By Miguel Rivera
IBF/IBO/WBC/WBA middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (35-0, 32KOs) is taking Kell Brook (36-0, 25KOs) very seriously.
Brook, holder of the IBF welterweight world title, is moving up by thirteen pounds to challenge Golovkin on September 10 at the O2 Arena in London.
This will be Golovkin's second fight of the year. He blasted out IBF mandatory challenger Dominic Wade in two rounds in April. Brook came in the picture after initial challenger Chris Eubank Jr. fell out.
Brook is a big underdog with the distance of two weight divisions separating the two boxers. Golovkin does not see this is as an easy defense, but many feel Brook will end up like his countryman Amir Khan, who back in May was brutally knocked out when he moved up to 155-pounds to fight Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez for the WBC world title.
"This is great news for me. I don't feel this is easy fight. He is undefeated, a champion, has a good record, he is my biggest test. Eubank Jr. and many champions - they only talk, but when it's time to sign contracts they all take a step back. Brook signed, and it's good for me," Golovkin told Golpe a Golpe.
"I have no pressure to knock him out. He will not be easy, the fight will be in Britain, in London, at home with his people I do not think that it is simple. I do not know if judges are going to help him. It will be difficult. It is interesting, is very different, people are half-crazy but nice. They are true fans of boxing, I respect very much, I love this. It is a different world."
"Brook is little smaller than me but he's strong, he wants to fight at 160 pounds, I was surprised, I said okay, I told you I was going to fight anybody. I've seen a couple of his fights him. He's smart, he's different, he's a good fighter. I did not want to face him, but he wanted to go up to 160 pounds. It is very interesting. He has speed, power, different strategy, but I know my work and my style."
