rudee
02-15-2015, 04:12 PM
When middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin signed with HBO, promoter Tom Loeffler said network officials presented a list of at least 20 possible opponents ranging from the 154-pound light-middleweight class to 168-pound super-middleweight class and asked if there was anyone "GGG," as he is nicknamed, would not fight.
"I didn't turn down one of them," Loeffler said. "I don't know if they thought I was joking, but they clearly understand now Gennady is willing to fight everyone that was on that list and will do it under conditions that are favorable to make the fight."
Retired cop and boxing official from LI dies
Marv Albert to call boxing series on NBC
Klitschko returns to MSG after seven years
HBO: We've tried for Mayweather-Pacquiao
LI's Algieri revamps team, looks for bout
Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) might be the most feared man in boxing, and he certainly is the sport's most willing champion. He's hoping to extend his streak of 18 straight stoppages against England's Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KOs) Saturday night in Monte Carlo in a bout that will air live at 5:45 ET and be replayed later that night.
Murray, who scored a knockdown in his only loss to former champion Sergio Martinez in 2013 and out-punched Felix Sturm only to get a draw in a 2012 title fight in Germany, is "the best available challenger" in Loeffler's estimation. Golovkin, who has gone past eight rounds only once in his career, is expecting a competitive fight.
"I think he's a smart fighter and a strong fighter," Golovkin said. "I saw the fights with Sergio Martinez and Felix Sturm, and they were very close. He's a big guy and a good fighter. He has two times a title fight, so he's more hungry and has more experience."
BoxingGennady Golovkin's greatest hits
While Golovkin is focused on Murray, his long-range goals are to unify all the 160-pound middleweight belts and to supplant welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. as pound-for-pound champion. It's hard to imagine Mayweather ever fighting Golovkin considering how reluctant he has been to face Manny Pacquiao, but he's the one opponent Golovkin would go down to 154 to meet.
"It is my dream fight because he is No. 1 pound-for-pound," Golovkin said. "It's a different style, a little bit different power, maybe the defense. For business, for everybody, for TV, for fans, that's the biggest fight."
Asked why he thinks Mayweather has resisted Pacquiao for so long, Golovkin said, "It's just business." He was equally noncommittal about picking a winner, calling it a "50-50" fight.
But when asked if he could add Mayweather to his KO streak if they fought, Golovkin said, "I hope so. I would beat him."
Other than Mayweather, Golovkin's main target is Miguel Cotto, who holds the WBC middleweight belt. But Cotto is a candidate for a rematch with Mayweather if the Pacquiao fight falls apart. Golovkin is the WBA middleweight champ but also the WBC's No. 1 challenger.
BoxingOne on one with Gennady Golovkin
Cotto has permission for one fight before he must face Golovkin in the mandatory or give up the belt. If he doesn't land a Mayweather bout, there are reports Cotto will fight Tim Bradley on June 13 at Madison Square Garden. Golovkin would love to meet Cotto in the fall at the Garden, but his camp's previous attempt to get a Cotto fight was rebuffed.
"If Gennady is successful with the Murray defense and his star continues to rise and if Cotto makes a middleweight title defense in May or June, that would be a huge event at MSG and arguably a big event on pay-per-view," Loeffler said.
Golovkin said he is disappointed Cotto hasn't agreed to fight him. "I respect him, but he has the WBC belt and I have the WBC interim," Golovkin said. "For me, it is very important who is No. 1. I hope to fight Miguel because he is the WBC champion."
There are other possibilities for Golovkin, who recently moved his family from Germany to Los Angeles as he tries to build his U.S. audience. WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee is facing Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillen on April 11 at Barclays Center, and the winner certainly would be on Golovkin's future hit list.
The biggest problem Golovkin faces is convincing prospective opponents to get in the ring with him. "This is boxing," Golovkin said. "It's not like a baseball game. The fighters say, 'I need a lot of money or I don't fight because it's very dangerous.'''
