Comments Thread For: Golovkin Keeps The Line Moving in Supremacy Quest at 160

[The Big Dunn]

Probably true about the Olympics but that is a problem. That used to be a great marketing tool for a young fighter and the first place you find the next superstar. Now it looks like Lomachenko, arguable the greatest amateur fighter of all time will not be in a meaningful fight for a while because Haymon has all of his opponents. I guess you can argue a lot of these star Olympians miss opportunities to go after that big accomplishment (Rigo/Loma, Loma/Walters, GGG/Ward, Ward/Stevenson, etc.) but regardless they had plenty of big fights in their weight class that politics prevented.

Loma's problem is his promoter doesn't want him to lose again so he will not make the fight people want to see. Politics is an issue but the bigger issue is the perception of casual fans and the effect it has on matchmaking.

Casuals put a lot of value in an undefeated record. They perceive it to mean a fighter is better. SO some of these guys will not take the better fights because losing damages them in the eyes of the casual fan. The promoters/managers are not making these fights because they can make money in easy fights.

Boxing is better when it caters to the true boxing fan, not the ESPN/deadspin crowd.

[texasboi15]

Texasrentboi the greatest troll that's ever walked the earth ......I am in awe lol....Brppppppppppppppppppp

How am I being a troll?!

All I did was post your comments here they are again:

I've told you already or are you that slow ******ed texasboi ranger.....and I told why I quit....drugs.parties and being a party animal was probably the main reason......reached the semi finals of the ABA championships twice at the 68 kilo limit ...which is just above welterweight

What an inbred lol.....sex drugs and rock & roll son.....2 birds at the same time...Pablos powder lined up on the bedside table and a few tequilas just to ****e it up a bit that's what I did

So how am I a troll..?!

You're the one who admitted you're a f ucking junkie that shi t his career as a can down the drain behind dope and bltches..?!

[bug0092]

I wonder what goes through Golovkin's head sometimes. You come out of the amateurs where although not free of corruption, is still more "sport-like" than the pros. You have official tournaments where the intention is to be the best. Then he starts his career, gets screwed by promoters, finally gets on his feet, and now is getting screwed over by politics. Now dude is in his mid-30s still trying to get that signature win.

The 2004 Olympic class had a ton of talent: Golovkin, Ward, Rigondeaux, Gamboa, Khan, Povetkin, Dirrell.....but all of them have had disappointing pro careers (for different reasons). They have achieved some success but really haven't emerged the way fighters with their level of talent should have. Some of had opportunities but have fallen short (Khan, Dirrell, Povetkin) while others just can't get over political hurdles.

And you wonder why boxing popularity is on the steady decline. The sport doesn't take care of its top talents.

So true. I wish we could hear his thoughts in his native language more often. He always puts on a happy face, but I have to think he's getting pretty tired of this. Money along with the expansion of weight classes/belts is ruining the game.

[fredhopple]

All due respect but I completely disagree with you. Championship belts do matter and I would say they matter a lot. Not only are they a good leverage in the negotiating table but they are a extremely good marketing tool.

Truth is that most revenue in boxing comes from casual boxing fans, just like in most sports its the casual fans that make up the bulk. I think most hardcore boxing fans would agree that "casuals" are usually not up to date on who's who and what's what. Casuals are usually sold by bells and whistles and championship belts are the bells and whistles. Any fight that has championship title on the header will sell better than a non-title fight, that's just marketing 101.

Now as far as who gets paid what, why does this matter to you? If you really are a true boxing fan you should care less who gets paid what. In fact a true boxing fan just wants to see good fights get made, that's what this sport is all about. I never understood the whole "A side - B side" argument; in no way shape or form does a boxer's purse affect me as a fan. On the contrary I think most of the time these things just get in the way of good objective boxing arguments and it gives fighters a scapegoat for fights not to happen.

Personally I really like Gennady but I do agree that he still has quite a bit of work cut out for him but I really think he is being ducked. If you listen and read what most trainers and insiders have to say you would learn that he in fact is being ducked. He legitimately wants to unify the 160lbs division and I for one respect this completely. Why not have a unified undisputed champion? Why not root for the guy that wants this to happen? Why would you want this type of fighter to hang?

Titles mean nothing in boxing these days as there are way too many belts in each division and boxing has no ruler or leader. Promoters rule and run boxing and it's all about money. Quillin-Fury-Bradley-gave belts away. Money talks and belts mean NOTHING. Promoters are the Kings of Boxing. Arum-Golden Boy-Hearn-

[bug0092]

Titles mean nothing in boxing these days as there are way too many belts in each division and boxing has no ruler or leader. Promoters rule and run boxing and it's all about money. Quillin-Fury-Bradley-gave belts away. Money talks and belts mean NOTHING. Promoters are the Kings of Boxing. Arum-Golden Boy-Hearn-

An undisputed championship is quite valuable. Let's say Canelo refuses to fight GGG later this year and is stripped. Golovkin then beats Saunders for the WBO title. Every guy at 160 (and moving up from 154) will have to go eventually through GGG or they will always just be contenders. Canelo's not going back down to JMW -- you think he'd be happy just making big money fights and not fighting for a belt until GGG retires?

