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Gennady Golovkin: 160 Middleweight Drive, Population of One

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Well, it was tougher and lasted longer than most thought it would, but middleweight champ–yes I’m referring to him as the champ since he is clearly the top dog in the division–Gennady Golovkin 32-0 (29) dominated challenger Martin Murray 29-2-1 (12) this past weekend. Murray lasted until the 11th round before the fight was correctly halted with him having nothing left to offer Golovkin other than sheer will and toughness. But once again Gennady’s two handed punching power, physical strength, ability to cut off the ring and mix up his punches were too much for the best the middleweight division had to offer.

Before getting to Golovkin, let’s give Murray his well-deserved props. He didn’t just show up to prove that he belongs in the ring with Golovkin, no; he tried from beginning to end to beat him. And in doing that he gave the champ the toughest and longest bout of his professional career.

It was obvious to see early on that Golovkin had the greater skill and many more tools at his disposal. Murray lacked the needed power and imaginative offensive arsenal to force Golovkin into doing a single thing he didn’t want to do.

After being dropped twice by body shots in the fourth round, it was only a matter of time. Yes, Gennady was beating Murray’s body and his skills, but he couldn’t beat his heart. Luckily, the referee stopped the fight after Golovkin had Murray hurt and defenseless against the ropes early in the 11th round. But Murray never stopped trying to win even when it became apparent that there was nothing he could do to turn the fight in his favor. Many fighters would’ve bailed long before the 11th round if they had Golovkin stalking and beating on them for the previous seven, perhaps eight rounds like Murray did. In fact, I believe that had Murray been in the ring with lineal champ Miguel Cotto 39-4 (32) Saturday night, the title would’ve changed hands. Murray would’ve turned back everything and anything Cotto tried, and would’ve been better for the wear as the fight progressed.

I salute you Martin Murray, in putting up the fight you did against the baddest middleweight in the world. You better believe your stock has risen in the eyes of all boxing fans.

Back to Golovkin.

Let me say it now, yes, I’m stating the obvious, but let’s get it on the record…..there are no remaining stories about him at 160, except that he should not be forced to move up or down in weight. He’s the world middleweight boxing champion, and if anyone else thinks that they have a claim to that title and are not willing to face him, they’re kidding themselves. He should not be pressured into fighting the bigger Andre Ward 27-0 (14) or the smaller Floyd Mayweather, assuming he beats Manny Pacquiao on May 2nd. There are fights for Golovkin at 160, if only the other fighters had the stones to fight him. He shouldn’t budge from the weight. Golovkin came in at 158.9 for Murray. He probably walks around at 170. Ward and Sergey Kovalev walk around between 190 and 200, I’d bet.

From 1970-77 Carlos Monzon 87-3-9 (58) ruled the middleweight division. He made 14 successful title defenses against the best the world had to offer. He was utterly dominant and nobody complained about him not moving up to challenge undisputed light heavyweight champ Bob Foster. Three of Monzon’s higher profile defenses came against former welterweight champs Emile Griffith, twice, and Jose Napoles. And that was because he cleaned out the middleweight division. Towards the end of his reign a hard hitting beast of a fighter named Rodrigo Valdez emerged. In his last two defenses of the title Monzon was pushed to go 15 rounds in both fights versus Valdez. And Valdez even dropped Monzon during their rematch, yet Carlos stormed back and deservedly won the decision. Today Monzon is regarded as one of the five greatest middleweight champions in history by most historians. Back then Muhammad Ali was boxing’s true superstar, and only heavyweights were part of the super-fight landscape. However, when you thought of a middleweight, it was Monzon who you thought of because of his strangle-hold on the division.

Three years after Monzon retired, Marvin Hagler 62-3-2 (52) won the undisputed middleweight title in 1980. Like Monzon, Hagler cleaned out the division. Also like Monzon, Hagler’s three signature title defenses were against a former lightweight champ, Roberto Duran, and two former welterweight champs, Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard. And that was because like Griffith and Napoles, Duran, Hearns and Leonard wanted to be the middleweight champ. Hagler was often publicly challenged by light heavyweight title holders Michael Spinks and Dwight Muhammad Qawi during his title tenure, but Marvin always turned a deaf ear to them.

Both Carlos Monzon and Marvin Hagler were natural middleweights and never struggled to make 160. They both knew they would be compromised dropping weight, and never cared to be the junior middleweight or welterweight champ. They let the smaller guys come to them. Monzon and Hagler routinely knocked out the best guys in their division in front of big audiences. Nobody had to wonder who the best guy in the division was. At the same time they both knew, in Monzon’s case, that he was no light heavyweight and stayed away from Foster. And the same applied to Hagler regarding Spinks and Qawi.

However, Sugar Ray Leonard was emerging during Hagler’s time and winning titles in multiple weights became the staple for supposed future great fighters. Yet Hagler never ventured out of the middleweight division, and today he’s most remembered for his total and complete dominance at his natural weight. Looking back, both Monzon and Hagler were wise to build their legacies in one division and remain icons today.

