?We?ve had a lot of time preparing for a great performance Saturday. Thank you very much everybody. Welcome to my fight??
This Saturday at the Salle des ?toiles in Monte Carlo, Monaco, Gennady ?Triple G? Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs), the undefeated knockout artist from Karaganda, Kazakhstan, defends his WBA middleweight title against Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KOs), the tough guy from St. Helens, Merseyside, UK.
Murray is a good but not great fighter going up against one of boxing?s superstars. Few expect him to mount much of a challenge. But Murray is confident. He talks a good game. How convincingly he talks a good game depends on not just what he says, but on what his body language communicates.
At the final press conference before Saturday?s big fight, Murray was self-assured if overly enthusiastic.
?This is the fight I wanted,? he said. ?Golovkin is a great fighter. Everybody knows that. I?ve never once badmouthed him. He?s a great fighter. He?s done everything right. But I?ve just got a feeling, and I?ve had this feeling for a long time now, that I?m going to be the man to beat him. I really do feel that. I can?t help the way I feel. I know I?m in for the hardest fight of my life and I know I?m going to go through some pain. But I?m willing to go there. I?m looking forward to the fight. It?s going to be tough, as I said, but it?s a challenge. I?ve given myself every possible chance and every possibility to win this fight. Yeah, it?s going to be a tough fight but I?m quietly confident that I can do the job.?
Murray is likable. His confidence is admirable. He?s all fighter and a decent chap. But fighting Golovkin is no walk in the park. There will be no place for Murray to hide. He may catch Triple G now and then, but the cost will be huge. When Murray says, ?I know I?m going to go through some pain,? he reveals depths of understanding about what awaits him. It won?t be pretty, but it will be effective and swift.
After Murray had his say, it was Golovkin?s turn. He may be great, and he obviously enjoys the spotlight, but there?s nothing cocky about him.
?My opponent Martin Murray, he?s a great fighter,? said Triple G in his steadily improving English. ?He?s strong. I respect him. I respect his team. He looks good. He looks strong. My focus is on him. He?s a great fighter. Everybody has big chance. He had two title fights. Now is a great chance for him.?
Golovkin smiled at his verbal proficiency, before adding, ?I?m really happy to be here. I love Monaco. I?m ready to fight, big dramatic show. We?ve had a lot of time preparing for a great performance Saturday. Thank you very much everybody. Welcome to my fight.?
The Kazakh Kid may slaughter Murray, which is what everyone expects, but it?s how he slaughters Murray that matters.
Tune in to HBO Saturday afternoon at 5:45 PM ET to watch Golovkin the Great strut his stuff.
