Who says he can't. Whatever people may say about Canelo regarding "running" in the last fight, and with all the steroid allegations, the truth is, he is an excellent counter puncher. And with so much more speed, and with him now also being slimmer, he may have better stamina in the rematch. This makes things more exciting. If that is the game plan for Canelo, to be too fast and make GGG look slow and ponderous, it will be interesting to see how Golovkin adapts. He will need to be much better at cutting the ring off than he was in the first fight. And he will need to start much quicker, applying pressure, landing more body punches. But this then leaves him open for counters. Makes for an interesting fight. Don't miss it.
Showing posts with label Gennady Golovkin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gennady Golovkin. Show all posts
Canelo Looking Super Fast For GGG 2
Talk of Canelo looking slimmer for the rematch against Triple G seems to be on point. In this video he does look like he's slimmed down. In the process he has improved his punching speed like never before. This may indicate that Canelo is going to try and do a Mayweather on Golovkin. Land extremely fast combinations, get out of range and avoid any counter punches that come his way, and in the process make Golovkin miss and look silly. Sounds great, but pulling it off, especially for a full 12 rounds, is another thing all together.
Who says he can't. Whatever people may say about Canelo regarding "running" in the last fight, and with all the steroid allegations, the truth is, he is an excellent counter puncher. And with so much more speed, and with him now also being slimmer, he may have better stamina in the rematch. This makes things more exciting. If that is the game plan for Canelo, to be too fast and make GGG look slow and ponderous, it will be interesting to see how Golovkin adapts. He will need to be much better at cutting the ring off than he was in the first fight. And he will need to start much quicker, applying pressure, landing more body punches. But this then leaves him open for counters. Makes for an interesting fight. Don't miss it.
Who says he can't. Whatever people may say about Canelo regarding "running" in the last fight, and with all the steroid allegations, the truth is, he is an excellent counter puncher. And with so much more speed, and with him now also being slimmer, he may have better stamina in the rematch. This makes things more exciting. If that is the game plan for Canelo, to be too fast and make GGG look slow and ponderous, it will be interesting to see how Golovkin adapts. He will need to be much better at cutting the ring off than he was in the first fight. And he will need to start much quicker, applying pressure, landing more body punches. But this then leaves him open for counters. Makes for an interesting fight. Don't miss it.
GGG Conference Call For Canelo Rematch
Courtesy of the Mayweather Boxing Channel, here is the full conference call for Golovkin, which also features Abel Sanchez (Golovkin's trainer) and Tom Loeffler (promoter). In this phone interview, Triple G answers the questions in Russian using an English translator. The general feeling from listening to this, is Gennady appears a little bit annoyed with all drama that's been going on with the Canelo camp and just wants the 15th September to hurry up and arrive so he can do his talking in the ring.
This call also somewhat clears up the rumours and controversy about the complaints regarding the boxing gloves Canelo wanted to wear in the rematch and the hand wrapping that has been contested against. The one thing that was really surprising to hear in this call was the fact that this fight is not even sold out yet.
There are still tickets available, which seems crazy for a fight of this magnitude. Maybe as the fight draws closer and the excitement builds, we could see a last minute spurt in ticket sales, which hopefully, for boxing's sake, sees the event become a sell out. PPV sales should still be high.
After all, these are two of the biggest names in the sport. However, the most probable reason why this fight is suffering in terms of ticket sales, and quite possibly PPV numbers, is down to the controversial decision in their first fight, where almost everyone thought Golovkin won. It's clear that people are getting tired of paying for what they see as corruption.
This call also somewhat clears up the rumours and controversy about the complaints regarding the boxing gloves Canelo wanted to wear in the rematch and the hand wrapping that has been contested against. The one thing that was really surprising to hear in this call was the fact that this fight is not even sold out yet.
There are still tickets available, which seems crazy for a fight of this magnitude. Maybe as the fight draws closer and the excitement builds, we could see a last minute spurt in ticket sales, which hopefully, for boxing's sake, sees the event become a sell out. PPV sales should still be high.
After all, these are two of the biggest names in the sport. However, the most probable reason why this fight is suffering in terms of ticket sales, and quite possibly PPV numbers, is down to the controversial decision in their first fight, where almost everyone thought Golovkin won. It's clear that people are getting tired of paying for what they see as corruption.
GGG Apparel UK - T-Shirts And Hats
With the big fight between Golovkin and Canelo fast approaching, and with the build up starting to really gain some momentum, fans are on the lookout for GGG merchandise, mostly in the form of T-shirts and snapback caps. The sad reality for fans is, the UK doesn't really have a great selection of genuine GGG merchandise. All the best gear is in the America (and Kazakhstan). And most of the time it sells out very fast. And when it comes to GGG's Nike Jordan brand apparel (Hoodies, hats etc), that is very hard to find in the UK.
