Soccer
  • Home
  • Boxing
  • Why Kazakh great Gennadiy Golovkin is the Roger Federer of boxing

Why Kazakh great Gennadiy Golovkin is the Roger Federer of boxing

When you look at some of the finest talent in sport, there is always one or two that are fan favourites.
In tennis, you have Roger Federer. A person regarded by many as the greatest player to have picked up a racquet.
We all love an underdog so it speaks volumes that so many people love the Swiss superstar despite winning at Wimbledon a gazillion times.

Gracious in victory and defeat, watching Federer's forehand in full flow is an absolute pleasure, even now at the ripe age of 39. He is one of the good guys and an icon of the sport, just like boxing's pound-for-pound star Gennadiy Golovkin.

Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Jake LeMotta, Dick Tiger and Harry Greb - Golovkin is certainly a throwback fighter similar to those names mentioned. The Kazak is not afraid of no one and will return to the ring this summer to defend his 160lb IBF crown.

When we say "throwback", we mean a fighter who will fight anyone at any place, any time, anywhere and Golovkin fits that definition.

Like Federer's Grand Slam joint-record of 20 titles, Golovkin holds various records of his own, including the highest knockout ratio at 160lbs just under 90% and delivered 23 consecutive wins inside the distance between 2008 to 2017.

Then there are his successful title defences at middleweight, 21, a record overtaken from the great Bernard Hopkins.
In 2015, Golovkin gave UK fans a night to remember by destroying Kell Brook at London's O2 Arena.

Daring to be great, Brook moved up two weight classes in a bid to dethrone Golovkin and while Eddie Hearn did a great job in making casual fans believe an upset was on the card. GGG reminded people of his ferocious style, breaking Brook's eye-socket in a five round beating.

He can beat people his own size too. Just ask British duo Matthew Macklin and Martin Murray.
Make no mistake about it, the man is an animal when he enters the ropes but outside the ring Golovkin is admirable.

With three fights remaining on his lucrative deal with DAZN, we should have another two years to enjoy having Golovkin in the sport and while he is still active, he will remain the people's champion.

More Articles