Golovkin-Lemieux: The Better Puncher And Technician Will Win

Published

9 years ago

October 17, 2015

Some have stated that they believe it will be Hagler-Hearns revisited 30 years later. As most know Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns fought for the undisputed middleweight title on tax day April 15, 1985. The fight is an all-time classic and one for the ages despite lasting slightly under eight minutes.

The first round very well could be the most action packed round in boxing history.

Check out the results “Good Boy Gets Stopped; Game Lemieux TKO’d By Golovkin in NYC” at The Sweet Science by Michael Woods.

Tonight’s clash between middleweight bangers WBA/IBO middleweight title holder Gennady Golovkin 33-0 (30) and IBF title holder David Lemieux 34-2 (31) has the makings of being another classic slug-fest for however long it lasts.

Both guys love to impose themselves physically on their opponents, and in this case, somebody is going to be forced to retreat. Neither Gennady nor David has faced another fighter like they’re about to confront.

Golovkin is the emerging star and perceived to be a genuine life-taker in the mold of Mike Tyson and Thomas Hearns, this in spite of fighting just four years in the United States. On the other hand Lemieux is starting to carve out his own reputation as a big time puncher and is no doubt the biggest puncher that Golovkin has faced to date. However, that’s where the similarity between them ends.

Perhaps one of the biggest advantages GGG owns is his utter belief that he can’t lose and that he’s breaking anything he touches with his fist. Lemieux has been stopped once by Marco Antonio Rubio, back in 2011. And the troubling thing about that was, Rubio had Lemieux stumbling all over the ring after getting through with one solid right hand in the seventh round. Having experienced that, Lemieux’s confidence and belief that he can’t lose has to be easier to break than Golovkin’s. Gennady has never really been shook in the multiple fights of his that I’ve observed. He’s even gone as far as saying that he’s looking forward to sampling Lemieux’s power, just so he can snarl back at him and continue to bring it.

“[Lemieux] feels ready for a fight like this. He’s a champion. He feels like a star [now], so he feels stronger,” Golovkin said. “He has good power. It’s a dangerous fight for me.

“Who’s stronger? Who’s smarter? Who’s the best in the division?”

As you can see by his words and thoughts Golovkin is relishing touching hands with Lemieux tonight. So I would conclude Golovkin is the more authentically confident fighter heading into the bout, and the fact that he’s never been close to losing has a lot to do with that.

Golovkin not only holds the edge psychologically, but he’s also the better technician and is more methodical. Everything he does is with a purpose; he doesn’t freelance or wing it nearly as much as Lemieux does. GGG also has better fundamentals and basics, meaning that he’s usually in better position to punch, block and counter and is seldom caught with punches that have no right getting through his defense. Whereas David is very focused on getting his opponent out and showing that he’s the more powerful fighter; thus, he sometimes gets nailed with punches that should never get through.

So if you’re trying to handicap which of the two is more likely to land their Sunday punch, based on delivery and defense, I’d have to say Golovkin will get through with his best stuff first and more frequently than will Lemieux. And if that turns out to be the case….there’s no second guessing in regards to who will win the fight. Keeping that in mind, it must not be misconstrued, Golovkin is not impossible to find and hit with big stuff. What separates him most from Lemieux is, Golovkin usually is not hit by punches in succession. You can get him with one good one but he’s very good at making the follow up miss. The same doesn’t apply to Lemieux.

The other thing that separates them is their power and delivery. Golovkin is more of a one shot banger and has often turned the fight in his favor with one punch. How many times have we witnessed Golovkin force an opponent into survival mode with one clean shot? GGG is clearly the heavier handed guy and also possess short power. That’s a huge advantage because he expends less energy when he punches, something that aids him in carrying his power deep into the bout. It’s almost as if he releases his power and doesn’t need to force it.

That’s not how Lemieux rolls. David wings his shots and often pushes his punches more so than turning them over. Lemieux’s offense is more rudimentary and is centered on winging clubbing hooks to the head and body with the intent of wearing his opponent down. The problem with that is, once Golovkin gets inside, which shouldn’t be all that difficult to do, he’ll have a big advantage because he needs less room to get off with his heavy artillery. So if you’re Lemieux, it’s probably better to not bang with Golovkin on the inside.

And lastly, we know how Golovkin is going to attack Lemieux. He’ll most likely look to establish his jab first in the early going while looking to block and counter David’s looping hooks. Gennady will pressure him smartly and effectively with the intent of forcing Lemieux to engage and trade with him one-for-one. He no doubt believes if he can accomplish that, everything will work out for him and he’ll be victorious.

