Monroe Confident: Canelo Will Beat Gennady Golovkin

By Radio Rahim

Last May, middleweight contender Willie Monroe Jr. (19-2, 6KOs) put in a courageous effort against WBC/WBA/IBF/IBO middleweight king Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (35-0, 32KOs).

After going down twice in the second, Monroe was able to recover and did some good work in the next three rounds. Golovkin caught up with him again in the sixth, and finished him off for a TKO win.

Monroe finally returns to the ring later tonight, when he faces John Thompson at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York.

One of the biggest fights in boxing - if not the biggest - is a showdown between Golovkin and Mexican superstar Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (47-1-1, 33KOs). 

Golovkin is viewed as an overwhelming favorite to win the fight with Canelo - but Monroe views the fight in a different light. He believes Canelo is fully capable of winning and expects him to win - unless Golovkin adds additional tools to his in-ring arsenal.

"I said it right after the fight when I fought Triple G, [that Canelo would beat him], and everybody was like 'oh, he's being a sore loser.' I just know boxing and I just think that's Canelo's fight," Monroe told BoxingScene.com.

"It's just because I got my best work done with Triple G in rounds three, four and five - on the inside, in his chest. And that's how Canelo likes to fight. Canelo likes you to come to him. So if you're going to be on the inside with Canelo and your inside game isn't good, then he's going to break you down."

"And Triple G's inside game isn't good. He's a mid-range fighter. That's why I got most of my work done when I was at close range. So if Triple G wants to beat Canelo - he better learn how to fight from the outside."