However, there is still some decent memorabilia items in the UK that are genuine, like signed boxing gloves and signed shorts etc. Some of which have video proof if authenticity (GGG filmed while signing the item). The trouble with the non-autographed clothing items, though, is sifting through the many triple G products that have popped up all over the place which are being sold by fly-by-night sellers who are listing items that are absolutely terrible quality.
If you take a look on Amazon UK, or Amazon USA, you will quickly see what I mean. At the moment there's nothing on there for sale except cheap, tacky looking designs which have that hideous low quality vinyl printing that peels off really quickly, leaving behind a blank cap or flaking t-shirt. All print designs are susceptible to peeling but the ones in question look particularly bad. Some nicer examples were already featured on this website (see them here), but now they are sold out.
The good news is, the t-shirt and hat selection on eBay UK is much better. Although it's very likely they are not official GGG, there's actually some really nice designs being sold on there for cheap prices, most of which appear to be much better quality than what is being pushed on Amazon. This is strange in a way, because in my experience it's usually the other way round. Cheap, replicated tat on eBay, and better quality being sold on Amazon.
That's definitely not the case with Golovkin merchandise. So for all you fans that are on the lookout for a cap or t-shirt, take a look on eBay. For this post, I have searched through the listings on eBay and managed to find a few decent quality, reasonably priced t-shirts that are worthy of their purchase price.
These items are located in the United Kingdom (London), so should easily arrive before the rematch if you're located in the UK. Sadly, with the hats / snapbacks, all the really nice, high quality sewn examples are in the USA, and with the fight so close, it's very unlikely you will receive any orders before the Golovkin Vs Canelo rematch takes place.
However, there is still some decent memorabilia items in the UK that are genuine, like signed boxing gloves and signed shorts etc. Some of which have video proof if authenticity (GGG filmed while signing the item). The trouble with the non-autographed clothing items, though, is sifting through the many triple G products that have popped up all over the place which are being sold by fly-by-night sellers who are listing items that are absolutely terrible quality.
If you take a look on Amazon UK, or Amazon USA, you will quickly see what I mean. At the moment there's nothing on there for sale except cheap, tacky looking designs which have that hideous low quality vinyl printing that peels off really quickly, leaving behind a blank cap or flaking t-shirt. All print designs are susceptible to peeling but the ones in question look particularly bad. Some nicer examples were already featured on this website (see them here), but now they are sold out.
The good news is, the t-shirt and hat selection on eBay UK is much better. Although it's very likely they are not official GGG, there's actually some really nice designs being sold on there for cheap prices, most of which appear to be much better quality than what is being pushed on Amazon. This is strange in a way, because in my experience it's usually the other way round. Cheap, replicated tat on eBay, and better quality being sold on Amazon.
That's definitely not the case with Golovkin merchandise. So for all you fans that are on the lookout for a cap or t-shirt, take a look on eBay. For this post, I have searched through the listings on eBay and managed to find a few decent quality, reasonably priced t-shirts that are worthy of their purchase price.
These items are located in the United Kingdom (London), so should easily arrive before the rematch if you're located in the UK. Sadly, with the hats / snapbacks, all the really nice, high quality sewn examples are in the USA, and with the fight so close, it's very unlikely you will receive any orders before the Golovkin Vs Canelo rematch takes place.
Golovkin Media Workout For Canelo 2
The date for the rematch is getting closer, and finally there is a much needed glimmer of remembrance that this fight is actually taking place. I say this because for a while, and with other fights taking the limelight, there just wasn't much footage being released of Canelo Alvarez or Golovkin training or being interviewed. Also, given the fact that Canelo has outright refused to do any face to face promoting with GGG, it has made the build up to the rematch somewhat boring in comparison to other fights that have been taking place. Also, to add some intrigue to the lack of media build up, rumour has it that Golovkin was, at some point, unhappy with the media reporters who arrived to film / interview him at his training camp in Big Bear California.
Too intrusive. Apparently he wasn't happy with them following him around everywhere, even going as far as trying to accompany him on one of his runs. Word is, when this happened he was so annoyed that he actually turned back and didn't complete the run. This type of behaviour seems a little strange for Golovkin because he always seems so cheerful and respectful when being filmed while in training camp on previous occasions.
Perhaps he feels more pressure for this fight, wants to set the record straight and needs his own time and space to really concentrate and get in the zone. I can imagine how annoying it could be when trying to train for the biggest fight of your life and there's people sticking cameras in your face, bombarding you with the same old questions you've been asked a thousand times already. Anyway, I hope it wasn't too bad for him, and that he got in all the work that was needed for a fight of this magnitude. He certainly looks in great shape, very powerful as always.
With the fight almost here, things have started heating up, and media workouts have recently taken place. Both men look ready to go, and there's still a few weeks left for some final gruelling workouts and strategic sparring sessions before tapering off in preparation for the big night. Not long to go now. In case you're not aware, the fight takes place on 15th September 2018.
