Only Golovkin can beat Mayweather

Gennady Golovkin has been suggested as the best possible candidate to defeat Floyd Mayweather Jr in September, Tengrinews reports citing USA Today sports.

Mayweather announced his decision to fight one more bout in September and retire from boxing after that.

Golovkin has a record of 29 KOs out of 32 fights with 19 consecutive KOs. The undefeated Kazakhstani boasts the highest KO ration (90%) in the middleweight history. Despite being criticized for his boxing style and low defense, Triple G throws devastating punches that can’t be ignored.

But for that same reason, it is unlikely that Mayweather will fight Golovkin. If Golovkin is the only one out there to defeat the undefeated, then Mayweather won’t want to face the Kazakhstani in his final fight. Besides, despite his growing popularity in the States, Golovkin has neither fought at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas nor do his fights generate the same level of demand at the box office.

ESPN analyst and commentator Teddy Atlas said that he wouldn’t go to see the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight again. Instead, Atlas named Golovkin as the best opponent for Mayweather.

"Why I put 'Sugar Ray' Leonard in the mix of all-time greats was that he stepped up in weight class. He took risks and beat guys like Marvin Hagler. He took risks and he performed. That's why his legacy endures,” Atlas said via Silive.com.

"If Floyd cares about such things, he'll fight Golovkin - but I don't think he cares. Golovkin is a seek-and-destroy guy. He's aggressive and physical and knows what he's doing. Now that fight I would buy a ticket for," Atlas said.

The Pole heavyweight Artur Szpilka, too, wants to see Mayweather fight Golovkin. “Floyd is a great sportsman (…) He has nothing to prove, but I think, he will continue boxing. But Floyd’s fight don't excite me, I am more interested to watch Golovkin’s fights. I would want to see them in the ring,” Szpilka told Przegląd Sportowy.

Meanwhile, Golovkin is finishing his training for the fight against the American southpaw Willie Monroe Jr. The Golovkin-Monroe fight is scheduled for May 16 at The Forum in Los Angeles.

By Gyuzel Kamalova