By Edward Chaykovsky
Barry McGuigan, a former world champion and manager of such boxers like Carl Frampton, believes IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook (36-0, 25KOs) will get knocked out when he moves up by two weight divisions to challenge WBC, WBA, IBF, IBO middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (35-0, 32KOs).
The fight was officially announced last Friday to a stunned boxing public, and takes place on September 10th at the O2 Arena in London.
Brook is the second British fighter in recent months to take a big leap in weight. Amir Khan, back in May, went up by eight-pounds to challenge Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez for the WBC middleweight title at a catch-weight of 155-pounds. Brook is heading up by thirteen pounds to the full 160-pound limit.
McGuigan has a lot of respect for Golovkin and considers him to be one of the best fighters in the sport.
He feels the fight will end up in the same manner as Khan's challenger of Canelo. Khan started well and won the early rounds, but all it took was one massive punch in the sixth round to knock the Bolton fighter out cold.
"GGG is a fighter with no weaknesses, so I fear this will go the same way as Amir Khan's move up the same two weight classes to meet Canelo Alvarez," McGuigan told The Mirror.
"Gennady Golovkin is rewriting the record book at middleweight — which is saying something in a division that has featured some all-time greats. Sugar Ray Robinson, Stanley Ketchel, Marvin Hagler, Carlos Monzon and Bernard Hopkins loom large in our sport, but none have done what Gennady Gennadyevich Golovkin has."
"So hats off to Kell Brook for accepting the challenge against one of the most devastating finishers the game has seen. All but three of GGG’s 35 wins have ended early. But that is not the wonder of it. Not one of his world title bouts has seen the final bell — a feat none of the above achieved. The last man to contain him was Amar Amari eight years ago, when he was still making his way in eight-rounders."
"IBF welterweight champ Brook is also unbeaten in 36 fights, a terrific puncher himself, quick and huge for a welterweight. Indeed, I would guess he walks around three of four pounds heavier than Golovkin at 180. But he is not as disciplined between fights as Golovkin, and the fact that he chose to repeatedly boil himself down to make the 147lb welterweight limit shows where he thinks his best interests are served. Brook will take his speed with him and that is an attribute that might cause Golovkin some problems early on.
"Brook is not stupid. He acknowledged in the press conference in New York on Thursday that everything will have to be spot-on if he is to have any chance against the IBF, WBA, IBO and WBC champion. And even then, history says it won’t be enough."