Let's just hope this time round the judging is fair, both fighters are clean and come out of this fight with their health / faculties intact. May the best man (I hope it's Golovkin) win. After his media workout Triple G went on a signing spree, autographing Triple G caps, Triple G T-shirts, posters and boxing gloves. He stayed with the fans for a long time too, signing almost everything. That was nice to see, some appreciation for the fans who turned up to see him.
Too intrusive. Apparently he wasn't happy with them following him around everywhere, even going as far as trying to accompany him on one of his runs. Word is, when this happened he was so annoyed that he actually turned back and didn't complete the run. This type of behaviour seems a little strange for Golovkin because he always seems so cheerful and respectful when being filmed while in training camp on previous occasions.
Perhaps he feels more pressure for this fight, wants to set the record straight and needs his own time and space to really concentrate and get in the zone. I can imagine how annoying it could be when trying to train for the biggest fight of your life and there's people sticking cameras in your face, bombarding you with the same old questions you've been asked a thousand times already. Anyway, I hope it wasn't too bad for him, and that he got in all the work that was needed for a fight of this magnitude. He certainly looks in great shape, very powerful as always.
With the fight almost here, things have started heating up, and media workouts have recently taken place. Both men look ready to go, and there's still a few weeks left for some final gruelling workouts and strategic sparring sessions before tapering off in preparation for the big night. Not long to go now. In case you're not aware, the fight takes place on 15th September 2018.
Let's just hope this time round the judging is fair, both fighters are clean and come out of this fight with their health / faculties intact. May the best man (I hope it's Golovkin) win. After his media workout Triple G went on a signing spree, autographing Triple G caps, Triple G T-shirts, posters and boxing gloves. He stayed with the fans for a long time too, signing almost everything. That was nice to see, some appreciation for the fans who turned up to see him.
GGG Vs Canelo Rematch Confirmed
It has been confirmed that the Golovkin Vs Canelo rematch will take place on September 15th 2018. With the fight looking like not taking place for quite some time due to disagreements with the money split, a deal was reached where both sides were happy with. Supposedly, the percentage is approximately 42% to Golovkin, and 58% for Canelo.
Whilst a lot of people think Golovkin should get a straight 50/50 for this fight, due to GGG still holding most of the world title belts, Canelo getting busted for "tainted meat", and with Golovkin being a fan favourite himself, this is still a fair deal. Because regardless of what has happened, Canelo Alvarez is still the bigger draw, and in Boxing, that counts for a hell of a lot when it comes to negotiations on the money side of things.
Either way, with the splits being not far from even, both will make tens of millions of dollars for this fight. So who wins the rematch? In truth, while I am a GGG fan, I have to be honest, I thought the first fight was very close. They were extremely evenly matched. GGG applied the pressure and pushed the action no doubt, but Canelo was landing the eye catching shots.
And although he was on the back foot a lot, he was good defensively and countering well. So while I did have GGG winning it by two rounds, I could see that a draw wasn't out of the question. Although that one scorecard of 118 to Canelo was completely ridiculous.
However, it will be interesting to see how the rematch plays out now that, whether accidental due to tainted meat or not, there has been so much talk about alleged performing enhancing drug use. So the focus will be on how thorough the testing is for this fight. Many people, from boxing fans and online boxing news websites, to those in the boxing business, are more suspicious than ever before about this particular fight.
Will there be neutral judges? Will it be held in Las Vegas? Will random VADA testing be taking place NOW and when both fighters are deep into their camp? All everyone wants is a fair and even playing field, and if we do hopefully get that, I think everyone will be happy to give credit where its due and accept whoever the winner is.
After there last fight has generated so much controversy in one way or another, boxing needs a fair result or it will lose even more fans than it has already, because people are getting too tired of all the drama and corruption that appears to follow boxing around like a bad smell.
Whilst a lot of people think Golovkin should get a straight 50/50 for this fight, due to GGG still holding most of the world title belts, Canelo getting busted for "tainted meat", and with Golovkin being a fan favourite himself, this is still a fair deal. Because regardless of what has happened, Canelo Alvarez is still the bigger draw, and in Boxing, that counts for a hell of a lot when it comes to negotiations on the money side of things.
Either way, with the splits being not far from even, both will make tens of millions of dollars for this fight. So who wins the rematch? In truth, while I am a GGG fan, I have to be honest, I thought the first fight was very close. They were extremely evenly matched. GGG applied the pressure and pushed the action no doubt, but Canelo was landing the eye catching shots.
And although he was on the back foot a lot, he was good defensively and countering well. So while I did have GGG winning it by two rounds, I could see that a draw wasn't out of the question. Although that one scorecard of 118 to Canelo was completely ridiculous.
