Three Punch Combo: Notes on GGG-Brook, Miguel Cotto, and PBC on Spike

Is Kell Brook a Live Underdog?

When Kell Brook was announced as Gennady Golovkin’s next opponent, not only was I surprised but was skeptical of the fight. Brook has made his career at welterweight and would be moving up two weight classes to face a ferocious puncher. My initial thought was that Golovkin does something similar to what Canelo did against Amir Kahn, but sooner.

However, the more I watch Brook the more I think he is a very live underdog. The size is a concern but Brook is frankly a big welterweight. As a matter of fact, his welterweight days are probably done as it is hard to see him getting back down to 147.

Golovkin has never faced an opponent with the kind of speed Brook possesses. Brook has quick lateral movement and possesses very fast hands. His speed was a big factor when he defeated Shawn Porter. Granted, Golovkin is a better fighter than Porter but Brook’s quickness could give Triple G problems.

Brook is also a very sharp and accurate puncher. Overall, Brook is a very well-schooled fighter.  He will use movement to get the right angles to land and then his quickness to get out of range effectively.

I think Brook is going to have his moments in this fight. Brook’s chin is solid and again the size difference is not as great as initially thought. So I do see this fight going rounds.

I still ultimately stick with my initial prediction and do think Golovkin finds a way to win. One of Golovkin’s best abilities is his ability to cut the ring down. He anticipates brilliantly the movement of his opponents and slides his feet to just the right angle to cut off their exit points. This allows Golovkin to get in range to land his heavy handed punches. Golovkin is also relentless with his pressure which both mentally and physically fatigues his opponents. Though I see Brook making things interesting, I think Golovkin’s pressure and power will get to Brook as the fight progresses for a late stoppage.

But make no mistake. Brook has a much better chance than many give him credit. This will be the most skilled and athletic fighter Golovkin has faced to date. How will Golovkin ultimately deal with Brook’s speed, quickness and skill? Can Golovkin cut the ring down like he has so effectively against others? Those are questions that make this fight very interesting and make Brook a live underdog on Saturday.

Miguel Cotto’s Next Opponent

Miguel Cotto is planning a return to the ring in December. There have been several opponents rumored but all have circumstances at this time that may preclude them from realistic consideration.

James Kirkland’s name has been tossed around but legal issues may prevent him from being available. Top Rank’s current unpleasant relationship with Cotto will probably prevent their fighters such as Timothy Bradley and Brandon Rios from consideration. The same goes for fighters connected with Al Haymon due to his tumultuous relationship with Roc Nation.

Yuriorkis Gamboa’s name was even mentioned but seems unlikely due to the vast size difference between him and Cotto. Plus, when rumors began, fans were quick to denounce the possible matchup which led to Team Cotto shooting down all rumors regarding Gamboa.

The list is dwindling and the options are getting limited. However, there is one possibility that is not getting mentioned. And that is the winner of this coming weekend’s bout between Jesus Soto Karass and Yoshihiro Kamegai.

Soto Karass and Kamegai engaged in a fight of the year type slugfest in April. The rematch will be televised by HBO and will probably turn into another war given the styles of the two combatants. The national spotlight as well as a surefire action packed event will propel the winner forward into a big opportunity.

Both Soto Karass and Kamegai are come forward brawlers but have significant flaws. It is why when they fought the first time they made for a great action fight and why they will do so again on Saturday.

Cotto needs a name opponent for this fight but also one that he can easily handle. He won’t make the mistake of fighting a slick boxer as he did a few years ago when he selected Austin Trout as an opponent. He needs someone who comes forward with flaws and preferably not a lot of power. He also needs an opponent affiliated with a promotional company, like Golden Boy, with whom he is realistically able to make fights.

The winner of Soto Karass-Kamegai II is perfect for Cotto. They are both brawlers who are slow and have limited boxing abilities. Their defense is also very suspect. But coming off a high profile HBO fight, the winner of Soto Karass-Kamegai II will be primed for a big opportunity. I suspect that will come three months later against Miguel Cotto.

Under the Radar Title Fight on Friday

This coming Friday, Daniel Jacobs defends his WBA Middleweight title against Sergio Mora in the featured bout of a PBC show on Spike TV. The undercard features an under the radar IBF Lightweight title bout between undefeated fighters Robert Easter Jr and Richard Commey – a very intriguing fight.

Easter has long been considered a top prospect in the sport and is coming off a career best win against former Super Featherweight champion Argenis Mendez. Easter is tall for a Lightweight standing 5’11” and possesses an excellent stiff left jab. He is an excellent combination puncher possessing quick hands and often works quick combinations behind that jab. Easter does possess power in both hands and has scored 14 knockouts in his 17 wins.

Commey is attempting to follow in the shoes of some great fighters from Ghana in winning a world title. He has a glossy record of 24-0 with 22 knockouts. As that record indicates, Commey’s biggest strength is his power. He is heavy handed and possesses one punch knockout power in both hands. And he carries that power late into fights as evidenced by his 8^th round come from behind stoppage of Bahodir Mamadjonov last May in Las Vegas.

Easter is the more skilled and technically sound fighter. He is much busier than Commey and throws shorter, crisper punches. Easter’s defense is solid and much better than Commey’s who has a bad tendency of leaving his left low. Commey does have real one punch power and likes to counter. So with the busier Easter throwing, Commey is going to have opportunities to land his power shots. With Commey’s one punch power, it would just take one solid punch from him to change the course of the bout. This is a very intriguing, evenly matched fight. Be sure to tune in on Friday.

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