The bigger question is, how will Lemieux go about refuting Golovkin’s aggression. When confronting an attacker like Golovkin, there’s one cardinal rule you cannot break if you want to win…and that is you can’t run. If you want to survive for a while, you can, but not if you have any intention of winning the bout. A fighter like Golovkin feeds off of his opponent sending the “SOS” signal when they go into survival mode. I doubt David Lemieux has any intent on running from Golovkin, yet he would be better off not trading with him early.

Lemieux’s best strategy would be instead of going for the big shot or home run early, he at least tries to earn Golovkin’s respect without standing right in front of him and getting hit with the return. This way he’s not as open for the counter from the more imaginative and offensive minded Golovkin. It doesn’t take a sophisticated boxing brain to deduce that if Lemieux attempts to go to war with Golovkin, he’ll get stopped. Lemieux has to walk a fine line between boxing and not running, and that’s not an easy fight plan to execute with a fighter like GGG breathing down your throat trying to ice you with every shot. Hopefully for Lemieux, he can generate enough power while keeping his feet moving to where Golovkin at least respects him and doesn’t go at him like he’s handcuffed.

The bottom line is….if Lemieux doesn’t have enough kick in his set-up jabs and uppercuts to earn Golovkin’s respect and moderately hold him off, he has no shot to beat him. At the end of the day, Lemieux must get Gennady’s respect, whether it’s by boxing him or going to war with him – or it’ll all be over but the shouting.

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

Check out The Boxing Channel video “Golovkin vs Lemieux HBO PPV – Quick Results”.

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Frank Lotierzo

Ringside at the Fontainebleau where Mikaela Mayer Won her Rematch with Sandy Ryan

Published

4 days ago

March 30, 2025

Arne K. Lang

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LAS VEGAS, NV — The first meeting between Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan last September at Madison Square Garden was punctuated with drama before the first punch was thrown. When the smoke cleared, Mayer had become a world-title-holder in a second weight class, taking away Ryan’s WBO welterweight belt via a majority decision in a fan-friendly fight.

The rematch tonight at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas was another fan-friendly fight. There were furious exchanges in several rounds and the crowd awarded both gladiators a standing ovation at the finish.

Mayer dominated the first half of the fight and held on to win by a unanimous decision. But Sandy Ryan came on strong beginning in round seven, and although Mayer was the deserving winner, the scores favoring her (98-92 and 97-93 twice) fail to reflect the competitiveness of the match-up. This is the best rivalry in women’s boxing aside from Taylor-Serrano.

Mayer, 34, improved to 21-2 (5). Up next, she hopes, in a unification fight with Lauren Price who outclassed Natasha Jonas earlier this month and currently holds the other meaningful pieces of the 147-pound puzzle. Sandy Ryan, 31, the pride of Derby, England, falls to 7-3-1.

Co-Feature

In his first defense of his WBO world welterweight title (acquired with a brutal knockout of Giovani Santillan after the title was vacated by Terence Crawford), Atlanta’s Brian Norman Jr knocked out Puerto Rico’s Derrieck Cuevas in the third round. A three-punch combination climaxed by a short left hook sent Cuevas staggering into a corner post. He got to his feet before referee Thomas Taylor started the count, but Taylor looked in Cuevas’s eyes and didn’t like what he saw and brought the bout to a halt.

The stoppage, which struck some as premature, came with one second remaining in the third stanza.

A second-generation prizefighter (his father was a fringe contender at super middleweight), the 24-year-old Norman (27-0, 21 KOs) is currently boxing’s youngest male title-holder. It was only the second pro loss for Cuevas (27-2-1) whose lone previous defeat had come early in his career in a 6-rounder he lost by split decision.

Other Bouts

In a career-best performance, 27-year-old Brooklyn featherweight Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (15-0, 9 KOs) blasted out Jose Enrique Vivas (23-4) in the third round.

Carrington, who was named the Most Outstanding Boxer at the 2019 U.S. Olympic Trials despite being the lowest-seeded boxer in his weight class, decked Vivas with a right-left combination near the end of the second round. Vivas barely survived the round and was on a short leash when the third stanza began. After 53 seconds of round three, referee Raul Caiz Jr had seen enough and waived it off. Vivas hadn’t previously been stopped.

Cleveland welterweight Tiger Johnson, a Tokyo Olympian, scored a fifth-round stoppage over San Antonio’s Kendo Castaneda. Johnson assumed control in the fourth round and sent Castaneda to his knees twice with body punches in the next frame. The second knockdown terminated the match. The official time was 2:00 of round five.

Johnson advanced to 15-0 (7 KOs). Castenada declined to 21-9.

Las Vegas junior welterweight Emiliano Vargas (13-0, 11 KOs) blasted out Stockton, California’s Giovanni Gonzalez in the second round. Vargas brought the bout to a sudden conclusion with a sweeping left hook that knocked Gonzalez out cold. The end came at the 2:00 minute mark of round two.

