![\"Tony](\"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Tony-Zale.jpg\")
<\/a>more polished due to his extensive amateur background (over 350 fights in the Russian amateur style) and has a superior and more versatile jab. Golovkin also has never been floored as a pro or amateur. Mind you, he has yet to face a truly elite level fighter as a professional, and Zale fought in one of the most competitive eras in Middleweight history. All that being said, these two guys will bring it and not back down.<\/p>\nHead to head, they are about the same size (GGG is 5\u201910, Zale 5\u20199) and both are not small Middleweights. As previously said, Golovkin is more polished and perhaps more versatile (he kept big hitter David Lemieux on the end of his jab for at least 5 rounds before dispatching him with a body shot in the 8th), while Zale has proven durability, recovery ability, and the gas to hit hard for 15 rounds. Edge in power is hard to measure, but I\u2019d give Zale a slight edge due to finishing better quality opponents. GGG has never had (or ever will, nowadays) to fight anyone like Al Hostak, who was an absolute terror. Zale beat him three times, and at the time of their first fight in 1940, reigning MW champion Hostak was 59-2. Neither Zale nor GGG are noted for slick defense but both aren\u2019t \u201ccatchers\u201d by any means. In short, it comes down to who wants it more and who is willing to take more to get his man out of there…<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nBoth Zale and Golovkin come in prepared, fit, and cool as ice. The lead up to the fight was respectful and quiet. Zale displayed his usual stoicism and pride while GGG was a little more playful, stating this would be \u201cthe biggest of the Big Drama Shows\u201d. The press has the odds pretty much even, though Zale has had far superior quality of opposition. Nevertheless, GGG has beaten down every one that was put in front of him, so most look at this as a pick \u2018em fight.<\/p>\n
ROUND 1<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nZale comes right out and meets Golovkin in the center of the ring, throws a feeler left jab, and is met with a stiff right hand from GGG. Tony slips the right and counters with a left hook, which lands high on Golovkin\u2019s head. GGG jabs and moves out. Knowing Zale is the biggest hitter he\u2019s faced, Golovkin looks to keep Zale off of him with stiff jabs to avoid early exchanges. GGG continues to throw a high volume of jabs, some landing, some being slipped. It looks like GGG is measuring Zale so he can land that big right hand and Zale appears to close that distance inch by inch in attempt to render GGG\u2019s jab less effective. The round ends with Golovkin landing a hard left to Zale\u2019s body. Both are unhurt, but GGG was the busier and more active fighter. 10-9 GOLOVKIN.<\/p>\n
ROUND 2<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nGolovkin is still looking to establish his jab, but is finding that while it is landing occasionally, it is not keeping Zale off of him at the range he wants. Tony is creeping closer and closer and GGG feels the ring shrinking around him. Nonetheless, Zale is not landing anything of consequence, and GGG\u2019s jab and punch rate win him another round. 10-9 GOLOVKIN.<\/p>\n
ROUND 3<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nGGG is still firing that jab out there, but about a minute into the round, Zale pivots inside Golovkin\u2019s jab lands a huge right hand to the side of the body. You can hear an audible \u201cthump\u201d echoing in the arena and the fans respond with enthusiasm. Zale follows up with a left hook that GGG slips and then the fighters clinch. This is the first punch for either man that landed with any serious authority. Zale breaks free and lands a glancing left hook to the head, but again buries a heavy right to GGG\u2019s body. He had Golovkin trapped in the corner and is firing shots left and right. GGG manages to smother most, but a few more hard rights find their mark. The round ends with GGG overextending a jab and Zale ducking underneath. 10-9 ZALE<\/p>\n
