Key #2 for Gennady Golovkin Stay Patient
Most power punchers fall in love with how easily they can dispatch opponents. Often times, a guy with devastating power can get himself into trouble by continually trying to hit the homerun. That’s where Gennady Golovkin is the anomaly. It’s almost disturbing how calm GGG is in the ring. There are no nerves, no anger, no unnecessary aggression. He’s home.
He’ll take a single instead of a grand slam. He’ll throw six short passes instead of a deep bomb. I hate golf so I can’t use a metaphor there, but you get the point–the man takes his time. It makes him that much more devastating. He’s not simply looking for the one massive blow–he’s content to torture you for as many rounds as it takes.
He needs to continue to employ that calm, assassin-like behavior this Saturday. He’ll have moments where he may send Geale reeling, but watch him, he’s a shark, and there’s always blood in the water.
He’ll go for the knockout when he feels it’s time, and not a moment sooner. It leaves the window of opportunity for the other fighter slammed firmly shut.
You want to run? He’ll wait you out. Eventually, he’ll catch up. You want to box? He’s pretty damn good at the sweet science. You crazy enough to brawl? Well, it just means an earlier night for everyone.
He’ll show up Saturday night with the same calm, happy demeanor. He’ll take his time, hunt his prey and he’ll walk out with another knockout victory on his resume.
Key #2 for Daniel Geale Quick Combinations to Earn Respect
Daniel Geale has a very good work rate, landing enough punches in his fights with Felix Sturm, Anthony Mundine and Sebastian Sylvester to earn decision wins.
However, when he lets go of his combinations, he sometimes brings his head close to his opponent, leaving himself open to powerful uppercuts.
In his fight with Sturm, he did it several times, leaving him open to Sturm’s counter right hands. Geale needs to start early and work his combinations—both to the body and the chin—as he usually does, but he’ll need to move his head away from Gennady Golovkin and use lateral movement.
That way, if Golovkin does land, Geale’s movement will take some steam off from Golovkin’s punches as he moves away from them.
It is much better than moving his head forward, where Golovkin’s superb timing could hurt him with an uppercut as he comes in.
Furthermore, Geale will need to outwork Golovkin in every round. If he can keep Golovkin busy with his combinations and footwork, Golovkin will have a harder time planting his feet to land bombs.
I am, it should be noted, making keys for a man who I believe will be discouraged by Golovkin’s power. So far, we have not seen Golovkin fight a man who wasn’t discouraged early.
Matthew Macklin, Curtis Stevens and Gabriel Rosado were all tough opponents who ended up fighting on their back foot by the first few rounds.
Geale must not get discouraged early, but he also shouldn’t get confident enough to fight at close range. He needs to find a balance between a high work rate and good defensive movement.
