By: Hans Themistode
Gennady Golovkin (39-1-1, 35 KOs) looked impressive against Steve Rolls (19-1, 10 KOs) on Saturday June 8th. Rolls, to his credit didn’t just come in looking for a paycheck, he forced Golovkin to work for his victory. With 2019 quickly becoming the year of the underdog, it seemed as though Rolls was on his way to his own seismic upset as he landed a few eye catching shots in the second round. Golovkin put an end to that momentum in short order with an overhand left in the fourth round that saw Rolls hit the canvas face down. The crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York City erupted as Rolls failed to beat the count.
Now that Golovkin has showed that he is still a force in the Middleweight division, he has a plethora of choices for his next contest. Let’s take a look at his best options.
Demetrius Andrade
Demetrius Andrade (27-0, 17 KOs) has the final piece of the Middleweight puzzle as he possesses the WBO crown. He’ll be putting it on the line against Maciej Sulecki June 29th. Barring a huge upset, it’s a contest that Andrade should come out victorious. If he does keep his undefeated record intact then a matchup between both Golovkin and Andrade should be next.
Golovkin has made it no secret that he wants a third fight with Canelo Alvarez. The new Middleweight kingpin however, has said time and time again that Golovkin would need to secure a title first before they would clash once again. If these words by Canelo ring true then Golovkin should shift his focus to Andrade. It’s a matchup that fans would want to see, and a victory would lead Golovkin to his long time adversary, Canelo Alvarez.
Jermall Charlo
Former IBF Jr Middleweight champion and current WBC interim Middleweight champion Jermall Charlo (28-0, 21 KOs) needs a big fight. Although he has proven to be a force in his short career, he hasn’t been able to get the big names in the sport of boxing to step inside of the ring with him. Making a matchup between Charlo and Golovkin could be tricky because they are aligned with opposite promoters and networks. With that being said however, this is a fight that needs to happen.
To the credit of Golovkin, he mentioned that a possible showdown with Charlo is one that he would invite with open arms.
“I think fights with new young fighters in the division is more interesting than facing the same people that I have in the past. He’s a good, undefeated fighter so why not.” Said Golovkin during his post fight victory interview over Steve Rolls.
There may not be a title on the line in this contest but the fireworks that would ensue would make fight fans everywhere ecstatic.
Canelo Alvarez
You can’t mention the name Canelo Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs) without mentioning Gennady Golovkin shortly after. These two will forever be linked to one another. Many feel as though Golovkin should have been awarded the victory in both of their contest. Instead, he had to settle for a draw and the first defeat of his career.
When these two step inside of the ring against one another they deliver classic battles. With such a dominant victory by Golovkin, and unfinished business between these two Middleweight stars, a third fight between these two seems inevitable.