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Golovkin Challenges Mayweather & Floyd Does What He Always Does
As the weeks go by and we get further away from the overly anticipated Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao clash, it’s painfully obvious how boxing fans are fed up with tremendously hyped fights that never had a chance of being memorable or fan friendly. And everybody shares the blame in the travesty known as Mayweather-Pacquiao, both Floyd and Manny, along with the boxing media and fans. But that’s water under the bridge now and it’s time to look at what future bouts can stimulate boxing fans in the not so distant future.
Potential bouts like Sergey Kovalev vs. Adonis Stevenson, Saul Alvarez vs. Miguel Cotto, Terence Crawford versus any top fighter between 140-147, Andre Ward versus Kovalev or Gennady Golovkin among others, these are all intriguing.
However, the talk most permeating the debate is – who will the biggest star in boxing, Floyd Mayweather 48-0 (26) next fight? And the name that most often is mentioned from a competitive vantage point is WBA middleweight title holder Gennady Golovkin 33-0 (31). He, like Mayweather, really doesn’t have any worthy challengers in front of him, at least who the thought of him fighting really excites boxing fans.
When you really think about it, who’s left for Mayweather to fight? He spent his entire career telling everybody he was the best in the sport, and today that’s pretty hard to refute. We get it, there’s not a single fighter campaigning at welterweight or junior middleweight who can present him a serious challenge….not Miguel Cotto, despite Freddie Roach training him, or Canelo Alvarez. But let us not forget, the welterweight and junior middleweight divisions of today are not necessarily murderer’s row. It’s not like there’s a line of title holders who are anything close to being elite fighters like Wilfred Benitez, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Donald Curry circa 1983-85 or Mike McCallum. Actually, I’d favor Marlon Starling over any top welterweight today, excluding Mayweather, and at junior middleweight I wouldn’t have to be pressed to take McCallum over Mayweather.
There’s nothing left for Mayweather to prove. He has his health and his wealth. Either fight Golovkin and take a real challenge for once, or stop gouging the fans with your faux fights. Then again, I can’t blame him for doing it because it’s not his fault a couple million fans love getting ripped off at his leisure and call.
Golovkin recently appeared on TMZ sports and said that Mayweather will be his “dream fight.”
“Of course, I beat him,” Golovkin also predicted. “Hundred percent, I’m ready for anybody.”
Mayweather didn’t respond to Golovkin’s words, but his team did issue a statement to TMZ Sports.
“Everyone in boxing wants to fight Floyd, it’s the biggest payday they could possibly have.”
“He has never fought a top opponent in his whole career,” they said of Golovkin. “We’re surprised you guys would even have him on your show, to be honest.”
What an unfunny joke. Nobody has picked their spots for an entire boxing career to the enth degree like Mayweather has, but Golovkin hasn’t fought anybody? Golovkin doesn’t deserve a shot at Floyd and the money that comes with it, but Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez and Victor Ortiz did?
If my memory serves me correctly, the only reason Mayweather finally agreed to fight Pacquiao was twofold: 1) Floyd waited for Manny to breakdown physically, which was apparent during their bout and …2) the public basically said they were done buying his fights unless he took on Pacquiao.
Well, that should be the mantra for Mayweather’s next fight. I mean do we really need to see Mayweather fight Keith Thurman or Amir Khan to find out if he can beat them? I don’t think so.
During the early to mid-eighties undisputed light heavyweight champ Michael Spinks cleaned out the division to the point to where there were no real challengers for him, and that was at a time when the 175 class was stacked with killers. So Spinks challenged undefeated IBF heavyweight champ Larry Holmes (48-0) who had also virtually cleaned out the division and was in need of a challenger. Three months after last defending the light heavyweight title Spinks fought Holmes for his title. Larry was 50 plus pounds bigger than any opponent Michael ever fought…..or 37 pounds bigger than Golovkin is Mayweather. There was no catch-weight clause attached to the fight because Spinks wanted to beat the heavyweight champ, not his skeleton. Almost 30 years ago this coming September as a 6-1 underdog Spinks made history as the first reigning light heavyweight champ to defeat the reigning heavyweight champ via a 15-round split decision, solidifying his place in history. Spinks made history that night and defied it by preventing Holmes from tying Rocky Marciano’s perfect record of 49-0.
Roy Jones cleaned out a more pedestrian light heavyweight division 18 years later and challenged WBA heavyweight title holder John Ruiz. Like Spinks, Jones didn’t force Ruiz to come down in weight or fight any lighter than he had for any other heavyweight title bout. No, Ruiz wasn’t Larry Holmes, but he was a legitimate title holder and 50 plus pounds bigger than any other opponent Jones ever fought. Jones out-boxed Ruiz by a pronounced margin on all three cards to join Spinks as the second reigning light heavyweight title holder to defeat a reigning heavyweight title holder.