As of this time, Gennady Golovkin is the dominant fighter at 160. He is a natural middleweight. The difference today opposed to Monzon’s and the beginning of Hagler’s tenure is, the media is obsessed with the pound-for-pound ranking BS. I hope Golovkin isn’t sucked into that vortex. If he drains himself and drops to 154 and fights Mayweather or Alvarez, he really has nothing to gain. If he moves up too soon just to grab another belt or to partake in a super-fight match up, there’s a good chance he’ll lose to the significantly bigger Ward or Kovalev. And if he loses to them, his stock will drop and he won’t be seen as being so special.

Monzon and Hagler didn’t blow you away with their flashiness like Sugar Ray Leonard and Roy Jones. They were just super solid and their dominance in one division is their signature, something no one disputes. Well the same applies to Golovkin. He’s got power in both hands and is solid fundamentally. He shouldn’t chase big name fights outside of his division. Right now he’s the first and last word in the middleweight division and it’s refreshing to know that now in two divisions, heavyweight being the other, everyone knows who the marquee fighter is.

Hopefully, Gennady will follow in the same footsteps as Monzon and Hagler and continue to dominate and own the division where he lives…..160 middleweight drive, population of one!

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFisted@Gmail.com

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The IBHOF Unveils its Newest Inductees: Manny Pacquiao is the Icing on the Cake

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The IBHOF Unveils its Newest Inductees: Manny Pacquiao is the Icing on the Cake

PRESS RELEASE —   CANASTOTA, NY – DECEMBER 5, 2024 – The International Boxing Hall of Fame and Museum is thrilled to announce the newest class of inductees to be honored during the Hall of Fame Induction Weekend June 5-8, 2025 in “Boxing’s Hometown” Canastota, NY.

The Class of 2025 includes Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao, “The Pazmanian Devil” Vinny Paz and Michael “Second To” Nunn in the Men’s Modern category; Yessica “Kika” Chavez, Anne Sophie Mathis and Mary Jo Sanders in the Women’s Modern category; Cathy “Cat” Davis in the Women’s Trailblazer category; referee Kenny Bayless, cut man Al Gavin (posthumous) and referee Harry Gibbs (posthumous) in the Non-Participant category; broadcaster / journalist Randy Gordon and television producer Ross Greenburg in the Observer category; Rodrigo Valdez (posthumous) in the Old Timer category and Owen Swift (posthumous) in the Pioneer category.

Inductees were voted in by members of the Boxing Writers Association of America and a panel of international boxing historians. 

“We’re extremely excited about the Class of 2025 and are very much looking forward to honoring the newest class of inductees to earn boxing’s highest honor,” said Executive Director Edward Brophy.

The 2025 Hall of Fame Induction Weekend is scheduled for June 5-8th in “Boxing’s Hometown.” Many events will take place in Canastota and nearby Turning Stone Resort Casino throughout the four-day celebration including ringside talks, fist casting, fight night, 5K race / fun run, boxing autograph card show, banquet, parade and induction ceremony. 

For more information on the 2025 Hall of Fame Induction Weekend, please call (315) 697-7095.

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Navarrete-Valdez and Espinoza-Ramirez Rematches Headline Phoenix Fight Fiesta 

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The annals of boxing abound with iconic rematches, and there’s a good chance that list will get longer after this Saturday in Phoenix’s Footprint Center with Top Rank’s ESPN card featuring Emanuel Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KOs) versus Oscar Valdez (32-2, 24 KOs) and Rafael Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs, against Robeisy Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs).

Valdez’s ties to the local area and multiple Arizona appearances give his bout against Navarrete top billing, but WBO featherweight titlist Espinoza’s initial encounter with Ramirez was the better bout the first time around, deemed Fight and Upset of the Year by many observers.

That’s not to say Navarrete-Valdez 1 didn’t hold plenty of drama as Navarrete captured the WBO junior lightweight belt with a relatively widespread unanimous decision. Valdez got himself into an immediate bind in the first fight by walking into Navarrete’s jab, enabling Navarrete to score early with looping right leads from his six-inch reach advantage. Valdez’s corner implored him to stay patient but it seemed there was no avoiding a firefight that played into Navarette’s always busy hands.

By round 3 Valdez’s face was heavily marked and often on the defensive, waiting to establish an offense that never fully arrived. Though he scored with some big shots down the stretch, his swollen right eye closed by the 9th frame and the eventual outcome seemed obvious.

“I know there’s a lot of pride at stake in a Mexico versus Mexico battle,” said Navarrete. “I believe this will be an even better fight than before because we’re familiar with each other. I know I have to push Valdez to his limits.”

