Will Golovkin break Bernard Hopkins middleweight title defense record?

[DoktorSleepless]

I find this whole numbers exercise silly. You're just repeating a meaningless Tom Loeffler marketing gimmick.

Lets just ignore that he was given a pretend belt in an organization that already had a champion for half these defenses. Lets not ignore that there was an actual legitimate recognized champion during most of Golovkin's reign. Cliff Rold argued there was some merit in arguing that Hopkins beat Monzon's hallowed record. And I could see that because in the first six years of his IBF reign before unifying in the tournament, he was rated as the #1 guy through out it all. And most importantly, there was no farcical element of there already being an actual recognized middleweight champ in those first six years that Hopkins racked up those defenses. Thus I see the merit in extending those first few years to his recognized middleweight reign.

Circumstances behind Golovkin's and Hopkin's defenses are apples and oranges. As of right now, Golovkin's # of defenses are just about as meaningless as Narvaez's.

[big_james10]

Hopkins holds the Middleweight title defense record of 20. Currently, Golovkin is at 12. If he fights four times next year, he'll be at 16.



What's cool is that there are a lot of similarities between Hopkins middleweight reign and GGG's. Remember, for years Hopkins had just one belt, the IBF, which he defended a record 20 times. Hopkins spent years fighting all the top ten opponents, unable to secure a big fight while other title holders, who happened to be Don King fighters at the time, ducked or at least "political" reasons prevented them from fighting B-Hop (that being King). Same thing has been happening to GGG. It wasn't until the "old age" of 36 that Hopkins finally got his big shot, against hugely popular Tito Trinidad. I think Canelo will be Golovkin's Trinidad by the end of next year or early 2016, and like Hopkins with the win he'll likely unify all of the middleweight belts. History repeating itself is pretty cool to see if it happens.

Your post makes a lot of sense, except for the fact that Alvarez is not at the same level as Trinidad. Alvarez is mediocre compared to Trinidad. Also, the difference between Hopkins and Golovkin is Hopkins was willing to move up in weight to fight the best competition available. Golovkin is not willing to do that. I doubt that Golovkin would even accept the challenge and fight the 50 year-old Hopkins, even if Hopkins agrees to come down to 160.

[Dinamita 03]

Your post makes a lot of sense, except for the fact that Alvarez is not at the same level as Trinidad. Alvarez is mediocre compared to Trinidad. Also, the difference between Hopkins and Golovkin is Hopkins was willing to move up in weight to fight the best competition available. Golovkin is not willing to do that. I doubt that Golovkin would even accept the challenge and fight the 50 year-old Hopkins, even if Hopkins agrees to come down to 160.

Yeah pretty sure GGG would turn down a fight against a weight-drained senior citizen, specially considering how sensational he looked against Kovalev.

[ИATAS]

I find this whole numbers exercise silly. You're just repeating a meaningless Tom Loeffler marketing gimmick.

Lets just ignore that he was given a pretend belt in an organization that already had a champion for half these defenses. Lets not ignore that there was an actual legitimate recognized champion during most of Golovkin's reign. Cliff Rold argued there was some merit in arguing that Hopkins beat Monzon's hallowed record. And I could see that because in the first six years of his IBF reign before unifying in the tournament, he was rated as the #1 guy through out it all. And most importantly, there was no farcical element of there already being an actual recognized middleweight champ in those first six years that Hopkins racked up those defenses. Thus I see the merit in extending those first few years to his recognized middleweight reign.

Circumstances behind Golovkin's and Hopkin's defenses are apples and oranges. As of right now, Golovkin's # of defenses are just about as meaningless as Narvaez's.

I always found the idea that Hopkins 20 defenses doesn't hold merit silly, considering there was only one belt when Monzon was fighting. Obviously a different era. There were four major belts when Hopkins won his title and quite obviously politics (Don King) prevented him from unifying belts sooner. He most certainly would have been unified champion being that the other title holders were William Joppy (1996-1997, 1998-2001) and Keith Holmes (1996-1998, 1999-2001), both of whom Hopkins easily beat later in his career.

Now if there is a record for "longest lineal defenses" sure go right and let's take GGG out of this discussion. But for now, his defenses of his title are legit and if/when he unifies, he'll have a chance to do the same thing Bhop did.

[ИATAS]

Your post makes a lot of sense, except for the fact that Alvarez is not at the same level as Trinidad. Alvarez is mediocre compared to Trinidad. Also, the difference between Hopkins and Golovkin is Hopkins was willing to move up in weight to fight the best competition available. Golovkin is not willing to do that. I doubt that Golovkin would even accept the challenge and fight the 50 year-old Hopkins, even if Hopkins agrees to come down to 160.