Now, picture Michael Spinks standing next to Larry Holmes and Roy Jones standing next to John Ruiz….then picture Floyd Mayweather standing next to Gennady Golovkin. If you think Golovkin is dramatically bigger than Mayweather compared to the advantage in size Holmes and Ruiz held over Spinks and Jones, stop reading right now and make an appointment with an eye doctor.
The fact is, Golovkin like Marvin Hagler, isn’t even a big middleweight. And he’s only 11-13 pounds heavier than Mayweather. If Floyd wants to seal his legacy and shut up his critics, fight Golovkin in a non-catch-weight bout. No, Golovkin is not a certified all-time great yet, but he may be viewed as one by the time he retires. Mayweather beating Golovkin in a non-catch-weight bout would be his crowning achievement.
There’s only one fight left worth paying to see Mayweather partake in and that’s against Golovkin at 160. It would be a monumental bout. However, I’m a cynic and believe if it does happen, Golovkin and his team will be forced to sell out and come in at 154. And if you think Daniel Geale looked like a ghost at 157, Golovkin would look like a ghost on crack the day of the weigh in at 154. On fight night he’d be an empty package and I would pick Mayweather to win. And the con would continue.
If Golovkin fights Mayweather at 154 he gets beat like every other fighter does who moves down to fight in a high profile catch-weight bout. And if they fight at 160 and Mayweather wins, he can join fighters the likes of Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns as one of the greatest of the greats. Instead of trying to plead for his respect that he belongs on the same stage with them.
Team Mayweather’s response to Golovkin’s challenge was very condescending; then again what else would you expect. Instead of saying Golovkin hasn’t earned the shot, they should’ve been honest and said Floyd wants no part of a live fighter who he’s closer to in size than the way he dwarfed Juan Manuel Marquez when they fought six years ago. When Marquez challenged Floyd, and agreed to carve and starve, the fight happened.
Let’s end the BS that Golovkin at 159 is too big for an elite fighter like Mayweather at 151. Michael Spinks and Roy Jones know differently.
Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com
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Najee Lopez Steps up in Class and Wins Impressively at Plant City
Garry Jonas’ ProBox series returned to its regular home in Plant City, Florida, tonight with a card topped by a 10-round light heavyweight match between fast-rising Najee Lopez and former world title challenger Lenin Castillo. This was considered a step-up fight for the 25-year-old Lopez, an Atlanta-born-fighter of Puerto Rican heritage. Although the 36-year-old Castillo had lost two of his least three heading in, he had gone the distance with Dimitry Bivol and Marcus Browne and been stopped only once (by Callum Smith).
Lopez landed the cleaner punches throughout. Although Castillo seemed unfazed during the first half of the fight, he returned to his corner at the end of round five exhibiting signs of a fractured jaw.
In the next round, Lopez cornered him against the ropes and knocked him through the ropes with a left-right combination. Referee Emil Lombardo could have stopped the fight right there, but he allowed the courageous Castillo to carry on for a bit longer, finally stopping the fight as Castillo’s corner and a Florida commissioner were signaling that it was over.
The official time was 2:36 of round six. Bigger fights await the talented Lopez who improved to 13-0 with his tenth win inside the distance. Castillo declined to 25-7-1.
Co-Feature
In a stinker of a heavyweight fight, Stanley Wright, a paunchy, 34-year-old North Carolina journeyman, scored a big upset with a 10-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Jeremiah Milton.
Wright carried 280 pounds, 100 pounds more than in his pro debut 11 years ago. Although he was undefeated (13-0, 11 KOs), he had never defeated an opponent with a winning record and his last four opponents were a miserable 19-48-2. Moreover, he took the fight on short notice.
What Wright had going for him was fast hands and, in the opening round, he put Milton on the canvas with a straight right hand. From that point, Milton fought tentatively and Wright, looking fatigued as early as the fourth round, fought only in spurts. It seemed doubtful that he could last the distance, but Milton, the subject of a 2021 profile in these pages, was wary of Wright’s power and unable to capitalize. “It’s almost as if Milton is afraid to win,” said ringside commentator Chris Algieri during the ninth stanza when the bout had devolved into a hugfest.
The judges had it 96-93 and 97-92 twice for the victorious Wright who boosted his record to 14-0 without improving his stature.
Also
In the TV opener, a 10-round contest in the junior middleweight division, Najee Lopez stablemate Darrelle Valsaint (12-0, 10 KOs) scored his career-best win with a second-round knockout of 35-year-old Dutch globetrotter Stephen Danyo (23-7-3).
A native Floridian of Haitian descent, the 22-year-old Valsaint was making his eighth start in Plant City. He rocked Danyo with a chopping right hand high on the temple and then, as Danyo slumped forward, delivered the coup-de-gras, a short left uppercut. The official time was 2:17 of round two.
