By Victor Salazar
New York - Much criticism has been thrown around about the upcoming fight between Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin and Kell Brook, which is taking place on September 10 at the O2 Arena in England.
Brook (36-0, 25KOs), who is the IBF welterweight champion, is moving up by thirteen pounds to challenge Golovkin (35-0, 32KOs) for the IBO/WBA/WBC/IBF middleweight titles.
Two boxers who were critical of the matchup were former champions Adrien Broner and Paulie Malignaggi.
2015 BWAA Trainer of The Year Abel Sanchez, who is at the helm of preparing Golovkin, Brook found it ironic that both boxers were critical of the two division move by Brook.
Sanchez told BoxingScene.com - “Didn’t Adrien Broner come in overweight when he was fighting a little guy when he knocked him out? [referring to Broner’s fight with Vicente Escobedo]. Then he moves up two divisions to fight Paulie Malignaggi. Broner started at 130 pounds, and he moved up 12-13 pounds to fight Malignaggi after he fought at lightweight. The only thing I can say to those guys - they are hypocrites.”
With not many options on the table for Golovkin, many have called for GGG to move up in weight to expand his legacy. But to Sanchez he feels Golovkin will want to move up to challenge himself after he finishes his business at 160 pounds, especially because the goal of being the undisputed champion at middleweight is close to being achieved. The last piece missing is the WBO title that belongs to Billy Joe Saunders.
“Of course I want him to move up but not necessarily for legacy, but to challenge himself,’ Sanchez explained. “If he does move up, it’s because he wants to. We haven’t got the 4 belts and we’re missing the WBO. If Billy Joe Saunders doesn’t want the fight, then by the end of the year or next there will have to be talks of moving up. Gilberto Ramirez has mentioned fight with Golovkin. If Golovkin moves up he can move down because he’s a small middleweight and he still wants to defend his titles.”
