OK I'm gonna make a real boxing thread... GGG

[!! Anorak]

instead of talking about who's ducking who and which mma fighter can beat a boxer or which promoter is lying. I've been watching triple G fights over the weekend and throughout each he has looked very uncomfortable when fighting off of the back foot. He's great at cutting the ring, he's great at corralling fighters against the ropes but he seems deficient when retreating. His defense is solid but he doesn't catch and shoot/ counter quickly often. I wonder if this is something you can see exploited in his game, especially versus a canelo who likes to come forward.

Also, though he is very very fundamentally proficient, he doesn't have extraordinary measurables or atheticism (other than power) and I'm thinking a more athletic fighter that can make him lunge (which he's done when opponent dictates range) can make him vulnerable to counters. Am I seeing this wrong? If you were a trainer would you advise your fighter to simply pray before fighting GGG or what holes in his game would you try to exploit?

This is a "real" boxing thread? Kudos for trying, but I wouldn't wipe my cock cheese on it.

[j0zef]

instead of talking about who's ducking who and which mma fighter can beat a boxer or which promoter is lying. I've been watching triple G fights over the weekend and throughout each he has looked very uncomfortable when fighting off of the back foot. He's great at cutting the ring, he's great at corralling fighters against the ropes but he seems deficient when retreating. His defense is solid but he doesn't catch and shoot/ counter quickly often. I wonder if this is something you can see exploited in his game, especially versus a canelo who likes to come forward.

Also, though he is very very fundamentally proficient, he doesn't have extraordinary measurables or atheticism (other than power) and I'm thinking a more athletic fighter that can make him lunge (which he's done when opponent dictates range) can make him vulnerable to counters. Am I seeing this wrong? If you were a trainer would you advise your fighter to simply pray before fighting GGG or what holes in his game would you try to exploit?

Wayy wrong on the catch-and-counter.


His reflexes are top notch, don't think he's "vulnerable" to counters. Don't get me wrong - everyone gets countered, including Floyd and Ward - so will Golovkin.


He does look silly when he's being backed up, and potentially it CAN be a weakness. But here's the thing - in order to back someone up efficiently, you need to dictate the pace of the fight. To do that, you need to go toe-to-toe with your opponent, and there's only a limited amount of fighters that are willing to do that.
Golovkin does look silly when he's being backed up - but the person who's 'backing' him up is usually much more off balance because he's throwing hail mary flurries.

[Graz]

That is true but before the fight people thought it was going to be a battle of sluggers and Golovkin who is not known for his Jab went and out boxed Lemieux.

Yes. GGG would have beat Lemieux with his jab alone. That fight made me a true believer in GGG. The other thing about him is that he is always in balance moving forward or back. He can take a punch while delivering knock out power (ref. Geale). This vulnerability at time makes his fights more interesting. Is there anyone in the Division that could beat him? Highly doubtful. Even those that might have a shot are afraid to step in the ring with him.

[eco1]

what you are not seeing is the small things he does with his feet.

Also, he doesn't throw the same thing over and over, he changes punches, different punches and when he throws the same punches there is a problem for the other fighter:

If you watch closely, he might tap you with one kind of punch, 1,2,3 times, but he will also hit you with the same punch very hard once in a while and you don't see it coming.

So you never know what to expect from him, you can't get in a "balanced mood" against Golovkin because you never know what is coming.

If the "recto" doesn't get you, he might try an upper, or a swinging shot to the liver.


Some guys don't see any of this because they have never been in a ring and it is really difficult to understand all the small things the mf does. Shifting is just another thing he does pretty well.

He makes anyone else look ordinary.

You guys want the big fights, i want them too, but fast, not i a couple of years.

[Motorcity Cobra]

Good post, but I think trying to back him up is an unwinnable strategy for the time-being. For me Golovkin's most obvious weakness is the slowness with which he turns at times. He has great balance but is very committed to staying in position and not losing that solid stance from which he does everything. When a fighter suddenly pivots they are often around him before he reacts and he resets completely as opposed to gliding into a new position.

It's not easy though and he was caught everyone who's tried to move around him sooner or later. The most interesting fight for me was his match with Murray. I thought Murray's mobility was very effective but he didn't have the power to catch Golovkin with eye-catching shots when he picked his moments to attack. Instead he would flurry which was fine but it left the rounds up in the air.

While I can see what Golovkin's flaws are I find it hard to see who can capitalise on them. Canelo's combination punching and sharpness in the pocket would set up plenty of scoring opportunities, but he doesn't look to have the gas tank to fight Golovkin on the move. And he doesn't have the ability to stand with him and survive in my opinion.

