WAR AT THE WOODS: Gennady Golovkin v Matthew Macklin for the WBA and IBO middleweight championship of the world
By Gary Todd
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 27 Apr 2013
Golovkin (L).
MGM Grand at Foxwoods, Connecticut.
June 29th 2013.
There is no doubt in my mind that when Gennady Golovkin and Matthew Macklin meet in the centre of the ring, it?s going to be a great fight and also a memorable night for boxing fans around the world. This match up has all the makings of a good old fashioned ?tear up.?
In terms of styles , these two fighters only know one way to fight, and that is to attack.
Macklin started his professional career in 2001, working his way up through the domestic rankings, while also making a name for himself as a willing sparring partner. He won the Irish middle weight title in 2005, then he challenged the British light middle weight champion, Jamie Moore, in a fight which was arguably, the fight of the year in 2006. Although losing by knockout, this fight proved to be a stepping stone to bigger nights ahead. In 2008, he faced the rugged, but always dangerous, and hard as nails, ?Yori boy? Campas, in Dublin, Ireland, and won on points over ten rounds.
Macklin would go on to win the British middleweight title, by stopping the highly regarded, Wayne Elcock in 2009, then in the same year, he won the vacant EBU middle weight title in devastating fashion, destroying Amin Asikainen in the first round.
There was talk of big irish domestic fights with John Duddy, and Andy Lee, but nothing materialized, and it seemed that Macklin?s career was going nowhere , until he got the chance to fight for the WBA middle weight title, against Felix Sturm. The fight would be fought in the champion?s backyard, but Macklin jumped at the chance.
In the fight, Sturm fought lethargically, and Macklin gave his all, but still lost by a split decision . He had fought well, and he, like many others thought he had won. He was down, but not out, and after taking another long break, it was announced that he would get another shot at the middle weight crown. This time it was the No 3, pound for pound fighter, Sergio Martinez. For me, this was a massive step up for Macklin, as Martinez was lightning quick, strong, could box brilliantly, and punch with the best of them, and he was peaking as a fighter. This was going to be a tough night for Macklin. No one gave him a chance.
Macklin knew that so he had nothing to lose, and he boxed brilliantly for the first seven rounds, staggering Martinez, then he started to slow down and Martinez seemed to go into another gear, catching him with fast jabs, and clean power punches from the outside. Macklin gave his all , but in the eleventh round, his legs were gone and Martinez caught him flush, knocking him down and out. Martinez was just too much for him in the end.
Macklin took a break, to recharge, and reflect on what could have been. He had been in with two of the best middle weights in the world, and he had given everything, trying to win the world title. He didn?t win the fight, but he hadn?t lost the battle. It was time to come back again.
It had been six months since the Martinez fight, and he had healed physically and mentally, and he knew he had to come back strong, and he knew that another defeat would probably be it for him. He had signed to fight the experienced, Joachim Alcine, and the fight would be fought in Las Vegas. The fight was scheduled for ten rounds, but Macklin destroyed Alcine in the first round, and with that, he was back.
I have been following Gennady Golovlin for years, particularly his amateur fights. He came up on my radar when he beat Andy Lee, Lucian Bute, and then Andre Dirrell, and Yordanis Despaigne, just before turning pro. He reminded me of a young Kostya Tszyu, and I knew he would be a world champion if he ever came into the paid ranks.
Golovkin turned pro in 2006, fighting all over Germany, under the radar, quietly destroying his opponents until 2009, where he got the chance to fight for the vacant WBO Inter continental middle weight title. Golovkin won the title by ko in the second round. He then traveled to Panama to fight for the interim WBA middle weight title and he won that by a first round KO. People were starting to find out what I had known for years, this guy from Kazakhstan could punch.
Golovkin fought for the WBA middle weight championship in his homeland , four months later, in 2010, against Nilson Julio Tapia, and he never stood a chance. Golovkin took him out in three rounds.
Kassim Ouma was to be his first defence, and the fight would take place in Panama. Golovkin was relentless in his attack, and wore down Ouma in the tenth round.
After that fight, boxing people were talking big names, the other champions, Martinez, Sturm and Daniel Geale, were mentioned, but the bottom line was no one wanted to fight the new champion. Golovkin was just too risky, too powerful.
Golovkin defended his title, fighting anyone who was put in front of him. He wanted the other champions, but they would not fight him, so he continued to beat good fighters, in Grzegorz Proksa, [ tko 5 ] Gabriel Rosado, [ tko 7 ]and Nobuhiro Ishida [ ko 3 ].
It?s been said that this fight with Macklin will be Golovkin?s toughest fight to date, I feel that it will be as tough as Golovkin makes it.
Macklin is predictable in his attack, but so is the champion. That?s what makes this fight so right, and so good for the sport of boxing.
FIGHT ANALYSIS
For Macklin.
Heart and soul
3rd time fighting for world championship. [probably his last chance]
Good foot work [wide stance]
Strong at the weight
Ring generalship
Good timing with punches
Cuts off ring well
Has championship experience
Has gone the championship distance of 12 rounds
The will to win.
Against for Macklin
Head movement not great
His left hand sits way to low
He reaches way too far when he goes for right hand shot
Leaves himself open for left hook all the time
Slows down after 7 rounds
Has been a lot of wars
Has been knocked out [ moore and Martinez]
For GolovkinPower
Speed
Great jab [strong]
Great left hook
Powerful right hand
Reach
Cuts off ring well
Good timing with punches
Confidence in everything he does
Strong at the weight
Never been stopped
Likes to dictate fight
Against for Golovkin
Head movement is non existant
Offence is his defence
Footwork is non existant
First big test with Macklin. [strong middleweight]
The Fight.
I see the fight being a battle of wills, with Macklin boxing similar to the Martinez fight early on, but with Golovkin trying to figure Macklin?s style out, and trying to lure him into making a mistake, which will be dropping the left hand, or over reaching from the outside. Golovkin will catch him and hurt him. Macklin will then have no choice but to open up and that?s when it should open up into a to and fro ? tear up?. To win, Macklin has to box, move, and use the uppercut, and set a high pace
Golovkin will use his hard jab, and will be hook happy all night. Macklin will give everything but he should start to slow around the 6th round. When he does, the champion should catch him and stop him in or around the 8th round, with the right hook.
Gary Todd is the author of ?Workout?s from boxing?s greatest champs, vol. 1 and 2? and he has been involved in all aspects of the sport of boxing for over 25 years. Contact: brave_haggis@hotmail.com
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Gary Todd.
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