By Jake Donovan
Given the level of anticipation surrounding the World middleweight championship between Miguel Cotto and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, it says a lot that Gennady Golovkin is perhaps the fight’s most interested observer.
The fire-breathing knockout artist from Kazakhstan has his own big fight ahead, as he prepares for his October 17 middleweight title unification clash with David Lemieux. The bout is set to headline at Madison Square Garden in New York City, with the city also playing host to Tuesday’s press tour kickoff to help promote the fight.
Golovkin has already arrived in the East Coast, as he is spending Monday doing various interviews with cable network giant ESPN. First up was a live interview on ESPN’s Sportscenter, where he discussed a variety of boxing-related topics.
Among the questions asked were his thoughts on the upcoming clash between Cotto and Alvarez, which takes place November 21 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Golovkin is the current mandatory challenger to Cotto’s WBC title (Cotto is also the recognized World [lineal] middleweight champion), and the winners of the two middleweight fights have been ordered to meet next.
Golovkin earned such status following a 2nd round knockout of Marco Antonio Rubio last October. Rubio entered the fight as the WBC interim middleweight titlist, a title for which he fought in exchange for allowing Cotto to jump the line and face reigning World champion Sergio Martinez last June. The WBC allowed Rubio to face another titlist in Golovkin, of the belief that it will eventually lead to a full unification bout, which for now remains the future plan.
While many regard Cotto-Alvarez as a pick-‘em, Golovkin is a heavy betting favorite to beat Lemieux in what marks the first true unification fight for both fighters—Golovkin owns the WBA and IBO belts, while Lemieux recently picked up the vacant IBF title this past June.
Given that many expect him to prevail in October, it’s only natural to wonder whom Golovkin believes will be his first opponent of 2016.
For now, the reigning middleweight titlist—who has racked up 14 consecutive title defenses among a current 20-fight knockout streak—remains noncommittal to picking a winner.
“I don’t know,” Golovkin (33-0, 30KOs) nervously responded when put on the spot by ESPN Sportscenter anchors for a prediction. “I think Canelo is a little stronger. Cotto is a little smaller but he’s the champion.”
Both middleweight fights will headline separate HBO Pay-Per-View telecasts this fall.
Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox