Days” Lucci

All right sports fans, as we head into tomorrow night’s middleweight title fight between unbeaten champs Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and Kell Brook more questions have been raised than answered so allow me to get you on track for fan favorite which has incredibly taken on a life of its own. For those still wondering why the current IBF welterweight champ decided to head north two divisions and thirteen pounds came down to a matter of logistics. Brook was simply having too much trouble drying out to make 147. With this news came the revelation that he will relinquish his belt and no longer campaign at that weight. Kell was approached to take fight when WBO middleweight champ Billy Joe Saunders balked at a unification, as did top contender Chris Eubank, JR.

With Brook vacating the title, it is expected that number one contender Errol Spence, JR. will fight for title against number two ranked Konstantin Ponomarev in the near future. The WBA has decided not to sanction this middleweight fight since they did not have Brook rated at 160 pounds because paperwork asking for title considerations was not entered in a timely fashion. Regardless, whoever wins the match will be seen by fans as the universal champion as Golovkin also holds the IBF and WBC belts. The victor is mandated once again, to fight interim WBA champion Daniel Jacobs. Daniel for reasons not made clear to the boxing media has been allowed to keep his title without having had to meet mandated “GGG”. In a recent interview Jacobs has stated, same as Canelo Alvarez that a match with Golovkin won’t be on his radar until the fall of 2017.

The betting odds going into the fight are -650 for the champion vs +475 for the challenger. There has been a puzzling last wave of support on Brook as he has looked like he is a finely chiseled statue by Michelangelo. He has comfortably added thirteen pounds of muscle on his thirty-year-old 5’9” frame. It must be added that the wave of support has been vocal, but the betting odds haven’t seen a flutter since it opened. Gennady at thirty-four is still questionably shy of his prime and carries his weight comfortably while stopping his last 22 foes on his 35 and 0 ledger. Yes, Brook has been an impressive fighter for years, but besides edging out Shawn Porter for his title, there simply isn’t a recognizable name on his record and that is really saying something considering it is a star studded division. At 36 and 0 Kell is taking his perfect record into waters unknown at a chance of becoming a legend.

History tells us that “GGG” is a wrecking machine and most feared middleweight since both Ezzard Charles and Charley Burly trolled these waters. It’s been fifty years since a current standing welterweight champ has taken the throne from a middleweight champion when the great Emile Griffith dethroned Dick Tiger. While the fight will be hosted in Brook’s backyard, the London 02 Arena should not have a direct effect on the outcome of the match. The general consensus is that the judges won’t have to tally their scorecards after final round. Gennady wins by stoppage. At welterweight, with no interim fights at 154 or middleweight tune ups do we have any indication that Brook can hurt a bonafide middleweight but also take the havoc being thrown back in his direction. Kell plans on boxing behind a jab and giving angles that will impede Golovkin’s forward momentum and tie up the bull rushes when he approaches the pocket. Eddie Hearn who promotes Brook must have forgotten how easily Gennady breaks down wills, walls, and bodies when his opponents try to box him.

No matter the size of ring, the canvas is real estate that Golovkin owns and all comers are merely trespassers.

My fight prediction is “GGG” ends the interesting matchup as well as Brook’s foray into the division in eight rounds. Smart money will bet the over/under instead of going for long odds on the challenger. Perhaps it’s the Jr middleweight division where Kell rightfully belongs alongside Canelo Alvarez, Erislandy Lara, Demetrius Andrade, and Jermall Charlo.

Look for complete fight coverage on RSR shortly after the post fight conference.

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