However, it will be interesting to see how the rematch plays out now that, whether accidental due to tainted meat or not, there has been so much talk about alleged performing enhancing drug use. So the focus will be on how thorough the testing is for this fight. Many people, from boxing fans and online boxing news websites, to those in the boxing business, are more suspicious than ever before about this particular fight.
Will there be neutral judges? Will it be held in Las Vegas? Will random VADA testing be taking place NOW and when both fighters are deep into their camp? All everyone wants is a fair and even playing field, and if we do hopefully get that, I think everyone will be happy to give credit where its due and accept whoever the winner is.
After there last fight has generated so much controversy in one way or another, boxing needs a fair result or it will lose even more fans than it has already, because people are getting too tired of all the drama and corruption that appears to follow boxing around like a bad smell.
Gennady "GGG" Golovkin Boxing T-Shirt
Middleweight wrecking machine, Gennady "GGG" Golovkin is widely considered as one of the most exciting boxers in the world right now. He is currently the holder of most of the "real" middleweight world title belts. The only one missing from his collection is the WBO. Now potentially being tied to having at least two fights with Canelo if he wins the first match (rematch clause is in place), it looks like Golovkin's goal of "All the belts" will have to go on hold for now.
But if he gets past Canelo twice (this will not be easy), GGG will no doubt will be looking the relieve Billy Joe Saunders (WBO Champion) of that last needed belt to fulfill his ambition. Humble, well-mannered, and looking more like a science teacher than a world champion boxer with one of the highest knockout percentages of recent times, it's not hard to see why so many people like him. He is nothing like your average, stereo typical boxer, acting tough and having a chip on his shoulder. Quite the opposite.
And that's why so many boxing fans have warmed to him. Friendly outside of the ring, and exciting inside it. Anyway, that's enough about the man himself. The other good thing about Triple G is that he has some of the nicest merchandise out there for sale. At one of his fights, I think it was against Curtis Stevens, Geale or Lemiux, they sold around $300K worth of Golovkin merchandise.
Hats / Snapbacks, T-Shirts, Hoodies, Boxing gloves etc. That's crazy numbers! I'm fairly sure that whatever the final figures were, it was a new record for the most merchandise sold. That could be exclusive to the venue, which was Madison Square Garden.
Sadly, there is a shortage of this gear being sold in the UK. Yes, you can order official GGG merchandise online (mostly sold out on shopggg), but as far as I'm aware, it will be getting shipped from America. So you may have to pay customs charges etc. And, being official GGG apparel, it's not going to be cheap to start with. Of course, you also have the guys who now know how popular the items are and go to the fights looking to buy the most popular sellers, like the caps and t-shirts, in order to sell them on down the line for a profit. This is fine, but due to most of Golovkin's fights taking place in the USA, for those in the UK, there is still the issue of ordering them from abroad.
However, all is not lost. Although doubtful that they are official, going on the reviews, there are some pretty good quality items of Triple G clothing being sold in the UK (None Jordan branded). Some nice T-shirts, and various Hat designs too. And they are cheap to buy. Be aware though. There are also some poorly made examples doing the rounds, such as hats that appear to have a really cheap, tacky looking print on them that will peel off within a week. Steer clear of those.
Let's hope Gennady can get past Canelo in September. Hopefully by stoppage so there is no controversy on the scorecards. There has been too much of that recently. As you probably guessed, I am a Triple G fan. Team GGG! Mexican Style. "This is boxing". Can't wait for the fight. If you are able to, make sure you buy the fight on PPV in order to support real boxing where two of the best are actually fighting each other.
But if he gets past Canelo twice (this will not be easy), GGG will no doubt will be looking the relieve Billy Joe Saunders (WBO Champion) of that last needed belt to fulfill his ambition. Humble, well-mannered, and looking more like a science teacher than a world champion boxer with one of the highest knockout percentages of recent times, it's not hard to see why so many people like him. He is nothing like your average, stereo typical boxer, acting tough and having a chip on his shoulder. Quite the opposite.
And that's why so many boxing fans have warmed to him. Friendly outside of the ring, and exciting inside it. Anyway, that's enough about the man himself. The other good thing about Triple G is that he has some of the nicest merchandise out there for sale. At one of his fights, I think it was against Curtis Stevens, Geale or Lemiux, they sold around $300K worth of Golovkin merchandise.
Hats / Snapbacks, T-Shirts, Hoodies, Boxing gloves etc. That's crazy numbers! I'm fairly sure that whatever the final figures were, it was a new record for the most merchandise sold. That could be exclusive to the venue, which was Madison Square Garden.
