By Ian S Palmer
WBA and IBO Middleweight Champion Gennady Golovkin of Kazakhstan takes on former IBF titlist Daniel Geale of Australia at New York’s Madison Square Garden this Saturday, July 26. The winner will be hoping to get a crack at WBC champion Miguel Cotto, who recently stopped Argentina’s Sergio Martinez in rounds to take his title. Geale represents a step up in class for Golovkin while the champion is certainly the toughest Opponent Geale has faced so far in his career.
The 32-year-old unbeaten Golovkin will enter the ring with a perfect29-0 record along with 26 Kos to his name. He stands just over 5-feet-10-inches tall with a 70-inch reach and now fights out of Germany. Golovkin is known as one of the hardest punchers in all of boxing and that’s evident by his record. However, he also possesses some excellent boxing skills and usually wears his opponent down before stopping him rather than landing a one-punch knockout shot.
He has a good jab and thrown fluid combinations along with power shots to the body and head. He’s a pressure fighter who can also take a good shot. If there is a knock against the champion is the fact that he hasn’t met any elite fighters as of yet in his career. While Geale is a step in the right direction, he’s not really a consistent Grade A performer either. It can be argued that Mathew Macklin and Curtis Stevens have been the champion’s toughest opponents up to now.
Geale is a year older at 33 and approximately the same height with a one-inch reach advantage. He’ll climb the ring ropes with is 30-2 record along with 16 Kos. He’s got decent power and has fought some good opponents such as Anthony Mundine and Darren Barker, who both beat him by split decision. But owns wins over Felix Sturm, Roman Karmazin, and Sebastian Sylvester. He also avenged his loss to Mundine by unanimous decision last year. Geale’s an aggressive boxer who likes to stay busy with his right hand being his best weapon.
Geale is used to being the aggressor and taking the initiative while going forward. If he can keep Golovkin on the defensive it could be his best tactic. He needs to land shots and then make sure he’s not in the line of any return fire. But ultimately he’s going to have to be able to take a punch to win this bout. Sooner or later he’s going to eat some leather and if his chin and body can hold out then he’s going to have a decent chance at pulling off an upset. The challenger may also have enough power in his right hand to give Golovkin something to think about as well and he actually has a better jab than the champion.
Prediction
Geale doesn’t want to walk straight in against Golovkin and turn this bout into a firefight. He has to land some stiff, solid punches, but can’t evacuate his boxing skills. The Australian could win a few of the earlier rounds by sticking and moving and making sure he keeps his back off of the ropes and out of the corners. Golovkin is likely to feel Geale’s power, but not to the extent that he’s going to feel Golovkin’s. Sooner or later fans are expecting to see Golovkin land enough punishment on the challenger to stop him and that should come sometime in the second half of the fight.
