By Rick Reeno
Sampson Lewkowicz, the adviser to WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez, believes IBO/WBA champ Gennady Golovkin (27-0, 24KOs) needs to face a dangerous opponent like Curtis Stevens (25-3, 18KOs). Golovkin is scheduled to return on an HBO televised date of November 2, and Stevens has been mentioned as a possible candidate.
Since moving down to the middleweight division, Stevens has displayed deadly power. He crushed Saul Roman in the first round on Saturday night, and he immediately called for a fight with Golovkin. Martinez is still recovering from his win over Martin Murray in April. He suffered several injuries during the fight and won't return to action until the first quarter of 2014.
According to Lewkowicz, Golovkin needs to focus on fighting "fresh opponents" instead of targeting the fighters who Martinez beat.
"He needs to fight someone like Stevens, because fighting junior middleweights and beating the same guys who Martinez already beat will do nothing for him. Fighting someone like Stevens will take Golovkin to the next level, and put him in the right direction on making the fight with Martinez an event worthy of pay-per-view. He needs to fight someone fresh instead of wanting to fight everyone that Martinez already beat," Lewkowicz told BoxingScene.com.
"These guys are never the same after Martinez beats them. After they fight Martinez they never recover....Macklin, Williams, Dzinziruk, Pavlik, Cintron.....they were never the same. So if Martinez gets a decision over one guy and Golovkin then knocks him out - it means nothing because the opponent is not the same fighter who met Martinez. He is not the same physically and mentally. Going after someone like Martin Murray, who Martinez already beat, is a mistake. Golovkin needs someone fresh like Stevens, and Golovkin would be the favorite in that fight because Stevens does not have a good chin."
