By Jake Donovan

An endless amount of trash talk can be expected anytime Curtis Stevens is scheduled to fight–or even when he just feels like talking. The outspoken and resurgent middleweight has been true to form in pre-fight commentary for his first title challenge when he faces unbeaten Gennady Golovkin at Madison Square Garden’s The Theatre in New York City on November 2.

Golovkin (27-0, 24KO) is the polar opposite, as the defending middleweight titlist prefers the ‘seen rather than heard’ approach to fights. It’s the road he’s chosen to travel for his upcoming HBO-televised headliner, though hasn’t prevented him from taking a subtle swipe or two at the New Yorker.

“Curtis is just talking, he doesn’t understand the situation he’s put himself into,” Golovkin said of his challenger’s pre-fight threats and boasts.

Golovkin’s trainer, Abel Sanchez, is far more liberal with his commentary – in general, and specifically to the latest contender to his charge’s throne.

“All of this talk doesn’t work in this game,” Sanchez states. “Andre (Rozier, Stevens’ uncle and head trainer) has to learn there are levels in this game, and they are not quite at the level of Gennady.

“They’re going to learn that on November 2.”

Stevens (25-3, 18KO) fights for his first major title, but appears in his home state for the 20th time in a career approaching 10 years deep. The 28-year old Brooklyn native has been credited with the boost in ticket demand and will have plenty of fans on his side come fight night. The familiarity that comes with home crowd advantage coupled with his every day confidence naturally has the heavy betting underdog confident in shocking the world.

Of course, so has several of Golovkin’s past opponents. Fourteen straight knockouts later, the defending titlist has learned to just tune it out.

“He has a lot of knockouts but they came at a different level. All of his talking won’t help when he steps through the ropes,” Golovkin believes.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as the Records Keeper for the Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and a member of Boxing Writers Association of America.

Twitter: @JakeNDaBox