Gennadiy Golovkin’s trainer doesn’t see his fighter’s move up to 168 pounds as a handicap, even against an elite opponent who has become the fully unified champion in the super middleweight division.
Golovkin, 40, can still comfortably drop down to the 160-pound middleweight limit. However, the IBF/IBO/WBA middleweight champion had to agree to compete at 168 pounds to get his coveted third fight with Canelo Alvarez, which is scheduled for Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Vegas.
“I think it’s going to be the same as any other fight for him,” Johnathon Banks, Golovkin’s trainer, told BoxingScene.com. “That’s how he sees it. It’s not like he’s fighting cruiserweight. He’s not fighting at 200. He’s fighting eight pounds more than he normally fights. So it’s not going to be a significant difference. … It’s not a bad thing. It’s not a good thing. It’s just a different weight class in ’68. He agreed, so he said, ‘Come on!’ ”
Kazakhstan’s Golovkin (42-1-1, 37 KOs) has fought at or near the middleweight limit since making his pro debut in May 2006. Most fighters move up in weight out of necessity as they age, but Golovkin’s discipline has allowed him to stay in the same weight class for 16 years.
“He’s a true middleweight and he’s dedicated to his boxing lifestyle,” Banks said. “It’s not too hard to do if you’re dedicated and you’re a true middleweight. And he’s a true middleweight. He’s not some bigger guy forcing himself down to middleweight. He’s a true middleweight, so that’s his most comfortable weight.”
Alvarez, 32, has officially weighed up to 174½ pounds and as low as 139 pounds for fights during a Hall of Fame career spanning nearly 17 years. The Mexican icon has competed in the junior welterweight, welterweight, junior middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.
Golovkin could become boxing’s undisputed super middleweight champion in his debut at that weight by beating Alvarez (57-2-2, 39 KOs), who holds the IBF, WBA, WBC 168-pound crowns. and the WBO. If he wins, Golovkin could still return to the middleweight division, in which he has never been the fully unified champion.
“He can definitely make it to middleweight, but he agreed that this fight is at super middleweight,” Banks said. “I mean, it’s not a problem for him. It’s not like he’s going to be any stronger in 1968 than he was at 160. His strength is his strength, no matter what weight class he’s in.”
Most handicappers have Alvarez listed as at least a 4-1 favorite to beat Golovkin in his third fight, which will headline a DAZN pay-per-view show. Price points for the Alvarez-Golovkin card are $64.99 for DAZN subscribers and $84.99 for those who purchase the event through cable and satellite operators.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
