Are you ready for a “Big Drama Show”? I sure hope so, as I believe now more than ever that the drama in this Gennady “GGG” Golovkin fight won’t be one-sided. “GGG” (pronounced “Triple G”) is a force to be reckoned with and so is his opponent, David Lemieux.
Belts on the line include the IBF World Middleweight, IBO World Middleweight, Interim WBC Middleweight, and WBA Super World Middleweight titles. If you don’t know what a Super World is don’t worry, neither do I. Long story short, there are a lot of champion belts at stake that each man wants for himself.
You know, I’ve been waiting to see Golovkin in a fight like this for a while now. Quite frankly his past opponents haven’t tested him enough to cement his rank as an elite fighter. Lemieux is the opponent with the best chance of beating GGG so far. At 33 years old, this fight is the right move for Golovkin to elevate his status as a respected fighter and not just an action star.
Fighters tend to believe in their talent and abilities more than anyone else. They tell us they’re ready and they know their game plan to beat their opponent. But one of the most important questions a fighter can consider is, how do you win when you come face-to-face with yourself? How do you beat your own style of fighting?
This is the dilemma for both Golovkin and Lemieux. Both are pressure fighters, seriously powerful punchers, and shockingly relentless in their approach. A fundamental difference between the two will be the deciding factor in this fight. Let’s break down these two powerhouses to see which man gets the edge.
Tale of the Tape
Well folks, this is about as even as a match up as we’re going to get for Gennady Golovkin. Both him and David Lemieux have about the same number of fights, with Lemieux having just a few more than his counterpart. Even with less fights, Golovkin is ahead in the rounds boxed category, having boxed almost thirty rounds more than Lemieux.
Golovkin has a height advantage of just an inch, which can make a difference fighting on the outside. With even an inch height advantage, Lemieux will want to pay extra attention to his defense, as the taller fighter can more easily land jabs, crosses, and even hooks on the shorter guy. Fortunately for Lemieux, the playing field is even as far as their identical reaches are concerned.
Both fighters have impressive knockout stats on their résumés. Golovkin boasts 30 KOs and a 91 percent knockout ratio; Lemieux boasts 31 KOs and a 86 percent knockout ratio. Bottom line: these are some hard-hitters who know how to get the job done, which is all the more reason to brace ourselves when we watch these dynamic forces collide.
Main Storylines
Photo by Ismael Gallardo/RBRBoxing
I love that the hype surrounding the Big Drama Show has been absent of cheap trash-talk and more focused the anticipation of Saturday’s action-packed bout. GGG is the favorite going into this fight but he knows that David Lemieux is his biggest test thus far: “This is the biggest test for me. He’s the IBF champ. It’s big situation, unification, pay-per-view.”
During HBO’s Face Off, Gennady Golovkin made is clear that he is ready for Lemieux and he is not underestimating his opponent by any means. Max Kellerman asked GGG if he felt like he needed real contenders to fight him soon, being that he’s 33 years old. Golovkin responded by saying, “I feel great. Every step is bigger, bigger…better, better. [Lemieux] is a strong guy, dangerous guy, and everybody knows this. And everybody knows my style. And it’s interesting for me, for people, for TV.”
Lemieux added during the face-off that he considered himself and Golovkin to be the most “devastating fighters out there.” He noted that both of their knockout ratios and fighting styles could attest to what they’re capable of. Agreeing with Golovkin’, Lemieux said, “People want to see who is the top, the number one.”
No doubt Golovkin is the star of this show. Rolling Stone called him the “People’s Champ” and boxing’s “best kept secret”. At this point the secret is pretty much out– Golovkin is a dangerous weapon in boxing. But one lesson boxing has taught me over and over again is that anything can happen. Lemieux is counting on that chance to seize the belts and the reputation as boxing’s most feared fighter.
Strengths for Each Man
Gennady Golovkin
Photo by Marilyn Paulino/RBRBoxing
When Gennady Golovkin enters the ring, he’ll feast on the excitement of the crowd chanting his name as the favorite in this bout. Madison Square Garden, a place Golovkin has fought before, gives him somewhat of a “home court advantage.” GGG nor David Lemieux are strangers to fighting in large crowds, but in an action fight like this, Golovkin’s fan support in the stands is a huge confidence booster.
