by Jackie Kallen
While most of the boxing media seems fixated on all things Mayweather, they really should shift their emphasis over to the baddest man around — GGG.
Gennady Golovkin, at 30-0 with 27 knockouts, is probably the most feared opponent out there today. Only three men he’s fought have walked out of the ring on their own volition. The last time was over eight years ago. Golovkin’s had 17 KOs in a row.
Unbelievable.
On Saturday night in Carson, CA, a game and ready Marco Antonio Rubio will go up against the odds when he brings his 59-6-1 record to the StubHub Center on HBO. He’s had twice as many fights as GGG, and perhaps he feels that experience is the key to success. He’s been up against a lot of rough, tough guys in his native Mexico. But none of them hailed from Kazakhstan and have disposed of 90% of their opposition by way of KO.
Being the challenger for GGG’s belts, Rubio knows he has to soundly defeat him to walk away as the victor. On the line is the WBA Super World Middleweight Title, the IBO World middleweight title and Rubio’s interim WBC World middleweight title.
The element that makes this fight such an appealing one is the fact that Rubio is also heavy-handed and has KO’d 77% of his foes. He will be right there to go toe to toe with GGG and won’t just dance away and back-pedal. Although both men are capable of exhibiting some fine boxing skills, these are two fighters who love to land as much leather as possible.
GGG is the polar opposite of Floyd Mayweather when it comes to personalities. While Mayweather can be brash and offensive when trash-talking about his opponents, Golovkin is kind and full of praise. He has said over and over that Rubio is a tough guy and someone that he respects in the ring. He acknowledges his power and predicts it will be a difficult fight for both men.
We need more guys like GGG in this sport.
Also on the card is dynamic super featherweight Nonito Donaire, (33-2) who will face undefeated (24-0) Nicholas Walters for the WBA Super World featherweight title. From Jamaica, Walters is known as “Axe Man.” He has axed 83% of his opposition.
Donaire is coming off of two wins since losing to Guillermo Rigondeaux last year. He came back and scored a 9th round stoppage of Vic Darchinyan, and then when fighting Simpiwe Vetyeka in China this past May, was awarded the fight on a Technical Decision when he was cut by an accidental head butt.
28-year-old Walter has also KO’d Darchinyan, on the same card where Donaire got the TD. Most of his fights have been in Panama and Jamaica and he is welcoming the opportunity to perform for an American crowd. He is hungry and isn’t seemingly concerned about moving up in weight from featherweight to super featherweight.