Lara can move but I don't think he has either the volume nor the variety of offense to win enough rounds to get a decision. That's if he can make it the distance. At 168 DeGale and Ramirez look the most likely candidates.

Two good points. But I feel Canelo's gas tank is due to fighting at 155. If he were to fight at 160 I think that would give him more gas in the tank. He has to fight GGG on the inside and I think his inside defense and counter punching is good enough to beat GGG on the inside and catch him with something flush.

If Lara can't keep Vanes off of him at 154 he's not going to keep GGG off of him at 160. GGG feasts on movers with no power.

[AneesMoha]

Good post, but I think trying to back him up is an unwinnable strategy for the time-being. For me Golovkin's most obvious weakness is the slowness with which he turns at times. He has great balance but is very committed to staying in position and not losing that solid stance from which he does everything. When a fighter suddenly pivots they are often around him before he reacts and he resets completely as opposed to gliding into a new position.

It's not easy though and he was caught everyone who's tried to move around him sooner or later. The most interesting fight for me was his match with Murray. I thought Murray's mobility was very effective but he didn't have the power to catch Golovkin with eye-catching shots when he picked his moments to attack. Instead he would flurry which was fine but it left the rounds up in the air.

While I can see what Golovkin's flaws are I find it hard to see who can capitalise on them. Canelo's combination punching and sharpness in the pocket would set up plenty of scoring opportunities, but he doesn't look to have the gas tank to fight Golovkin on the move. And he doesn't have the ability to stand with him and survive in my opinion.

Lara can move but I don't think he has either the volume nor the variety of offense to win enough rounds to get a decision. That's if he can make it the distance. At 168 DeGale and Ramirez look the most likely candidates.

I was just thinking of the Murray fight. I thought that he would be big enough (build wise) to take Golovkin power and he almost did (got to the 11th) if Murray had a harder hitting offense I think that things may of been a lot closer. One thing he does do, is if he has figured out that his opponent can't hurt him then he will purposely take a combination or a full blooded shot on purpose and then smile or laugh it off... that is going to cost him one day.

[TheUptownKid]

Wayy wrong on the catch-and-counter.


His reflexes are top notch, don't think he's "vulnerable" to counters. Don't get me wrong - everyone gets countered, including Floyd and Ward - so will Golovkin.


He does look silly when he's being backed up, and potentially it CAN be a weakness. But here's the thing - in order to back someone up efficiently, you need to dictate the pace of the fight. To do that, you need to go toe-to-toe with your opponent, and there's only a limited amount of fighters that are willing to do that.
Golovkin does look silly when he's being backed up - but the person who's 'backing' him up is usually much more off balance because he's throwing hail mary flurries.

I like GGG's defensive style. It reminds me of Lomanchenko as he manipulates opponents defense as a primary means of offense. He not only parries but he moves you, he not only smothers with distance but actively with his arms. He dictates how you can move which is similar to what he was attempting to teach Barrera against Ward with head placement. The catch and shoot wasn't really illustrated in this clip too often (in truth I watched 6+ min) except against a woefully overmatched Rosado and even then it was against a overutilized jab that was ineffective throughout (Rosado doesn't change speeds on his punches often).

He is very skilled and has great timing, but my countering comment was more related to his response when he doesn't dictate tempo or is fighting off the back foot and has to counter, vs all these examples where he is either at his preferred distance or going forward. Don't want to take away from him I think he is very skilled but i do see flaws.

[TheUptownKid]

what you are not seeing is the small things he does with his feet.

Also, he doesn't throw the same thing over and over, he changes punches, different punches and when he throws the same punches there is a problem for the other fighter:

If you watch closely, he might tap you with one kind of punch, 1,2,3 times, but he will also hit you with the same punch very hard once in a while and you don't see it coming.

So you never know what to expect from him, you can't get in a "balanced mood" against Golovkin because you never know what is coming.

If the "recto" doesn't get you, he might try an upper, or a swinging shot to the liver.


Some guys don't see any of this because they have never been in a ring and it is really difficult to understand all the small things the mf does. Shifting is just another thing he does pretty well.

He makes anyone else look ordinary.

You guys want the big fights, i want them too, but fast, not i a couple of years.

I appreciate his skill set and think he has some of the best timing in boxing as well as positioning. I see those things, but for the most part he has fought at his tempo to his advantages in his fights. Great fighters do that, but other great fighters may find holes in his game. Like I said he is a very very technically skilled boxer, no question about it, just want to see what happens when he has to move at a pace he doesn't dictate.