“I made mistakes the first time, the biggest one was trying to knock him out,” reflected Valdez. “I still have a few fights left in me, not everyone gets a second chance. I know what I needed to train for (this time) and I’ll make the most of it.”

Offense was never a problem for either Espinoza or Ramirez, who traded knockdowns in a give-and-take affair that might have gone either way. It was the gloved-up version of mongoose versus cobra as two time Olympic gold medalist Ramirez charged in behind blurring punches up the middle while the much taller Espinoza fired shoulder level combinations. In this case, it was the underdog cobra who triumphed.

Three days from first bell an unofficial consensus of online odds listed the previous winners as favorites, Espinoza by a hair and Navarrete by a solid margin. While the initial winners may still have an edge, that all disappears after the bell, and previous action indicates a pair of pick-em contests isn’t unlikely.

Boxing history is also full of tie-breaking trilogies, too. It wouldn’t be a big surprise if that’s what we’re looking at again in both these cases.

Adding to the electric atmosphere in Phoenix are a solid batch of undercard extras featuring multiple first-rate performers that should get the audience more than ready for the night’s headliners.

Top Rank junior welterweight prospect Lindolfo Delgado, 21-0 (15) from Nuevo Leon, meets skilled Dominican Jackson Marinez, 22-3 (10) in a contest that could qualify as main event worthy in many locales.

Undefeated southpaw heavyweight Richard Torrez, Jr, who earned the silver medal in that division for the USA at the 2020 Olympics faces off against Mexican big boy Issac Munoz Gutierrez, 18-1-1 (15) who reportedly packs a respectable wallop. None of Torrez’s pro opponents have made it to the final bell.

San Diego’s highly ranked welterweight title challenger Giovani Santillan, 31-1 (17) faces Fredrick Lawson of Ghana, 30-5 (22). Lawson has dropped his last two outings but that was against good opposition and he won’t be an easy test.

21 year-old DJ Zamora, a hot prospect at 13-0 (9) from Las Vegas meets experienced Roman Reynoso, 22-5-2 (10), from Argentina and emerging new stablemate Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez, 11-0 (7), who recently signed a long term Top Rank contract faces Gerardo Antonio Perez, 12-6-1 (3).

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R.I.P Israel Vazquez who has Passed Away at age 46

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Israel Vazquez, a three-time world champion at 122 pounds and one of the most crowd-pleasing prizefighters of any era, has passed away at the age of 46. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman revealed the bad news today (Dec. 3) on his social media platform.

Born on Christmas Day 1977, Vazquez began his pro career in his native Mexico City at age 17. He was 16 fights into his pro career when he made his U.S. debut in El Cajon, California, under the management of Frank Espinoza.

Vazquez is most remembered for his four-fight rivalry with fellow Mexico City native Rafael Marquez.

The first two meetings were contested before small crowds in Carson, California, and Hidalgo, Texas.

Marquez won the first meeting thanks to a left hook that broke Vazquez’s nose in the opening round. The nose swelled to the point that Vazquez, who was making the fourth defense of his WBC super bantamweight title,  could no longer breathe and he was all done after seven rounds.

Vazquez won the rematch (TKO 6), setting the stage for a rubber match that would be a fight for the ages. The bout, contested on March 1, 2008 at the soccer stadium in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, was a shoo-in for Fight of the Year, earning that accolade from the BWAA, The Ring magazine and others.

Vazquez pulled that fight out of the fire in the final round, knocking Marquez to the canvas to win a split decision. Ron Borges, writing for this publication, wrote, “they knocked pieces off each other that could never be fully reattached.”

That was true of the detached retina in Vazquez’s right eye. It would require multiple surgeries before Vazquez, nicknamed “El Magnifico,” fought again and the eye would eventually be replaced by a prosthetic.

Their fourth meeting, contested before a celebrity-studded crowd at LA’s Staples Center, was anticlimactic. Vazquez, damaged goods, was stopped in the third round and never fought again.

All four meetings were televised on Showtime which celebrated the rivalry in 2015, airing highlights from all four fights on March 7 of that year. TSS West Coast Bureau Chief David A. Avila, looking back at the series, wrote, “[It was] 28 rounds of the most scientifically brutal and awe-inspiring prizefighting at an elite level.” Avila would also call Israel Vazquez one of the sport’s greatest gentlemen, a class act, as evinced in his energetic handshake whenever meeting a new fan.

Vazquez used his ring earnings to open a boxing gym in the Greater Los Angeles City of South Gate.

Vazquez’s passing wasn’t unexpected. Mauricio Sulaiman announced last month that Vazquez had been diagnosed with Stage IV Sarcoma, a particularly virulent strain of cancer and along with Oscar Valdez and Top Rank, established a GoFundMe account to defray his medical expenses. Today, Sulaiman wrote, “Israel Vazquez is finally resting in peace. May God give strength and support to his wife Laura, their children, family and friends during these difficult times.”

We here at TSS share that sentiment and send our condolences.

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