Sometimes timing is everything, and in the case of Gennady Golovkin, the timing couldn’t be better. The unbeaten middleweight from Kazakhstan has come along at a time when HBO is in need of a superstar and Madison Square Garden is looking for a boxing attraction. Both the premium network and the venue are hoping Golovkin can be that guy.
“HBO and Madison Square Garden are fully behind him,” said Golovkin’s publicist, Bernie Bahrmasel. “At MSG it’s Knicks, Rangers, Golovkin. That’s how much they want to do business with him.”
The next step in the Golovkin lovefest will take place Saturday night when he defends his WBA/IBO middleweight championship against Curtis Stevens of Brooklyn at the Garden Theater. HBO will televise and quietly hope Golovkin continues his impressive climb up the must-watch list.
The Garden is back in the boxing business after the completion of its transformation. Known as the “Mecca of Boxing” for playing host to some of the biggest fights in the sport’s history, the Garden’s foothold in the sweet science has been challenged by Barclays Center in Brooklyn. An exclusive deal with Golden Boy Promotions has led to a steady stream of quality boxing cards in Brooklyn over the past two years. Most of those bouts have been televised by Showtime.
HBO, which previously announced it was no longer doing business with Golden Boy, has moved its emphasis to developing the appeal of fighters like Golovkin, Sergio Martinez, Timothy Bradley and others. Golovkin is at the top of that food chain, especially for the Garden.
“We always intended to bring Gennady to New York because of the Russian demographic here and the support Madison Square Garden has given him even before HBO was on board,” Tom Loeffler, of K2 Promotions, said. “Now he’s making his fourth appearance on HBO and his popularity in America has taken over a life of its own.”
It seems odd a boxer who lives in Germany will be the house fighter against an opponent from Brooklyn. But that’s exactly the case with this fight. Golovkin’s popularity is fueled by his aggressive style. Unbeaten in 27 fights, he has 24 knockouts, the highest ratio of any active world champion. He has four knockouts over the last 12 months, including a seventh-round TKO over Gabriel Rosado of Philadelphia last January at the Garden Theater.
“I am happy to fight in front of the boxing fans in New York City again,” Golovkin said. “Madison Square Garden is a very special place for me. I will put on my best performance and defend my titles once again in this great city.”
Stevens isn’t swayed by all the hype surrounding Golovkin. He has a puncher’s chance, having compiled a record of 25-3 with 18 knockouts. This is his opportunity to make a name for himself by scoring a huge upset and claiming his first world title.
“I’m going in there to relax and I’m going in there to have fun. I’m going in there to do what I do,” Stevens said. “The question is, will he come out and fight me just as much as he does the other fighters when I come towards him? He may bounce around the ring; he may shadow box. I’ve seen him fight. I’ve got to see what he comes out with. I’m not going to change my game plan. I’ll box just as much as I can pressure you. I’m coming in there ready to win.”
If Golovkin can get past Stevens, there are potential mega-bouts ahead, including a matchup with the lineal middleweight king Martinez or a bout at 168 with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. But Stevens might have something to say about that.
PREDICTION: Stevens will offer the fight of his life and look to land a devastating punch that will put Golovkin to sleep. He’ll have to take chances to do that, and Golovkin likely is too big, too strong and too smart to get caught. In this test of power, Golovkin wins by TKO in 10th.