Canelo Alvarez “Not impressed” with Gennadiy Golovkin’s performance against Ryota Murata or any point in Golovkin’s career
By: Hans Themistode
There was a huge amount of pressure on Gennadiy Golovkin’s shoulders.
When the former heavyweight star packed up and headed to Japan to face Ryota Murata in a middleweight unification match on April 9, the Kazakhstan star had plenty of stuff online. With Golovkin anxious to prove he still has a substantial amount left in his 40-year-old tank, a win over Murata would allow him to go one step further to close the chapter with longtime rival Canelo Alvarez.
Early on, Murata used the roaring crowd to his advantage when he attacked Golovkin with constant stabs and lead left hooks. But, as Murata began to slow down, Golovkin began to regain momentum. As a result, Golovkin beat his elder in the ninth minute, forcing Murata to take a corner.
In a candid conversation, Alvarez admitted that he hadn’t watched a single second of their middleweight competition live. However, from the few footage he was able to see at a later date, the Mexican descent was overwhelming.
“I don’t watch the game,” Alvarez told reporter Lance Pugmire. “I watch the highlights but he does what he has to do, win by knockout. I’m not impressed but he looks good, looks strong.”
Having shared the ring with Golovkin on two separate occasions, the pair are in the process of clashing for a third contest. Formally, both sides have agreed to go head to head again, on the condition that they take care of business first.
In Golovkin’s case, he will now be allowed to kick and wait for Alvarez after destroying Murata in the ninth round. If Alvarez succeeds in his bid to take down WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol on May 7, then the two will move on to a September bout.
Despite being known for his tremendous knockout power and despite being considered one of the best middleweight fighters in recent memory, Alvarez revealed that he has never been impressed with the fighters. Golovkin’s overall skill.
“I have never been impressed, even before. I was never impressed by him. I know what he does. I know he’s a strong fighter, I know what kind of fighter he is but I’m not impressed.”