If Golovkin ever realizes his goal of being recognized as pound-for-pound champion, it would be good for boxing. Alluding to Mayweather's handlers, Loeffler said, "If Gennady was No. 1 and there was a No. 2 and we couldn't make that fight on our side, I would be embarrassed for our team."
"I didn't turn down one of them," Loeffler said. "I don't know if they thought I was joking, but they clearly understand now Gennady is willing to fight everyone that was on that list and will do it under conditions that are favorable to make the fight."
Retired cop and boxing official from LI dies
Marv Albert to call boxing series on NBC
Klitschko returns to MSG after seven years
HBO: We've tried for Mayweather-Pacquiao
LI's Algieri revamps team, looks for bout
Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) might be the most feared man in boxing, and he certainly is the sport's most willing champion. He's hoping to extend his streak of 18 straight stoppages against England's Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KOs) Saturday night in Monte Carlo in a bout that will air live at 5:45 ET and be replayed later that night.
Murray, who scored a knockdown in his only loss to former champion Sergio Martinez in 2013 and out-punched Felix Sturm only to get a draw in a 2012 title fight in Germany, is "the best available challenger" in Loeffler's estimation. Golovkin, who has gone past eight rounds only once in his career, is expecting a competitive fight.
"I think he's a smart fighter and a strong fighter," Golovkin said. "I saw the fights with Sergio Martinez and Felix Sturm, and they were very close. He's a big guy and a good fighter. He has two times a title fight, so he's more hungry and has more experience."
BoxingGennady Golovkin's greatest hits
While Golovkin is focused on Murray, his long-range goals are to unify all the 160-pound middleweight belts and to supplant welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. as pound-for-pound champion. It's hard to imagine Mayweather ever fighting Golovkin considering how reluctant he has been to face Manny Pacquiao, but he's the one opponent Golovkin would go down to 154 to meet.
"It is my dream fight because he is No. 1 pound-for-pound," Golovkin said. "It's a different style, a little bit different power, maybe the defense. For business, for everybody, for TV, for fans, that's the biggest fight."
Asked why he thinks Mayweather has resisted Pacquiao for so long, Golovkin said, "It's just business." He was equally noncommittal about picking a winner, calling it a "50-50" fight.
But when asked if he could add Mayweather to his KO streak if they fought, Golovkin said, "I hope so. I would beat him."
Other than Mayweather, Golovkin's main target is Miguel Cotto, who holds the WBC middleweight belt. But Cotto is a candidate for a rematch with Mayweather if the Pacquiao fight falls apart. Golovkin is the WBA middleweight champ but also the WBC's No. 1 challenger.
BoxingOne on one with Gennady Golovkin
Cotto has permission for one fight before he must face Golovkin in the mandatory or give up the belt. If he doesn't land a Mayweather bout, there are reports Cotto will fight Tim Bradley on June 13 at Madison Square Garden. Golovkin would love to meet Cotto in the fall at the Garden, but his camp's previous attempt to get a Cotto fight was rebuffed.
"If Gennady is successful with the Murray defense and his star continues to rise and if Cotto makes a middleweight title defense in May or June, that would be a huge event at MSG and arguably a big event on pay-per-view," Loeffler said.
Golovkin said he is disappointed Cotto hasn't agreed to fight him. "I respect him, but he has the WBC belt and I have the WBC interim," Golovkin said. "For me, it is very important who is No. 1. I hope to fight Miguel because he is the WBC champion."
There are other possibilities for Golovkin, who recently moved his family from Germany to Los Angeles as he tries to build his U.S. audience. WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee is facing Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillen on April 11 at Barclays Center, and the winner certainly would be on Golovkin's future hit list.
The biggest problem Golovkin faces is convincing prospective opponents to get in the ring with him. "This is boxing," Golovkin said. "It's not like a baseball game. The fighters say, 'I need a lot of money or I don't fight because it's very dangerous.'''
If Golovkin ever realizes his goal of being recognized as pound-for-pound champion, it would be good for boxing. Alluding to Mayweather's handlers, Loeffler said, "If Gennady was No. 1 and there was a No. 2 and we couldn't make that fight on our side, I would be embarrassed for our team."