Gonzalez brought a 20-7-2 record which was misleading as 18 of his fights were in Tijuana where fights are frequently prearranged. However, he wasn’t afraid to trade with Vargas and paid the price.

Emiliano Vargas, with his matinee idol good looks and his boxing pedigree – he is the son of former U.S. Olympian and two-weight world title-holder “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas – is highly marketable and has the potential to be a cross-over star.

Eighteen-year-old Newark bantamweight Emmanuel “Manny” Chance, one of Top Rank’s newest signees, won his pro debut with a four-round decision over So Cal’s Miguel Guzman. Chance won all four rounds on all three cards, but this was no runaway. He left a lot of room for improvement.

There was a long intermission before the co-main and again before the main event, but the tedium was assuaged by a moving video tribute to George Foreman.

Photos credit: Al Applerose

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William Zepeda Edges Past Tevin Farmer in Cancun; Improves to 34-0

Published

4 days ago

March 29, 2025

David A. Avila

William Zepeda Edges Past Tevin Farmer in Cancun; Improves to 34-0

No surprise, once again William Zepeda eked out a win over the clever and resilient Tevin Farmer to remain undefeated and retain a regional lightweight title on Saturday.

There were no knockdowns in this rematch.

The Mexican punching machine Zepeda (33-0, 17 KOs) once more sought to overwhelm Farmer (33-8-1, 9 KOs) with a deluge of blows. This rematch by Golden Boy Promotions took place in the famous beach resort area of Cancun, Mexico.

It was a mere four months ago that both first clashed in Saudi Arabia with their vastly difference styles. This time the tropical setting served as the background which suited Zepeda and his lawnmower assaults. The Mexican fans were pleased.

Nothing changed in their second meeting.

Zepeda revved up the body assault and Farmer moved around casually to his right while fending off the Mexican fighter’s attacks. By the fourth round Zepeda was able to cut off Farmer’s escape routes and targeted the body with punishing shots.

The blows came in bunches.

In the fifth round Zepeda blasted away at Farmer who looked frantic for an escape. The body assault continued with the Mexican fighter pouring it on and Farmer seeming to look ready to quit. When the round ended, he waved off his corner’s appeals to stop.

Zepeda continued to dominate the next few rounds and then Farmer began rallying. At first, he cleverly smothered Zepeda’s body attacks and then began moving and hitting sporadically. It forced the Mexican fighter to pause and figure out the strategy.

Farmer, a Philadelphia fighter, showed resiliency especially when it was revealed he had suffered a hand injury.

During the last three rounds Farmer dug down deep and found ways to score and not get hit. It was Boxing 101 and the Philly fighter made it work.

But too many rounds had been put in the bank by Zepeda. Despite the late rally by Farmer one judge saw it 114-114, but two others scored it 116-112 and 115-113 for Zepeda who retains his interim lightweight title and place at the top of the WBC rankings.

“I knew he was a difficult fighter. This time he was even more difficult,” said Zepeda.

Farmer was downtrodden about another loss but realistic about the outcome and starting slow.

“But I dominated the last rounds,” said Farmer.

Zepeda shrugged at the similar outcome as their first encounter.

“I’m glad we both put on a great show,” said Zepeda.

Female Flyweight Battle

Costa Rica’s Yokasta Valle edged past Texas fighter Marlen Esparza to win their showdown at flyweight by split decision after 10 rounds.

Valle moved up two weight divisions to meet Esparza who was slightly above the weight limit. Both showed off their contrasting styles and world class talent.

Esparza, a former unified flyweight world titlist, stayed in the pocket and was largely successful with well-placed jabs and left hooks. She repeatedly caught Valle in-between her flurries.

The current minimumweight world titlist changed tactics and found more success in the second half of the fight. She forced Esparza to make the first moves and that forced changes that benefited her style.

Neither fighter could take over the fight.

After 10 rounds one judge saw Esparza the winner 96-94, but two others saw Valle the winner 97-93 twice.

Will Valle move up and challenge the current undisputed flyweight world champion Gabriela Fundora? That’s the question.

Valle currently holds the WBC minimumweight world title.

Puerto Rico vs Mexico

Oscar Collazo (12-0, 9 KOs), the WBO, WBA minimumweight titlist, knocked out Mexico’s Edwin Cano (13-3-1, 4 KOs) with a flurry of body shots at 1:12 of the fifth round.

Collazo dominated with a relentless body attack the Mexican fighter could not defend. It was the Puerto Rican fighter’s fifth consecutive title defense.

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 319: Rematches in Las Vegas, Cancun and More

Published

5 days ago

March 28, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila-Perspective-Chap-319-Rematches-in-Las-Vegas-Cancun-and-More

Rematches are the bedrock for prizefighting.

Return battles between rival boxers always means their first encounter was riveting and successful at the box office.

