By: Sean Crose
Gennady Golovkin has always been known as a person who takes his profession very seriously. Maybe that’s why at 40, the IBF middleweight boxer is still a boxer not to be missed. No one would have expected a half-hearted, lazy performance by the Kazakh tennis player. This guy is as methodical before a game as he is when he’s in full swing of action to take down the man in front of him. This may explain why, while many are looking forward to a potentially third battle between Golovkin and arch-rival Canelo Alvarez later this year, Golovkin has placed his position on the next opponent. follow, the talented Ryota Murata.
Talk to Ariel Helwani on MMA time, Golovkin explains why his April 9 opponent is one that deserves serious attention. “He is the pride and star of his country,” Golovkin said of Japan’s Murata. “I know the people who organize this event. Everything will be top class and I am delighted to be a part of this amazing event. He is an Olympic champion and he is a current world champion holding the WBA title. Sure, Golovkin and Murata have actually met in the ring before, albeit in a practice session.
“It happened, but that was a long time ago,” Golovkin admitted to Helwani. “It was not the pure approach that he came to piss me off. During those lessons, I learned that Murata is a very serious boxer with a high boxing IQ. “It’s hard to imagine Murata’s IQ dropping over the years. Couple that with the fact that Murata is having a chance of a lifetime against Golovkin, in his native Japan, and it’s easy to see why Golovkin doesn’t simply beat his next opponent. Too many others have done it and suffered the consequences of disrespecting their profession.
Although Golovkin hasn’t fought in over a year while Murata hasn’t fought in over two years, it’s safe to assume that each man is working to ensure ring rust won’t be an issue. After all, there’s a lot going on in this war. It is not an exaggeration to say that the career future of both guys will be greatly outlined by what happens in the ring on April 9 in Japan. If Murata wins the defense of his title, this boxer will surely become the title of boxing. Of course, if Golovkin wins, the very real possibility is that third Canelo fight… provided Canelo overcomes the significant challenge of Dmitry Bivol later this spring.
Sometimes, the uncertainty can really make the match more interesting. This is one of those times.
