Expect both Canelo and Golovkin to find mental strength in their previous meetings, sports psychologist Chris Marshall writes.
SAUL “CANELO” ALVAREZ heads into Saturday’s fight with Gennady Golovkin after a one-sided loss to Dmitry Bivol but, back at super middleweight where he has been so successful, I hope he enjoys his trilogy.
In his post-fight interview, after Bivol was announced as the winner, he accepted defeat. At his post-fight press conference an hour later, he insisted that he had won, but with the opportunity to reflect, however briefly, that he really could have been how he saw it. During the first instance, his body would still have been in fight or flight mode, as hormones, including adrenaline, surge around his body, which is extremely exhausting. At the time of the second, his body would have been working to reduce the stress response, and because he can do it so quickly, it’s entirely possible that he already believed he deserved the win.
Regardless, he is no longer known as the pound-for-pound king, but hopefully this does not affect him unduly. Focusing only on things that are under his control is always a much more effective approach for athletes. Despite the loss, he too remains the favorite to beat Golovkin, and as long as he remains confident in his focus and abilities, there is little reason for his mindset to be unduly affected by this.
When a fighter isn’t sure they can handle the demands in front of them, the pressure mounts: what is said or written about them doesn’t really matter, particularly since it’s safe to assume both fighters have the time and resources to train and prepare. physically and psychologically according to your needs. They’ve also been in the ring together twice before, so if they manage their mindset they too can be trusted to know exactly what they need to do to secure victory.
For the first time in his career, at the age of 40, Golovkin will fight at 168 pounds, and the higher weight means he could tire faster than he’s used to. Psychologically, it’s important that he spends a lot of time training and training with the heavier weight so that he can develop his confidence to carry his body around the ring. Despite his often impressive punch resistance, he’ll also need to prepare for lighter, harder and heavier punches, because increased weight and size also brings with it the potential for increased power.
I worked with Carl Froch for his rematch with George Groves, and for the first three or four rounds of sparring, Rob McCracken paired him with lighter, faster fighters to get him used to the speed expected of Groves. As the match continued, Rob used heavier sparring partners who then hit Carl hard when he was tired. Ultimately, Carl’s confidence really grew knowing he could thrive in the early rounds when a lot of punches were being thrown, and having repeatedly taken himself to a dark place when the going got tough after round eight and beyond. The rewards for a fighter’s confidence from a proper match cannot be underestimated.
Most boxers (Golovkin is unlikely to be any different) are, come fight night, willing to take matters into their own hands and away from the judges, but not necessarily because of the judges’ wariness. Regardless of how he felt his previous two fights were scored, he doesn’t have the luxury of immersing himself in what the three judges may or may not do this weekend: It’s not worth expending the psychological energy. He has never officially beaten Canelo, but there will be moments in his previous two fights where he will be able to reflect and believe that he was successful, which could prove valuable. The opposite could apply even to Canelo, who has a win over Golovkin on his record, but he will know that there were times when Golovkin was worrying him.
More than before in their previous two fights, both fighters have been critical of each other when talking about their fight. There seems to be a higher level of emotion in his words than there has been historically. Only their responses to each other this week will make it clear whether or not they’ve managed to get under each other’s skin; if one of them gets excited, then he will be at a higher risk of making a mistake, either by saying something he doesn’t say. they want and maybe reveal something tactically or once they’re in the ring. Every time you stand face to face or listen to each other speak, you will be looking for clues about how the other is thinking and feeling. Your emotional regulation, then, will also be important.
Chris Marshall is a sport and performance psychologist who worked at the English Institute of Sport between 2009 and 2015, during which he spent five years at GB Boxing.