ROUND 4<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nAfter the assault on his body during the previous round, GGG needs to find a way to keep Zale off of him. The plan to wear him down with the jab goes out the window. Golovkin goes right after Zale and starts teeing off on his surprised foe and lands a very hard right\/left combination that forces Zale to clinch. Both men land good body shots up close with GGG getting the better of the exchange. Zale then spins GGG back into the corner and leaps in with a huge left to the head which forces GGG to raise his hand to block it. Tony then fires two hard rights to the left side of GGG\u2019s body. Now there is visible bruising and redness on Golovkins body. GGG shows his bravery and punches his way out of the corner with a sizzling lead right\/left hook\/left to the body combination. The left hook grazes Zale\u2019s eyebrow but leaves a nasty cut behind. Zale clinches and the round ends. 10-10<\/p>\n
ROUNDS 5 – 8<\/strong><\/p>\nThe emerging pattern is GGG working on Zale\u2019s cut with his jab and left hook and Zale continuing with brutal body shots and trying to connect with that left hook follow up. GGG is a smooth operator and catching him clean to the head has been a challenge. Rounds 5 and 6 go to GGG while rounds 7 and 8 are Zale\u2019s. At the end of the 8th round, Zale\u2019s cut is under control and he appears to be the fresher of the two. The left side of Golovkin\u2019s body is all bruised and welted. He is having trouble jabbing or hooking effectively with his left. He is favoring that side, but not giving up.<\/p>\n
ROUND 9<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nZale, having won the past two rounds, comes out aggressively in round 9. He waits for an overcommitted jab and finally lands cleanly his patented combo and GGG appears to be hurt. Zale runs after him and GGG, playing possum, lands a crushing right hand to Zale\u2019s jaw! Tony\u2019s legs buckle and GGG is coming for him. Zale refuses to go down and clinches to clear his head. The round ends with Zale steady on his feet and GGG is in utter disbelief that he didn\u2019t go down. They don\u2019t call him \u201cThe Man of Steel\u201d for nothing! 10-9 GOLOVKIN<\/p>\n
ROUND 10<\/strong><\/p>\nGGG leaves his corner slowly, leery of his apparently recovered opponent. Zale goes on the offensive, using a hard, stiff jab to get GGG moving backward. Golovkin is confused at this change in tactic and looks to create distance to get his bearings. GGG throws a sloppy jab and is met by The Combo. The left hand whistled over his head because he right to the body doubles him over in pain, and GGG takes a knee. Gennady Golovkin is on the deck, wheezing and wincing. He gets up at 8 and the round ends, saving him from being finished right there and then. 10-9 ZALE<\/p>\n
ROUND 11<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nTony Zale comes out with reckless abandon in the 11th, knowing he has his man where he wants him. When he floored GGG, Zale felt the crunch of cracked ribs on contact in the round prior and knows it is time. GGG\u2019s left side will be useless and he won\u2019t be able to hold off a prolonged assault. GGG is hanging tough because he\u2019s a true warrior, but Zale is all over him. He cannot keep the Man of Steel off of him. Zale works left hook\/right hand combos to the head and GGG is protecting his left side. Midway through the round, Zale land a crushing right to the head and GGG\u2019s legs betray him and he careens to his right and falls into Zale\u2019s corner. Ray Arcel is staring coldly at him and Zale is relentless in his attempt to finish the fight. Tony lands another right hand and GGG stumbles out of the corner, grabbing the ropes to keep himself from falling. The ref steps in at 2:01 of the 11th round and stops the fight. Tony Zale wins by TKO.<\/p>\n
Now we all know that anything can happen in these sorts of match ups. We are not dealing with pro vs amateur, where there is a very clear and obvious favorite. I picked Zale to win because he\u2019s come from behind and won. He\u2019s had to dig deep and adjust to win against incredible competition. Golovkin is the goods, and there is no disputing that, but he\u2019s still unproven against truly top opponents. He\u2019s being avoided (with good reason!) like the plague, and that is not his fault. Beyond those intangibles, I think that Zale is just mentally unbreakable. That kind of opponent is very tough to defeat. Beatable, (everyone is of course) but unbreakable. He is like Rocky Balboa. Remember what Duke told Apollo Creed in Rocky II when Apollo wanted to know why Duke was trying to avoid a rematch with Rocky? He said \u201cI saw you beat that man like I\u2019ve never seen any man get beat before, and the man… kept…coming… after you!\u201d That was Tony Zale.<\/p>\n
[si-contact-form form=’2′]<\/p>\n