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Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue is Headed to Vegas after KOing Ye Joon Kim
Japan’s magnificent Naoya Inoue, appearing in his twenty-fourth title fight, scored his 11th straight stoppage tonight while successfully defending his unified super bantamweight title, advancing his record to 29-0 (26 KOs) at the expense of Ye Joon Kim. The match at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena came to an end at the 2:25 mark of round four when U.S. referee Mark Nelson tolled “10” over the brave but overmatched Korean.
Kim, raised in a Seoul orphanage, had a few good moments, but the “Monster” found his rhythm in the third round, leaving Kim with a purplish welt under his left eye. In the next frame, he brought the match to a conclusion, staggering the Korean with a left and then finishing matters with an overhand right that put Kim on the seat of his pants, dazed and wincing in pain.
Kim, who brought a 21-2-2 record, took the fight on 10 days’ notice, replacing Australia’s Sam Goodman who suffered an eye injury in sparring that never healed properly, forcing him to withdraw twice.
Co-promoter Bob Arum, who was in the building, announced that Inoue’s next fight would happen in Las Vegas in the Spring. Speculation centers on Mexico City’s Alan Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) who is ranked #1 by the WBC. However, there’s also speculation that the 31-year-old Inoue may move up to featherweight and seek to win a title in a fifth weight class, in which case a potential opponent is the winner of the Feb. 2 match between Brandon Figueroa and Stephen Fulton. In “olden days,” this notion would have been dismissed as the Japanese superstar and Figueroa/Fulton have different promoters, but the arrival of Turki Alalshikh, the sport’s Daddy Warbucks, has changed the dynamic. Tonight, Naoya Inoue made his first start as a brand ambassador for Riyadh Season.
Simmering on the backburner is a megafight with countryman Junto Nakatani, an easy fight to make as Arum has ties to both. However, the powers-that-be would prefer more “marination.”
Inoue has appeared twice in Las Vegas, scoring a seventh-round stoppage of Jason Moloney in October of 2020 at the MGM Bubble and a third-round stoppage of Michael Dasmarinas at the Virgin Hotels in June of 2021.
Semi-wind-up
In a 12-round bout for a regional welterweight title, Jin Sasaki improved to 19-1-1 (17) with a unanimous decision over Shoki Sakai (29-15-3). The scores were 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112.
Also
In a bout in which both contestants were on the canvas, Toshiki Shimomachi (20-1-3) edged out Misaki Hirano (11-2), winning a majority decision. A 28-year-old Osaka southpaw with a fan-friendly style, the lanky Shimomachi, unbeaten in his last 22 starts, competes as a super bantamweight. A match with Inoue may be in his future.
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Eric Priest Wins Handily on Thursday’s Golden Boy card at the Commerce Casino
Model turned fighter Eric Priest jabbed and jolted his way into the super middleweight rankings with a shutout decision win over veteran Tyler Howard on Thursday.
In his first main event Priest (15-0, 8 KOs) proved ready for contender status by defusing every attack Tennessee’s Howard (20-3, 11 KOs) could muster at Commerce Casino, the second fight in six days at the LA County venue.
All ticket monies collected on the Folden Boy Promotions card were contributed to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation as they battle wildfires sprouting all over Los Angeles County due to high winds.
Priest, 26, had never fought anyone near Howard’s caliber but used a ramrod jab to keep the veteran off-balance and unable to muster a forceful counter-attack. Round after round the Korean-American fighter pumped left jabs while circling his opposition.
Though hit with power shots, none seemed to faze Howard but his own blows were unable to put a dent in Priest. After 10 rounds of the same repetitive action all three judges scored the fight 100-90 for Priest who now wins a regional super middleweight title.
Priest also joins the top 15 rankings of the WBA organization.
In a fight between evenly matched middleweights, Jordan Panthen (11-0, 9 KOs) remained undefeated after 10 rounds versus DeAundre Pettus (12-4, 7 KOs). Though equally skilled, Panthen simply out-worked the South Caroliina fighter to win by unanimous decision. No knockdowns were scored.
Other Bouts
Grant Flores (8-0, 6 KOs) knocked out Costa Rica’s David Lobo Ramirez (17-4, 12 KOs) with two successive right uppercuts at 2:59 of the second round of the super welterweight fight.
Cayden Griffith (3-0, 3 KOs) used a left hook to the body to stop Mark Misiura at 1:43 of the second round in a super welterweight bout.
Jordan Fuentes (3-0) floored Brandon Badillo (0-3-1) in the third round and proceeded to win by decision after four rounds in a super bantamweight fight.
A super featherweight match saw Leonardo Sanchez (8-0) win by decision over Joseph Cruz Brown (10-12) after six rounds.
Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy
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