Six months after their first brutal battle Mikaela Mayer (20-2, 5 KOs) and Sandy Ryan (7-2-1, 3 KOs) will slug it out again for the WBO welterweight world title this time on Saturday, March 29, at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas.

ESPN will show the Top Rank card live.

“It’s important for women’s boxing to have these rivalries and this is definitely up there as one of the top ones,” Mayer told the BBC.

If you follow Mayer’s career you know that somehow drama follows. Whether its back-and-forth beefs with fellow American fighters or controversial judging due to nationalism in countries abroad. The Southern California native who now trains in Las Vegas knows how to create the drama.

For female fighters self-promotion is a necessity.

Most boxing promoters refuse to step out of the usual process set for male boxers, not for female boxers. Things remain the same and have been for the last 70 years. Social media has brought changes but that has made promoters do even less.

No longer are there press conferences, instead announcements are made on social media to be drowned among the billions of other posts. It is not killing but diluting interest in the sport.

Women innately present a different advantage that few if any promoters are recognizing. So far in the past 25 years I have only seen two or three promoters actually ignite interest in female fighters. They saw the advantages and properly boosted interest in the women.

The fight breakdown

Mayer has won world titles in the super featherweight and now the welterweight division. Those are two vastly different weight classes and prove her fighting abilities are based on skill not power or size.

Coaching Mayer since amateurs remains Al Mitchell and now Kofi Jantuah who replaced Kay Koroma the current trainer for Sandy Ryan.

That was the reason drama ignited during their first battle. Then came someone tossing paint at Ryan the day of their first fight.

More drama.

During their first fight both battled to control the initiative with Mayer out-punching the British fighter by a slender margin. It was a back-and-forth struggle with each absorbing blows and retaliating immediately.

New York City got its money’s worth.

Ryan had risen to the elite level rapidly since losing to Erica Farias three years ago. Though she was physically bigger and younger, she was out-maneuvered and defeated by the wily veteran from Argentina. In the rematch, however, Ryan made adjustments and won convincingly.

Can she make adjustments from her defeat to Mayer?

“I wanted the rematch straight away,” said Ryan on social media. “I’ve come to America again.”

Both fighters have size and reach. In their first clash it was evident that conditioning was not a concern as blows were fired nonstop in bunches. Mayer had the number of punches landed advantage and it unfolded with the judges giving her a majority decision win.

That was six months ago. Can she repeat the outcome?

Mayer has always had boiler-oven intensity. It’s not fake. Since her amateur days the slender Southern California blonde changes disposition all the way to red when lacing up the gloves. It’s something that can’t be taught.

Can she draw enough of that fire out again?

“I didn’t have to give her this rematch. I could have just sat it out, waited for Lauren Price to unify and fought for undisputed or faced someone else,” said Mayer to BBC. “That’s not the fighter I am though.”

Co-Main in Las Vegas

The co-main event pits Brian Norman Jr. (26-0, 20 KOs) facing Puerto Rico’s Derrieck Cuevas (27-1-1, 19 KOs) in a contest for the WBO welterweight title.

Norman, 24, was last seen a year ago dissecting a very good welterweight in Giovani Santillan for a knockout win in San Diego. He showed speed, skill and power in defeating Santillan in his hometown.

Cuevas has beaten some solid veteran talent but this will be his big test against Norman and his first attempt at winning a world title.

Also on the Top Rank card will be Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington and Emiliano Vargas, the son of Fernando Vargas, in separate bouts.

Golden Boy in Cancun

A rematch between undefeated William “Camaron” Zepeda (32-0, 27 KOs) and ex-champ Tevin Farmer (33-7-1, 8 KOs) headlines the lightweight match on Saturday March 29, at Cancun, Mexico.

In their first encounter Zepeda was knocked down in the fourth round but rallied to win a split-decision over Farmer. It showed the flaws in Zepeda’s tornado style.

DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotions card that also includes a clash between Yokasta Valle the WBC minimumweight world titlist who is moving up to flyweight to face former flyweight champion Marlen Esparza.

Both Valle and Esparza have fast hands.

Valle is excellent darting in and out while Esparza has learned how to fight inside. It’s a toss-up fight.

Fights to Watch

Fri. DAZN 12 p.m. Cameron Vuong (7-0) vs Jordan Flynn (11-0-1); Pat Brown (0-0) vs Federico Grandone (7-4-2).

Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. William Zepeda (32-0) vs Tevin Farmer (33-7-1); Yokasta Valle (32-3) vs Marlen Esparza (15-2).

Sat. ESPN 7 p.m. Mikaela Mayer (20-2) vs Sandy Ryan (7-2-1); Brian Norman Jr. (26-0) vs Derrieck Cuevas (27-1-1).

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank

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