By Brian Mazique
To solidify his status as one of the best fighters in the world, WBA and IBO middleweight champion Gennady "GGG" Golovkin (31-0, 28 KO) needs to beat a big name. He won't get a chance to do that Saturday when he faces hard-luck contender Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KO) in Monaco, but another win should hopefully put Golovkin at the doorstep of a career-defining matchup.
Murray isn't a pushover.
He's had two chances to win a world title in his career. Officially, Murray failed in both situations, but it wouldn't be tough to find boxing experts who believed he deserved a win over Sergio Martinez in April 2013 or Felix Sturm in December 2012 (or both).
As it stands, the 32-year-old from St. Helens, Merseyside, in the United Kingdom has yet to become a world champion. His latest attempt will come against a man who may be the most feared fighter in the sport today. Per Odds Shark, Golovkin is the heavy favorite at 1-25.
Because Murray does bring some credentials into the ring, perhaps that's why Golovkin's trainer, Abel Sanchez, told Marco Villegas of Fight Hub that his fighter is so motivated for this bout:
Golovkin, who is also 32 years old, is undefeated with a KO percentage of 90.32, and he hasn't had an opponent go the distance in about seven years. Can Murray not only go the distance but hand Golovkin his first defeat?
Here's how you can watch.
When: Saturday, February 21 at 5:45 p.m. ET
Where: Salle des Etoiles in Monte Carlo, Monaco
TV: HBO
Anyone who has seen Golovkin fight—especially recently—knows that there is more to his game than brute punching power. GGG understands angles. He's patient and has an underrated jab.
Murray is a smart fighter who undoubtedly knows what he's up against. His game plan has to be to gain some measure of respect with his own attack while being careful not to stay stationary for too long.
A slugfest is something he doesn't want with Golovkin. Murray can't win that style of fight. Utilizing his own jab and footwork will be key if he hopes to pull off the improbable upset.
Murray has heard and seen glimpses of Golovkin's power, but GGG packs the type of punch that an opponent won't truly appreciate until he's in there with him. How well Murray can deal with the pressure and power of the champion will determine if an upset is feasible.
His only chance is to drag Golovkin deep into a competitive bout in hopes of seeing fatigue become a factor.
When you've stopped 18 straight opponents, just winning isn't enough. Golovkin's dominance has created a standard that will be tough to live up to as his career goes on. Even if Murray loses and goes the distance, it'll be a victory of sorts for the challenger and motivation for the next Golovkin opponent.
Fair or not, there is pressure for Golovkin to continue to shine the way he has over the last seven years of his career.
As it stands, he's already having problems finding opponents with anything to lose. While the competition may not be elite, a performance that rates anywhere below dominant would potentially slow Golovkin's momentum.
Prediction
The man who will beat or seriously challenge Golovkin will be either very quick, powerful or both. Murray has neither quality to the level that makes him a serious threat to dethrone GGG.
He is an inch-and-a-half taller with a three-inch reach advantage, but that alone won't be enough to stop the champion. Murray has just 12 knockouts in his career. He lacks the punching power to get Golovkin's attention or respect.
Murray is also not quite quick enough to slip the punches, counter and move out of harm's way consistently for 12 rounds. Ultimately, Golovkin will time Murray, walk him down and finish him by the sixth round. Can I hear 19 straight?
Article Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2369742-gennady-golovkin-vs-martin-murray-fight-time-date-preview-and-tv-info