[fredhopple]

An undisputed championship is quite valuable. Let's say Canelo refuses to fight GGG later this year and is stripped. Golovkin then beats Saunders for the WBO title. Every guy at 160 (and moving up from 154) will have to go eventually through GGG or they will always just be contenders. Canelo's not going back down to JMW -- you think he'd be happy just making big money fights and not fighting for a belt until GGG retires?

Bradley just gave up his 147 lb belt to fight Manny. Canelo could care less about GGG and the 160lb belt. Canelo is a star with a huge fan base. GGG has nothing. Titles are worthless in boxing accept that fact.

[bug0092]

Loma's problem is his promoter doesn't want him to lose again so he will not make the fight people want to see. Politics is an issue but the bigger issue is the perception of casual fans and the effect it has on matchmaking.

Casuals put a lot of value in an undefeated record. They perceive it to mean a fighter is better. SO some of these guys will not take the better fights because losing damages them in the eyes of the casual fan. The promoters/managers are not making these fights because they can make money in easy fights.

Boxing is better when it caters to the true boxing fan, not the ESPN/deadspin crowd.

Very true. And with all the weight classes and sanctioning bodies with multiple belts these days, it's become so easy to call one's self a champ and defend without taking real risks. As a fan, I just don't understand the not-taking-a-loss mentality. I guess it's all about maximizing a fighter's earning potential. But like you said, what's good for the promoters/networks is counter to what we want to see as fans. Funny how it didn't seem to matter much when I watched boxing as a kid. Tough fights made for great sequels. They made legends out of fighters. I have more respect for a guy who takes a chance and suffers a tough loss than a guy who pads his record with second rate opponents. Ideally, the money in boxing would be invested in the sport as a whole rather than placing heavy investments in a select few. But unless the sport unifies like the UFC, we'll never see an end to separate interests wanting to protect their investment until they feel they can maximize their profit. Ultimately, I think they overestimate the value of the undefeated record with even the outer circle of boxing fans. They like the hardcore fans just want to see good competitive fights.

[crex.af]

Titles mean nothing in boxing these days as there are way too many belts in each division and boxing has no ruler or leader. Promoters rule and run boxing and it's all about money. Quillin-Fury-Bradley-gave belts away. Money talks and belts mean NOTHING. Promoters are the Kings of Boxing. Arum-Golden Boy-Hearn-

How do promoters promote their fighters? If I am not mistaken, which I am not, is by making them champions. Any promoter be it TR, GB, PBC all want to have their fighters hold a belt because it gives them marketing value and leverage. To say that belts mean nothing is a bit ludicrous, what you might be saying is that they mean nothing to you but to the casual (revenue) fan and to the fighter it does mean something.

Also, Quillin gave up his belt because he refused to fight Korobov for a purse that would have been 3 times higher than he had ever made until then. This tells me he ducked him to keep his undefeated streak going which in the end didn't turn out too well for him.

Fury gave up his belt because he opted to re-match Klitschko instead of fighting the IBF mandatory which is the very reason Golovkin is fighting Wade.

Bradley gave up his belt for way more money than he would have made if he fought his mandatory but the WBO will be having a "special recognition" belt. So in the end the fight will be billed Championship fight.

Case in point belts mean SOMETHING and are IMPORTANT whether you'd like to admit it or not and I hope that more fighters follow Golovkin's lead in trying to unify divisions and I am glad the WBA is moving towards getting rid of 3 champions per division.

[-PBP-]

So true. I wish we could hear his thoughts in his native language more often. He always puts on a happy face, but I have to think he's getting pretty tired of this. Money along with the expansion of weight classes/belts is ruining the game.

His fight purses and step aside fees make it easier for him to put the happy face on. lol

But as a competitor I know it has to bother him. This is such a ridiculous sport.

[fredhopple]

How do promoters promote their fighters? If I am not mistaken, which I am not, is by making them champions. Any promoter be it TR, GB, PBC all want to have their fighters hold a belt because it gives them marketing value and leverage. To say that belts mean nothing is a bit ludicrous, what you might be saying is that they mean nothing to you but to the casual (revenue) fan and to the fighter it does mean something.

Also, Quillin gave up his belt because he refused to fight Korobov for a purse that would have been 3 times higher than he had ever made until then. This tells me he ducked him to keep his undefeated streak going which in the end didn't turn out too well for him.

Fury gave up his belt because he opted to re-match Klitschko instead of fighting the IBF mandatory which is the very reason Golovkin is fighting Wade.

Bradley gave up his belt for way more money than he would have made if he fought his mandatory but the WBO will be having a "special recognition" belt. So in the end the fight will be billed Championship fight.

Case in point belts mean SOMETHING and are IMPORTANT whether you'd like to admit it or not and I hope that more fighters follow Golovkin's lead in trying to unify divisions and I am glad the WBA is moving towards getting rid of 3 champions per division.

So how many belts or titles are there ? According to boxrec.com , website that actually tries to keep track of everything that is going on in the volatile world of boxing, there are 354 titles. Multiply it by seventeen weight division and there are six thousand and eighteen belts out there, probably enough for my wife’s wardrobe.
6018 Title belts in boxing today