Items Located In The UK
Sadly, there is a shortage of this gear being sold in the UK. Yes, you can order official GGG merchandise online (mostly sold out on shopggg), but as far as I'm aware, it will be getting shipped from America. So you may have to pay customs charges etc. And, being official GGG apparel, it's not going to be cheap to start with. Of course, you also have the guys who now know how popular the items are and go to the fights looking to buy the most popular sellers, like the caps and t-shirts, in order to sell them on down the line for a profit. This is fine, but due to most of Golovkin's fights taking place in the USA, for those in the UK, there is still the issue of ordering them from abroad.
Genuine "GGG" Merchandise?
However, all is not lost. Although doubtful that they are official, going on the reviews, there are some pretty good quality items of Triple G clothing being sold in the UK (None Jordan branded). Some nice T-shirts, and various Hat designs too. And they are cheap to buy. Be aware though. There are also some poorly made examples doing the rounds, such as hats that appear to have a really cheap, tacky looking print on them that will peel off within a week. Steer clear of those.
Let's hope Gennady can get past Canelo in September. Hopefully by stoppage so there is no controversy on the scorecards. There has been too much of that recently. As you probably guessed, I am a Triple G fan. Team GGG! Mexican Style. "This is boxing". Can't wait for the fight. If you are able to, make sure you buy the fight on PPV in order to support real boxing where two of the best are actually fighting each other.
Should Carl Froch Fight GGG
There is a lot of talk about this fight taking place. Froch Vs GGG is the fight many want to see. No doubt, it would be a great fight. Some think Froch would be too big and too strong for Golovkin and others think Golovkin's technical skill and huge punching power would follow him up to super middleweight and see him dispose of Froch via knockout..
Truth is, no one really knows what would happen until the fight actually takes place. It is a pick-em fight and that is what makes it so interesting. There are valid reasons that can be argued until the cows come home in defense of why both can win. The size and weight difference for Froch, and the power, accuracy, and boxing smarts of Golovkin.
So should Froch take the risk and take on Golovkin before retiring from the sport. Most fans would say yes, and me personally I would love him to make this his last fight. Why not go out with a bang by taking on one of the most feared fighters in boxing right now. As much as I am fan of both fighters, but would be rooting for Golovkin if they fought, I actually think Froch, because he is so tough and the bigger man naturally, stands a good chance of beating Golovkin, or at least giving him a really good fight.
Question is, does Froch have the desire anymore..The answer is most probably no. An interview with Eddie Hearn (Froch's promoter) that was recently uploaded to youtube by IFLTV saw Hearn disclose some insight on Carl's current -Can I be bothered anymore - state of mind.
Eddie said that the other day Carl's missus and kid, or kids, went out and he was left on his own in the house. He has a heavy bag in his shed / garage and was going to do six rounds on the bag to keep himself ticking over. He done the first round no problem, but when he got half way through the second round he said he just couldn't be bothered and he called it a day and went and had a cup of tea instead. I know this isn't the be all and end all, I mean how many people, boxers or anyone else, sportsman or otherwise, sometimes can't be bothered once in a while.
However, with the money Carl now has, and with all the other things he has going on in his life that don't include boxing, it really does look like he doesn't really want or need to fight anymore. It's just natural so who can blame him if the desire just isn't there like it used to be. I think the Hagler quote sums up Carl Froch's situation right now.. 'It's real hard to get up at 5am & run 5 miles when you're in a 4 post bed wearing silk pyjamas'.
Will Froch Vs Golovkin take place? Most think it won't at this stage and some people even think that Froch had no intention of fighting GGG and was only talking about him to create some hype and keep himself relevant. I guess we'll have to see what happens. Froch Vs Degale is a possibility. Check out the video above from Richard Dwyer where he makes an excellent case for why Golovkin would beat Carl Froch. It does make a lot of sense on many levels.
Truth is, no one really knows what would happen until the fight actually takes place. It is a pick-em fight and that is what makes it so interesting. There are valid reasons that can be argued until the cows come home in defense of why both can win. The size and weight difference for Froch, and the power, accuracy, and boxing smarts of Golovkin.
So should Froch take the risk and take on Golovkin before retiring from the sport. Most fans would say yes, and me personally I would love him to make this his last fight. Why not go out with a bang by taking on one of the most feared fighters in boxing right now. As much as I am fan of both fighters, but would be rooting for Golovkin if they fought, I actually think Froch, because he is so tough and the bigger man naturally, stands a good chance of beating Golovkin, or at least giving him a really good fight.
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| Froch Vs Abraham. Image Credit: Pasi T |
Question is, does Froch have the desire anymore..The answer is most probably no. An interview with Eddie Hearn (Froch's promoter) that was recently uploaded to youtube by IFLTV saw Hearn disclose some insight on Carl's current -Can I be bothered anymore - state of mind.
Eddie said that the other day Carl's missus and kid, or kids, went out and he was left on his own in the house. He has a heavy bag in his shed / garage and was going to do six rounds on the bag to keep himself ticking over. He done the first round no problem, but when he got half way through the second round he said he just couldn't be bothered and he called it a day and went and had a cup of tea instead. I know this isn't the be all and end all, I mean how many people, boxers or anyone else, sportsman or otherwise, sometimes can't be bothered once in a while.