As far as boxing is concerned, we know that power is GGG’s best asset. What makes him effective with his power is being able to come forward fearlessly and intimidate his opponent. Golovkin is also very technical when it comes to his style of boxing. He may be an entertaining pressure fighter to watch, but you’ll notice that he forgoes the theatrics and showboating in lieu of sound fundamentals, even when the crowd is egging him on.
I believe Golovkin knows how to keep his head with antsy, less-technical fighters, and carry on with basic combinations using jabs, crosses, and hooks. Golovkin also has decent punch placement in that you see him landing clean shots without winging them too often.
David Lemieux
Photo courtesy of Eye of the Tiger Management
Offensively, David Lemieux has a lot of strengths to his advantage. Neither him nor Gennady Golovkin are hardcore boxers but Lemieux comes forward with as much persistence as his counterpart.
Lemieux has excellent stamina and athleticism, which really speaks to the quality of the strengthening and conditioning he does in the gym. He can throw quick, crisp combinations repeatedly without appearing to punch himself out. That’s some real pressure right there.
Lemieux is also known for his power. He isn’t much of a jabber but likes to throw lead power punches such as the lead right hand. Why I think this is great for Lemieux is because Golovkin’s defense has holes he can take advantage of. With the right timing and accuracy, Lemieux can land a lead right hand to back Golovkin up, test his chin, and step in to throw another effective combination.
Weaknesses for Each Man
Gennady Golovkin
Photo by Will Hart/HBO
Gennady Golovkin’s strength and confidence is in coming forward but little can be said about his ability to fight going backwards. Like GGG, there are many fighters that don’t know how, so backing them up puts them in an uncomfortable, vulnerable position. Unless Golovkin has since learned otherwise, any fighter that his able to put him in this position will have a serious advantage. Not only to take away his confidence, but to land clean shots on him.
Clean shots aren’t that difficult for another fighter to land if he knows how to control the distance and use the proper angles strategically. Golovkin’s defense is more technically-sound than most but it’s still got holes. A quick, powerful, and accurate fighter can land shots on him all day if he knows where to look.
I’m also concerned that Golovkin can become frustrated if he can’t knock Lemieux out. It’s often the Achille’s heel of power punchers. If Golovkin can’t send David Lemieux to the canvas, we will get an indication of well he can box. And that I have yet to really see.
David Lemieux
Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images
David Lemieux is the most comfortable in the ring with straight up boxers. Not necessarily boxers with high boxing IQs, but ones with average punching power that focus more on lateral movement and circling than coming directly forward with pressure. Being able to hunt them gives Lemieux a sense of a purpose that will be challenged by a fearless attacker like Gennady Golovkin.
One disadvantage for Lemieux is that he doesn’t have much of a jab. He likes to throw an up-jab when he’s about to close the distance, which is an obvious telegraph to a smart fighter. If Golovkin figures this out, Lemieux will have to find another way to land punches on GGG. If he can’t make those adjustments, he’ll be in trouble.
Lemieux’s is also vulnerable to making defensive mistakes. For example, he likes to leap in to throw combinations and will come in punching range with his hands down. Golovkin could easily catch him with a punch he doesn’t see coming if Lemieux does not fight him being defensively-minded.
Winner and Why
Photo by Will Hart/HBO
My choice of Gennady Golovkin over David Lemieux has nothing to do with popularity. Golovkin is not the “obvious” choice in this prediction, but he is the most logical one in a very close match up.
With two very similar fighting styles, the outcome of this fight really comes down to two things: the man with the greater will to win and the man with the most conviction. By conviction I mean the way a fighter commits to his punches and objectives in the ring.
Here’s the thing—Golovkin and Lemieux have both. As I mentioned earlier, there’s a fundamental difference between the two that will be the deciding factor in this fight. That difference is the kind of conviction each fighter has.
The difference between Golovkin’s and Lemieux’s conviction is that Lemieux’s is more fueled by emotion. Golovkin has a coldness about him that will work in a situation like the one he’s about to face. With GGG, there’s always the sense that fighting is nothing personal; it’s all business for him.
Of course though, fighting is always personal. And if this is true for Golovkin, then he has one of the best poker faces in boxing.
