In a much-anticipated bout between two of the sport’s biggest punchers, unbeaten middleweight titlist Gennady Golovkin aims to unify titles Saturday when he faces beltholder David Lemieux.
Golovkin (33-0, 30 KOs), a relentless puncher, headlines his first pay-per-view card when he faces Lemieux (34-2, 31 KOs) at New York’s Madison Square Garden (HBO PPV, 9 p.m. ET).
GGG is heavily favored to win inside the distance against a fighter regarded as the most dangerous opponent he has faced so far. But in order to win and justify this favoritism, Golovkin should respect the following keys. 1. Finish early
GGG knocks out his opponents thanks to sheer pressure and punches with both hands. But against Lemieux, he needs to consider the way in which he comes forward more than ever before. His Canadian opponent packs great power in his punches and can’t be allowed to control the rhythm of the fight. The fight could get tougher for Golovkin if he fails to get the early knockout. That’s why he should press early and finish it early. 2. Aim and connect
Golovkin is an accurate puncher, although his missed punches tend to go unnoticed in light of the dominance he displays in each fight. This time, however, he needs to connect with everything and ensure that he doesn’t leave gaps for Lemieux to exploit with his dangerous counter shots, especially when Golovkin often throws the jab and keeps moving forward. Against a quick fighter with the punching power of Lemieux, errors could prove destructive. 3. Avoid the center of the ring
One thing Golovkin needs to avoid is getting into an exchange in the center of the ring. Against Willie Monroe Jr. in his last bout, GGG struggled each time the fight ended up in that area, took a lot of shots and was denied the space to unleash his own punches. Golovkin is known for his poor defense but, up to now, this hasn’t affected him at all. This time round the risk is higher in a violent exchange at close quarters and without the ropes as a guide. 4. It’s all about concentration
Golovkin doesn’t need a game plan. His boxing seems relentless and each new opponent is his next victim. His trainer, Abel S?nchez, predicts that his fighter will knock out Lemieux inside the fourth round. Faced with such overwhelming superiority, it’s difficult to maintain your initial discipline. However, this time GGG needs to maintain his concentration at all times and never drop his guard or allow himself to imagine that Lemieux is the same as the rest of his opponents. 5. In Sanchez we trust
Sanchez plans all of his fights the same way: pressure and a quick KO. His fighter is the king of the ring and that’s a very easy way to work. However, in this fight there are two factors that may be unprecedented for GGG: being hit and getting hurt by a man with fearsome punching power and potentially having to go the distance against such a dangerous foe. Sanchez should have the answer to these scenarios if they were to occur.