However, with the money Carl now has, and with all the other things he has going on in his life that don't include boxing, it really does look like he doesn't really want or need to fight anymore. It's just natural so who can blame him if the desire just isn't there like it used to be. I think the Hagler quote sums up Carl Froch's situation right now.. 'It's real hard to get up at 5am & run 5 miles when you're in a 4 post bed wearing silk pyjamas'.
Will Froch Vs Golovkin take place? Most think it won't at this stage and some people even think that Froch had no intention of fighting GGG and was only talking about him to create some hype and keep himself relevant. I guess we'll have to see what happens. Froch Vs Degale is a possibility. Check out the video above from Richard Dwyer where he makes an excellent case for why Golovkin would beat Carl Froch. It does make a lot of sense on many levels.
Ward and GGG Join The Keyboard Warriors
OK, the keyboard warrior thing is a little far fetched, these guys are A level fighters, but Andre Ward and Gennady Golovkin have entered into a war of words which have made their way onto the mainstream Internet sport websites and boxing forums. The pair are basically saying that each man is making excuses for the fight to not be made. Who's telling the truth? No one really knows for sure but if you ask a Ward fan he will say GGG is ducking, and the same thing gets said the other way round, Ward don't wanna fight GGG etc, or why don't Ward pick on someone his own size and fight Kovalev instead.
In a way it's all good because while GGG and Ward are considered two of the best fighters out there they have also been two of the least vocal when it comes to talking a bit of trash, building a fight, and being a bit controversial. But boxing is steeped in trash talk and controversy and fans love the hype. Of course, we don't want no WWE WWF Bull Sh*t but it is OK to get the taste buds flowing and build the fight a little.
So what do we really know about this situation. Who is ducking who? First off, I don't think either man is afraid of the other, but the truth is that both men are in different situations career wise. Golovkin has been very active and is on the verge of unifying the middleweight division. Andre Ward has been through some promotional problems and has been inactive for quite some time (Since late 2013, and before that he only fought once in 2012). And we do know for definite that Ward's trainer (Virgil Hunter) has stated that Ward needs a few tune up fights before facing Golovkin. That is a fact.
So for Ward to say Golovkin is making excuses seems rather contradictory because as his trainer stated, he is not in the position to fight GGG right now anyway. We also know that a meeting with HBO took place with both fighters and their representatives. Ward and GGG were asked if they were ready to fight each other and apparently GGG said yes he is ready to fight and Ward said No due to an injured shoulder and most probably because of inactivity too.
In some ways, with some of the comments Ward has made towards Golovkin, it does look like Ward could be a bit jealous because GGG is in the limelight and he isn't. Andre Ward is not even ranked anymore due to inactivity, so in many ways he is not even that relevant right now. Other than inactivity, If we look at the fighting styles of each fighter we can see why one is extremely popular and why one isn't. Wards boxing style isn't the most exciting or fan friendly. And then there comes the problem of Ward's fan base.
He can't even sell out a venue in his home city of Oakland, but yet when negotiations are taking place, not only with GGG, but also with Carl Froch, Ward wants the lions share of the split, which he does not deserve..He is pricing himself out of the market. Now Ward is also saying that he is only fighting Britain's Paul Smith because Carl Froch doesn't want to fight him.
But the word is that Froch asked Ward to come and fight in the UK and Ward refused. I tend to believe this because if you check Andre Wards boxing record you will quickly see that he has fought most of his career in the USA. Guess where he is fighting Paul Smith..Yep, you guessed it, the Oracle Arena in Oakland, USA. Home sweet home. People that know boxing know that a real champion has the balls and strength of mind to fight anywhere in the world.
Take a look at Sergey Kovalev and Gennady Golovkin, they are real champions who will fight anywhere, but Andre Ward's professional record makes it look like he's afraid to travel. The proof is there. Until Ward fights out of his comfort zone how can he be considered as a great champion..It should also be noted that Ward Vs Smith is taking place at a catch weight of 172lbs, so with 3 additional pounds Ward could well be fighting in Kovalev territory at light heavyweight.
With Golovkin and Ward, part of the problem is that the media keep on asking one about the other, when in reality they shouldn't be facing each other right now. Ward needs to get the rust off with a few fights and Golovkin needs to concentrate on unifying the middleweight division. And in fairness, Golovkin needs to face some tougher opposition. Fighters are certainly talking a lot, If only they would sign the contract though and commit to fight GGG. If the media would just STHU and let them both do there thing for a while it would be a great fight for the future when each man is in a better position to make the fight a reality.
