Golovkin and Macklin Promise Pure Middleweight Action
Jun 19, 2013 • 8:31 AM ET
By Jake Donovan
It’s only natural for future ring rivals to disagree on the predicted outcome of a forthcoming fight. Gennady Golovkin has the utmost confidence that June 29 will produce his 8th consecutive successful alphabet title defense, while challenger Matthew Macklin believes the third time will be a charm after two previous swings and misses at middleweight paydirt.
Their title fight airs June 29 on HBO, live from the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut. While the two sides bicker about who will come out on top, both agree that all fans in attendance as well as those watching from the living room couch will walk away fulfilled.
“Two of the top middleweights will be facing each other,” stated Golovkin (26-0, 23KO), whose lone criticism drawn from the media and boxing fans is the absence of notable middleweights from his relatively thin resume. “That is what boxing needs.”
Golovkin became a cult hero long before arriving stateside. However, his five-round destruction of Grzegorz Proska last September in upstate New York announced his arrival to an entirely new audience, airing live on HBO.
Stoppage wins over Gabriel Rosado and Nobuhiro Ishida have further accentuated his capabilities as an action star. His style is a perfect complement to that of Macklin (29-4, 20KO), a no-nonsense fighter who prides himself in taking his opponent’s best while dishing out equal or greater punishment.
As much was proven in competitive losses to Felix Sturm (a decision many believed to the boxing equivalent of highway robbery) and Sergio Martinez, but Macklin isn’t crossing the Atlantic to once again play the role of bridesmaid. The middleweight contender showed his worth in a 1st round blitzing of Joachime Alcine last September and – even in the wake of a nine-month layoff due to surgery for a deviated septum – promises to entertain and win next weekend.
“He’s in with a guy who is going to hit him back,” Macklin promises. “This is going to be an exciting fight.”
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home.
