Gennadiy Golovkin’s trainer doesn’t consider his fighter’s move up to 168 pounds a disadvantage, even against an elite-level rival who has become the fully unified champion in the super middleweight division.
The 40-year-old Golovkin can still get down to the middleweight limit of 160 pounds comfortably. The IBF/IBO/WBA middleweight champion had to agree to compete at 168 pounds, though, to get his long-coveted third fight with Canelo Alvarez, which is scheduled for Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“I think it’s gonna be the same as any other fight for him,” Johnathon Banks, Golovkin’s trainer, told BoxingScene.com. “That’s how he look at it. It’s not like he’s fighting at cruiserweight. He’s not fighting at 200. He’s fighting eight pounds higher than where he normally fights. So, it’s not gonna be a significant difference. … It’s not a bad thing. It’s not a good thing. It’s just a different weight class at ’68. He agreed to it, so he’s like, ‘Let’s go!’ ”
Kazakhstan’s Golovkin (42-1-1, 37 KOs) has fought at or near the middleweight limit since he made his pro debut in May 2006. Most boxers move up in weight out of necessity as they grow older, but Golovkin’s discipline has enabled him to remain in the same weight class for 16 years.
“He’s a true middleweight and he’s dedicated to his boxing lifestyle,” Banks said. “It’s not too difficult to do if you’re dedicated and you’re a true middleweight. And he’s a true middleweight. He’s not a bigger guy forcing himself down to middleweight. He’s a true middleweight, so that’s just his most comfortable weight.”
Alvarez, 32, has officially weighed in at as much as 174½ pounds and as little as 139 pounds for fights during a Hall-of-Fame career that has spanned nearly 17 years. The Mexican icon has competed in the junior welterweight, welterweight, junior middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.
Golovkin could become boxing’s undisputed super middleweight champion in his debut at that weight by beating Alvarez (57-2-2, 39 KOs), who owns the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO 168-pound crowns. If he wins, Golovkin could still return to the middleweight division, in which he has never been the fully unified champion.
“He can definitely make middleweight, but he agreed that this fight’s at super middleweight,” Banks said. “I mean, it’s no problem for him. It’s not like he’s gonna be stronger at ’68 than he was at 160. His strength is his strength, no matter what weight class he’s gonna be at.”
Most handicappers have installed Alvarez as at least a 4-1 favorite to beat Golovkin in their third fight, which will headline a DAZN pay-per-view show. Price points for the Alvarez-Golovkin card are $64.99 for DAZN subscribers and $84.99 for those that purchase the event through cable and satellite operators.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.