The time isn't really right at this moment but both fighters are being forced into dialogue because of the hype and constant questions and accusations of what the other side said etc. Neither man is scared, and I think that Ward does want to prove he is the best and it looks like he secretly wants to fight and take out the two fighters considered the best and most feared right now which is GGG and Kovalev. All great fights that I hope can happen in the future. The outcomes are not certain, but neither is whether Ward, with so much time off, will ever be the same fighter he once was.
*Article Update*
Since this post was written (I know the date is recent but the post is from my other site) a lot has changed. GGG is going to get his shot at the WBC Middleweight Title, (Even if the winner of Cotto - Canelo doesn't want to fight him) so a fight with Ward is well out of the picture for now. Adding to that, Ward can't make 168 anymore so is more than likely moving to Light Heavyweight where him facing Kovalev within the next year looks to be a more realistic fight than him Facing GGG.
Andre Ward had one of his "Tune up" fights turned down! With people saying it was too much of a miss-match! It was deemed as unsafe. That says a lot right there about his level of competition. After this happened, Ward has now injured his knee and won't be fighting for a while, yet again. Also, he has just vacated his WBA Super-Middleweight Title. Lots of talk about Ward faking the injury, and being scared to agree 100% to fight Kovalev, which is what some people think may have had something, or a lot, to do with his tune up fight being pulled from the Cotto - Canelo under card.
Andre Ward is quickly becoming more and more irrelevant and needs to actually start taking on some decent fighters if he's to remain one of the best out there. Personally, I don't think he has been active enough to be considered as a P4P boxer anymore. How many times has he even fought out of his comfort zone? Who will win out of Kovalev Vs Ward if they do fight. Outcomes are never certain, but I think Kovalev will destroy Ward. From what I've seen and read about Ward lately a lot of things point to him being a shot fighter.
The most important aspect here is that, yes I think he's a shot fighter, but more importantly, I also think that he knows it too. And thats the worst thing for a fighter. When they lose their self belief it is over. Other fighters have come through the ranks and overtook Ward while he's been inactive, and now he's not sure if he's got what it takes to beat these fighters anymore. He's scared to lose his unbeaten record to the fighters that are in the spotlight and are considered as real threats, so he fights opponents that are incapable of putting up much of a fight. OK, to the crowd he will look great knocking someone out, but this is a dangerous strategy. Because if Ward fights journey men for the next year and then takes the fight with Kovalev, he will not be ready for that huge step up in class and will get beaten badly.
Also, If he continues to fight journey men and one of them just happens to get lucky, clip his chin and knock him out, his boxing career is basically over. Or will require some serious rebuilding. But against who... Low level junior middleweights who haven't trained for a few years? Wards choice of opposition has become a disgrace. There are lots of B and even C level fighters that he could fight that would put up a decent challenge, yet he wants to fight the worst possible opposition. And if it couldn't be any worse than that, the boxers Ward was going to fight are not even true light heavyweights. Things don't look good for Ward right now.
It's quite sad really because the guy does have talent and I hope he comes back and proves me and everyone else, who thinks he's not quite the Ward of old wrong.
In a way it's all good because while GGG and Ward are considered two of the best fighters out there they have also been two of the least vocal when it comes to talking a bit of trash, building a fight, and being a bit controversial. But boxing is steeped in trash talk and controversy and fans love the hype. Of course, we don't want no WWE WWF Bull Sh*t but it is OK to get the taste buds flowing and build the fight a little.
So what do we really know about this situation. Who is ducking who? First off, I don't think either man is afraid of the other, but the truth is that both men are in different situations career wise. Golovkin has been very active and is on the verge of unifying the middleweight division. Andre Ward has been through some promotional problems and has been inactive for quite some time (Since late 2013, and before that he only fought once in 2012). And we do know for definite that Ward's trainer (Virgil Hunter) has stated that Ward needs a few tune up fights before facing Golovkin. That is a fact.
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| Picture Credit: roundbyroundboxing.com |
So for Ward to say Golovkin is making excuses seems rather contradictory because as his trainer stated, he is not in the position to fight GGG right now anyway. We also know that a meeting with HBO took place with both fighters and their representatives. Ward and GGG were asked if they were ready to fight each other and apparently GGG said yes he is ready to fight and Ward said No due to an injured shoulder and most probably because of inactivity too.
In some ways, with some of the comments Ward has made towards Golovkin, it does look like Ward could be a bit jealous because GGG is in the limelight and he isn't. Andre Ward is not even ranked anymore due to inactivity, so in many ways he is not even that relevant right now. Other than inactivity, If we look at the fighting styles of each fighter we can see why one is extremely popular and why one isn't. Wards boxing style isn't the most exciting or fan friendly. And then there comes the problem of Ward's fan base.
He can't even sell out a venue in his home city of Oakland, but yet when negotiations are taking place, not only with GGG, but also with Carl Froch, Ward wants the lions share of the split, which he does not deserve..He is pricing himself out of the market. Now Ward is also saying that he is only fighting Britain's Paul Smith because Carl Froch doesn't want to fight him.
