Boxers Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez and Gennady “GGG” Golovkin will meet this Saturday, in Las Vegas, in one of the most anticipated fights in recent years for the world middleweight championship.
Here are some keys to understanding what to expect from the anticipated fight and what are the strengths and weaknesses of both fighters.
What titles are at stake?
Álvarez will challenge Golovkin for the world middleweight titles of the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and will defend, according to his promoter “Golden Boy Promotions”, the Linear title and the “Ring Magazine “All of them at middleweight.
Despite the fact that Golovkin also holds the World Boxing Council (WBC) champion belt, the Mexican boxer has ruled out being interested in obtaining it, since he broke relations with said organization since the WBC decided to take away his champion belt and give it to him. Golovkin for not facing him last year.
How important is the match to both fighters?
Both the 27-year-old Mexican and the 35-year-old Kazakh have been very clear in stating that it is the most important fight of their respective careers. “I have had great fights, but this is the most important, 14 years of work are summarized,” said Álvarez. “It is the most important of my career,” agreed Golovkin.
“That night we will see who is the best middleweight, this will be a real fight,” added the Kazakh-born, referring to the fight between Floyd Mayweather and the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) star. the Irishman Conor McGregor. “It will mark a before and after in my career,” Álvarez told the “Televisa” network.
What does Álvarez have to do to win?
“I’m going for the knockout, I got ready to knock out, I’m going to go to that, at any time during the fight it can happen,” said the Mexican upon arrival in Las Vegas last Tuesday.
What is Golovkin’s strategy?
Abel Sánchez, Golovkin’s Mexican coach, expressed that they will seek the knockout because he is concerned about the judges’ benevolence towards Álvarez, so he hopes not to reach the scorecards. “Knowing what it has been like in the past, it is up to us not to let the fight go to 12 rounds, if that happens, it will be our fault,” he said.
How do the fighters get to the fight?
Golovkin, a defending champion and one of the best in the world pound for pound, has impeccable numbers: an undefeated 37 fights, 33 of them by knockout. Álvarez, the challenger, has 49 victories, 34 of them by knockout, and one loss.
“We have shown that (Golovkin) can go 12 rounds without problems,” said his coach. For his part, according to British boxer Billy Joe Saunders, Álvarez looks “overtrained” because he had no rest all year.
Will the age difference be a factor?
Golovkin despised the fact that he is eight years older than Alvarez. “I feel fantastic at my age,” he said. “I do my training day by day and the truth is that I feel ten years younger, even more than ‘Canelo’,” he ironically.
The middleweight champion also dismissed the idea that this could be his last fight. “I want to fight until I am 40 (years old), I know it is a demanding and dangerous sport, but my family supports me,” he said.