Hopkins didn't move up in weight until he was 40 and had 20 title defenses. Let Golovkin clean out 160 and unify, then talk about moving up.

You honestly believe Golovkin wouldn't fight Hopkins at 160 now? lol ok man, whatever tickles your pickle.

[DoktorSleepless]

I find this post silly considering there was only one belt when Monzon was fighting. Obviously a different era. There were four major belts when Hopkins won his title and quite obviously politics (Don King) prevented him from unifying belts sooner. He most certainly would have been unified champion being that the other title holders were William Joppy (1996-1997, 1998-2001) and Keith Holmes (1996-1998, 1999-2001), both of whom Hopkins easily beat later in his career.

If you want to create your own "longest lineal defenses" sure go right ahead, but it's impossible to compare an era with four major belts to an era that only had one.

I'm not exactly sure you're arguing and how it relates to my post. I'm comparing Hopkin's reign with Golovkin's reign, both of which were in the multiple belt era. I'm saying Hopkin's record number is meaningful and holds significance for the reasons I stated. I'm saying Golovkin's number is not meaningful and significant even if it goes to 21. Golovkin can't beat Hopkin's record because you're comparing apples and oranges. It's a pointless exercise.

Maybe history does repeat itself when Golovkin unifies and becomes the The Champ, but even then, most of Golovkin's current defenses don't count and shouldn't count toward's beating Hopkin's record number. Maybe some of his 2013/2014 defenses should count because by then Martinez championship status was murky, but not before then.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

I think he has a legit chance if he focuses on it and doesn't move up.. I can see him mowing down quillen, canelo, cotto, Jacobs, etc over the next few years and breaking hopkins record..
I fear that he moves up for big fights in a year or so, so I voted no

[Humean]

I find this whole numbers exercise silly. You're just repeating a meaningless Tom Loeffler marketing gimmick.

Lets just ignore that he was given a pretend belt in an organization that already had a champion for half these defenses. Lets not ignore that there was an actual legitimate recognized champion during most of Golovkin's reign. Cliff Rold argued there was some merit in arguing that Hopkins beat Monzon's hallowed record. And I could see that because in the first six years of his IBF reign before unifying in the tournament, he was rated as the #1 guy through out it all. And most importantly, there was no farcical element of there already being an actual recognized middleweight champ in those first six years that Hopkins racked up those defenses. Thus I see the merit in extending those first few years to his recognized middleweight reign.

Circumstances behind Golovkin's and Hopkin's defenses are apples and oranges. As of right now, Golovkin's # of defenses are just about as meaningless as Narvaez's.

There was also less fighters during the 70s and 80s than the 90s, 00s and now. Lots of things change over time. By your logic Hopkins' reign, except for the end of it, was pretty 'meaningless" also.
.

[ИATAS]

I'm not exactly sure you're arguing and how it relates to my post. I'm comparing Hopkin's reign with Golovkin's reign, both of which were in the multiple belt era. I'm saying Hopkin's record number is meaningful and holds significance for the reasons I stated. I'm saying Golovkin's number is not meaningful and significant even if it goes to 21. Golovkin can't beat Hopkin's record because you're comparing apples and oranges. It's a pointless exercise.

Yeah I went back and edited my post a bit since I kinda misunderstood what you were saying, that's my b.

Maybe history does repeat itself when Golovkin unifies and becomes the The Champ, but even then, most of Golovkin's current defenses don't count and shouldn't count toward's beating Hopkin's record number. Maybe some of his 2013/2014 defenses should count because by then Martinez championship status was murky, but not before then.

This is really fuzzy logic here when we start doing stuff like that, because of the politics in boxing and the organizations make things so complicated now. The only thing I'm talking about here is Hopkins 20 title defenses. Hopkins wasn't lineal or "the man" for a lot of that time as well so it's very similar.

[Scipio2009]

no

Golovkin can't fight going backwards; the "Mexican style" has done him a significant disservice.

Once he realizes that he's not going to be getting Cotto or Alvarez in that proverbial money fight, he's going to look around and see Demetrius "Boo Boo" Andrade hunting him down.

6'1, 26 years old, southpaw, with the complete package of straight boxing skills, ranginess and solid pop, hungry for any opportunity.

If he doesn't take that fight, he's got Andre Ward hunting him down too; only difference is that Ward would be doing so with HBO's money behind him.

Golovkin is 32 years old, with over 400 amateur fights on his body. If he doesn't get Cotto or Alvarez in the next four fight, he's getting knocked off by Ward or Andrade in 2016.

down to bet anyone on that