Can & Should GGG try to make 154?

[Boxtime]

We have recently just seen that with 7 days to go till his PPV showdown with Lemieux, GGG currently weighs 165 pounds. His weight on fight night will most probably be around the the same mark. So GGG would have to cut around 6 pounds in order to come in just under the Middleweight limit.

However, why can GGG not cut 11 pounds, and instead come and fight at the 154 pound limit in the near future. Nearly all the current top fighters out there are cutting between 9-13 pounds to make weight.

At 154 pounds, GGG could have potential future bouts with Brook, Bradley, Thurman, Khan, Porter, Lara fighters who will be moving up to 154 pounds within the next two years. Most of these fighters currently fight at 147, and weigh around 160 pounds on fight night, only 5 pounds shy of GGG.

[////]

154 is bad right now

the actual best 154s are fighting at middleweight

the rest you listed are welters

lara isn't the sort of star power PPV guy you switch weight divisions for

[NEETzsche]

most of the best 154 lbers are with haymon

[mick1303]

The situation is similar with Ward and 160. Only for Floyd fight...

[Barcham]

Golovkin is a NATURAL middleweight. He does not have to struggle to make that weight and he carries it comfortably. If he was 23-24, it would be a different story. But to drop to 154 at his age after his body has been at 160 for his entire career, would be a very foolish thing to do for more than one very lucrative fight. It would involve a significant loss of muscle mass, and if you think 6 pounds is not much, take a look at a 6 pound, boneless beef roast the next time you are in a butcher shop and think again.

There is only one fight that would make it worth the effort and the risk, and we all know what it would be and that it has zero chance of ever happening.

[Eastcoast]

I believe he could w/o as much issue as some think. His rehydration weight of 170lbs is the same as many JMW's and he cuts w/o a nutritionist or S&C team. A top level S&C team can take a big guy like Quillin, drop them to 160 for a weigh-in, and effectively bring them back up to 180 for the fight w/o water-logging them like Geale was vs Cotto.


The issue is what is the incentive? JMW is in disarray right now, with no big names and too much political restrictions. Alavarez has outgrown the division and needs to move up to 160. Cotto is on his way out (though I could see GGG agreeing to a CW w/ Cotto if he wins), Lara is rumored to be moving up to 160 after his next fight. J-Rock, Andrade, and the Charlo's are the only top guys left and all are still in developing stages taking safer fights and would be protected.

[Sancho Puncho]

I have a feeling that Team GGG prepares to make a fight at 155, if that what Cotto or Canelo would demand to make this fight happen. Team GGG can say that they would not make concessions on weight, but the reality is that they need Cotto or Canelo more then the fight for the vacated belt against some random opponent like Heiland or whatever.
As for fighting at 154, only Mayweather fight would worth it. At 154 GGG will run into stamina problems, especially because his style requires him to be more active than the opponent.

[Barcham]

I have a feeling that Team GGG prepares to make a fight at 155, if that what Cotto or Canelo would demand to make this fight happen. Team GGG can say that they would not make concessions on weight, but the reality is that they need Cotto or Canelo more then the fight for the vacated belt against some random opponent like Heiland or whatever.
As for fighting at 154, only Mayweather fight would worth it. At 154 GGG will run into stamina problems, especially because his style requires him to be more active than the opponent.

Golovkin is the INTERIM CHAMPION. If Cotto or Canelo decide to vacate the title, he does not have to fight anyone for it, the title automatically becomes his. This is why it is not relevant if they vacate or not. If the winner vacates to avoid fighting him, they look like a total loser and actually worse than they would be losing in the ring.

Nothing is worse than a coward in boxing. What is the first thing people think about when you bring up Quillin? The fact that he vacated his title. That will follow him for the rest of his career. Is that what ANY fighter wants to be remembered for?

[Sancho Puncho]

Golovkin is the INTERIM CHAMPION. If Cotto or Canelo decide to vacate the title, he does not have to fight anyone for it, the title automatically becomes his. This is why it is not relevant if they vacate or not. If the winner vacates to avoid fighting him, they look like a total loser and actually worse than they would be losing in the ring.

Professional boxing is more about money and entertainment, than titles. Regardless of titles, Team GGG should and would look for the most profitable options. If they wanted to press Cotto into vacating the title, they could`ve already done that. They want Cotto or Canelo or Froch or Mayweather more than a unification fight.

[boliodogs]

He says can make 154 but it's hard and he would only do it for Mayweather. He has Quillen, Jacobs, Lee and others to fight at 160. There are just as many good fights for him at 160 as there are for him at 154. Why should he squeeze down to 154 when he is more comfortable at 160. He has shown he can take the punches of the best middleweights and knock them out.