Philippines, 28 Mar 2024
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


High Amateur/Olympic Pedigree Does Not a Great Pro Career Make (Not Always, Anyway)


PhilBoxing.com



Olympic medalists Gennadiy Golovkin (R) and Ryota Murata fought last weekend in Japan.

Of course, WBC's Mauricio Sulaiman would say that Cuba's return to professional boxing is a very important milestone as he welcomes the prospects of its Olympic champions and other amateur standouts in the paid ranks.

But for him to say that current world champions are in danger because of this development is a tongue in cheek exaggeration.

At least for this generation.

For it takes more than winning an Olympic gold to essay a successful transition into the paid ranks. And it takes years for one to develop into a world class or world champion caliber fighter.

Consider the cases of Gennadiy Golovkin and Ryota Murata whose Olympic pedigree is eight years apart.

Golovkin was "just" a silver medalist in the 2004 Athens Olympics, losing the finals to a Russian. He turned pro in 2005 and it took him five years to become first an interim and later upgraded to regular world middleweight champion of the WBA by fighting and defeating a mix of obscure and legitimate contenders.

It took him another eight years to be recognized as a unified, later undisputed world champion by fighting and defeating an assortment of opponents including a few up and comers. But he was only recognized as the true world champion in two fights with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez which ironically ended in a controversial draw and a close defeat.

Golovkin recovered by winning the IBF belt by outpointing Russian Sergei Derevyanchenko and recently added the WBA super title of Murata in essentially a fight between a former Olympic silver medalist against an Olympic champion eight years removed from each other.

Murata was the 2012 London Olympics gold medal winner beating Brazil's Esquiva Falcao in the finals. He was immediately regarded as a prospect in the pros not only because of his lofty amateur and Olympic background but also of his skills and fighting style that fit the pro, mainly his great body punching.

The Japanese was moved along in the pros relatively faster than Golovkin and Murata became world champion three years after turning pro in 2013 also with the WBA by beating Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam in their title rematch in 2017 after losing controversially to the Cameroonian in their first fight.

After a successful title defense, Murata lost his WBA title to American Rob Brant on points in 2018 but he regained the trinket by stopping the same Brant with his famed body punching in their title rematch the following year. Murata was later upgraded to super champion by the WBA.

Last weekend, Murata faced Golovkin in a title unification with also a minor IBO crown at stake.

Exploiting Golovkin's characteristic slow start and the fact that GGG had been inactive for two years because of the pandemic, Murata started fast and strong. He even troubled Golovkin with his signature body punching and raked his face with some vicious blows.

Many were already thinking at that point that Golovkin's age of 40 was showing and that the bigger Murata was wearing him down.

But beginning the fourth round, the vintage Golovkin started to show and imposed himself, raking Murata with his own vicious combinations to the side of the face rendering the Japanese antenna defense useless.

Soon Golovkin had the younger and bigger Murata at his mercy albeit the Japanese still gamely returning fire though obviously already on tottering legs.

The end came in the ninth round when Golovkin felled Murata with a ponderous counter and the Japanese corner threw in the towel of surrender.

With the victory, Golovkin is reportedly on the way to a third fight versus Canelo if the Mexican red head wins his own fight against Russian Dmitri Bivol at light heavyweight.

Now, how do we fit those great Olympic gold medalist Cubans there?

In the first place, there is no Cuban in the last Tokyo Olympics in the middleweight class fought over by Brazilian Herbert Sousa Conceicao, Ukrainian Oleksander Khrysniak and Filipino Eumir Felix Marcial.

The last Cuban to win a medal at middleweight at the Summer Games was Arlen Lopez who won the gold in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Lopez fought at light heavyweight in Tokyo and won the gold over UK's Benjamin Whitaker.

Let us see how Lopez progresses in the pros in the coming days And the other Olympic gold medalists as lightweight Andy Cruz, welterweight Roniel Iglesias and heavyweight Julio Cesar La Cruz.

But from my perspective, the landscape in the pro boxing as far as the division's those Cuban amateur standouts turned professionals are impregnable with the likes of Kambosos, Teo Lopez, Ryan Garcia and Lomachenko; Tank Davis and Josh Taylor; Spence, Crawford and Ennis; Alvarez, Golovkin, Bivol and Beterbiev; and certainty Tyson Fury and Oleksander Usyk at the forefront.

Though some of them are aging, those Cubans also are, and they are just starting.

The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Press Conference Notes: Oscar Valdez-Liam Wilson & Seniesa Estrada-Yokasta Valle Doubleheader Set for Friday
    , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • WEIGHTS FROM BIG TIME BOXING USA IN DETROIT
    , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • Undefeated Super Featherweight Contender Andres Cortes to Attend Oscar Valdez vs. Liam Wilson Fight Eyes Potential Showdown with Winner
    , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • PACE to host FIDE chess tilt this weekend
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • Preserving a Legacy: The Birth of the Philippine Boxing Historical Society
    By Dong Secuya, , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • Garcia vs Haney: Boxing Match or A Live Mental Break Down?
    By Ralph Rimpell, , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • Christian Mbilli-Mark Heffron Super Middleweight Main Event & Arslanbek Makhmudov-Junior Fa Heavyweight Battle Set for May 25 at Gervais Auto Center in Shawinigan, Canada
    , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • MATÍAS MAKES HOMECOMING DEFENSE AGAINST PARO ON JUNE 15
    , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • ‘ROCKY’ HERNANDEZ RETURNS AGAINST LUGO IN MEXICO ON MAY 11
    , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • PCAP: Cavite eyeing to bounce back
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • HALL OF FAMER ANN WOLFE TO ATTEND 2024 HALL OF FAME WEEKEND
    , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • Gathering of champions
    By Joaquin Henson, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Filipinos AJ Paciones and Ador Torres Make Weight for Title Fights in Highland Boxing Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Visiting Teams All Won vs Hosts; Boston Finally Loses
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Lukas to face undefeated Jaiklom on March 30 in Bangkok
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Sulaiman leaves Manila with fond memories
    By Joaquin Henson, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Montano to Fight for WBO Oriental Welterweight Title
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • JOSE RAMIREZ AND VERGIL ORTIZ JR. HOST FRESNO PRESS CONFERENCE
    , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Joseph Adorno-Nicholas Walters Weigh-In Results
    , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Oscar Valdez and Sergio Rodriguez Give Back to Local Phoenix Children Ahead of Friday's ESPN+-Streamed World Title Doubleheader
    , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • “Granite Chin Box Off” to launch May 11th 4-fighter, 1-night super middleweight tournament
    , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Starling Castillo Ready For Jesus Saracho After Linking Up With Bob Santos
    , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Blair "The Flair" Cobbs Joins Forces with Coach Justin Gamber
    , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Cutiyog sweeps Imus tilt
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Sarcon beats Huang by UD
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2024 philboxing.com.