But the word is that Froch asked Ward to come and fight in the UK and Ward refused. I tend to believe this because if you check Andre Wards boxing record you will quickly see that he has fought most of his career in the USA. Guess where he is fighting Paul Smith..Yep, you guessed it, the Oracle Arena in Oakland, USA. Home sweet home. People that know boxing know that a real champion has the balls and strength of mind to fight anywhere in the world.
Take a look at Sergey Kovalev and Gennady Golovkin, they are real champions who will fight anywhere, but Andre Ward's professional record makes it look like he's afraid to travel. The proof is there. Until Ward fights out of his comfort zone how can he be considered as a great champion..It should also be noted that Ward Vs Smith is taking place at a catch weight of 172lbs, so with 3 additional pounds Ward could well be fighting in Kovalev territory at light heavyweight.
With Golovkin and Ward, part of the problem is that the media keep on asking one about the other, when in reality they shouldn't be facing each other right now. Ward needs to get the rust off with a few fights and Golovkin needs to concentrate on unifying the middleweight division. And in fairness, Golovkin needs to face some tougher opposition. Fighters are certainly talking a lot, If only they would sign the contract though and commit to fight GGG. If the media would just STHU and let them both do there thing for a while it would be a great fight for the future when each man is in a better position to make the fight a reality.
The time isn't really right at this moment but both fighters are being forced into dialogue because of the hype and constant questions and accusations of what the other side said etc. Neither man is scared, and I think that Ward does want to prove he is the best and it looks like he secretly wants to fight and take out the two fighters considered the best and most feared right now which is GGG and Kovalev. All great fights that I hope can happen in the future. The outcomes are not certain, but neither is whether Ward, with so much time off, will ever be the same fighter he once was.
*Article Update*
Since this post was written (I know the date is recent but the post is from my other site) a lot has changed. GGG is going to get his shot at the WBC Middleweight Title, (Even if the winner of Cotto - Canelo doesn't want to fight him) so a fight with Ward is well out of the picture for now. Adding to that, Ward can't make 168 anymore so is more than likely moving to Light Heavyweight where him facing Kovalev within the next year looks to be a more realistic fight than him Facing GGG.
Andre Ward had one of his "Tune up" fights turned down! With people saying it was too much of a miss-match! It was deemed as unsafe. That says a lot right there about his level of competition. After this happened, Ward has now injured his knee and won't be fighting for a while, yet again. Also, he has just vacated his WBA Super-Middleweight Title. Lots of talk about Ward faking the injury, and being scared to agree 100% to fight Kovalev, which is what some people think may have had something, or a lot, to do with his tune up fight being pulled from the Cotto - Canelo under card.
Andre Ward is quickly becoming more and more irrelevant and needs to actually start taking on some decent fighters if he's to remain one of the best out there. Personally, I don't think he has been active enough to be considered as a P4P boxer anymore. How many times has he even fought out of his comfort zone? Who will win out of Kovalev Vs Ward if they do fight. Outcomes are never certain, but I think Kovalev will destroy Ward. From what I've seen and read about Ward lately a lot of things point to him being a shot fighter.
The most important aspect here is that, yes I think he's a shot fighter, but more importantly, I also think that he knows it too. And thats the worst thing for a fighter. When they lose their self belief it is over. Other fighters have come through the ranks and overtook Ward while he's been inactive, and now he's not sure if he's got what it takes to beat these fighters anymore. He's scared to lose his unbeaten record to the fighters that are in the spotlight and are considered as real threats, so he fights opponents that are incapable of putting up much of a fight. OK, to the crowd he will look great knocking someone out, but this is a dangerous strategy. Because if Ward fights journey men for the next year and then takes the fight with Kovalev, he will not be ready for that huge step up in class and will get beaten badly.
Also, If he continues to fight journey men and one of them just happens to get lucky, clip his chin and knock him out, his boxing career is basically over. Or will require some serious rebuilding. But against who... Low level junior middleweights who haven't trained for a few years? Wards choice of opposition has become a disgrace. There are lots of B and even C level fighters that he could fight that would put up a decent challenge, yet he wants to fight the worst possible opposition. And if it couldn't be any worse than that, the boxers Ward was going to fight are not even true light heavyweights. Things don't look good for Ward right now.
It's quite sad really because the guy does have talent and I hope he comes back and proves me and everyone else, who thinks he's not quite the Ward of old wrong.
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Also, Golovkin stops Macklin in the 3rd round with a perfect body shot that sent Macklin down to stay. Golovkin dominated the fight from start to finish. Very impressive.
Also, Golovkin stops Macklin in the 3rd round with a perfect body shot that sent Macklin down to stay. Golovkin dominated the fight from start to finish. Very impressive.
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