By Keith Idec
Being dismissed as an overmatched nobody has motivated Dominic Wade while he prepares for his middleweight title fight against Gennady Golovkin.
Wade is listed as a 16-1 underdog by many Internet sports books as their April 23 fight in Inglewood, California, nears. Golovkin (34-0, 31 KOs) is such a heavy favorite, most media and fans have preferred discussing Golovkin’s possible fights against Canelo Alvarez and newly crowned WBO super middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez, as if Wade (18-0, 12 KOs) has absolutely no shot at pulling off what would be an epic upset.
That hasn’t stopped the undefeated contender from Largo, Maryland, from feeling confident as he gets ready for this potentially life-changing opportunity in a fight HBO will televise from The Forum.
“It kind of motivates me a little bit,” Wade said Thursday during a conference call. “Everybody’s just looking past me already. Nobody really gave me the chance. Everybody is kinda looking past, wanting to see the Triple-G and Canelo fight. But you never know what happens in this fight. Maybe I’ll be the one to shut it all down.”
The 26-year-old Wade hasn’t fought in 9½ months. In his last bout, Wade beat Australian contender Sam Soliman by split decision in a 10-rounder June 26 in Shelton, Washington. Soliman (44-13, 18 KOs, 1 NC), a former IBF middleweight title-holder, was 41 when he fought Wade, yet still clearly the toughest opponent of Wade’s seven-year pro career.
The 34-year-old Golovkin, meanwhile, has beaten 21 straight opponents by knockout or TKO during his transformation from little-known, 160-pound title-holder from Kazakhstan to American-based star who has endorsement deals with Apple and Nike. None of that has deterred Wade.
“Ain’t nobody really expecting what I’ve got or what I can do in there,” said Wade, who was the IBF’s leading available contender for Golovkin’s mandatory defense. “I think everybody is kinda underestimating what I can do and how I perform. And that night I can show it, you know?”
Keith Idec covers boxing for The Record and Herald News, of Woodland Park, N.J., and BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
