Photo by Marilyn Paulino/RBRBoxing
We have yet to see any opponent look like a close match for middleweight superstar, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, but David Lemieux may be that guy. Golovkin has to go through more elite fighters before he can gain respect as an elite fighter himself, but he has definitely established himself as a feared action star with undeniable talent.
Lemieux is the best matchup of Golovkin’s career so far. The two share a likeness in style and intensity, which is bound to make for a great performance in Madison Square Garden. If there’s been anyone with the greatest chance of beating Golovkin thus far, it’s Lemieux.
With a like-minded fighter coming to the ring as confident as Golovkin’s next opponent, he must be fully prepared if he wants to secure his reputation as the most feared fighter in boxing. Here are three things GGG (pronounced “triple G”) must keep in mind to defeat the raging bull, Lemieux.
1. Pressure
Photo by Will Hart/HBO Boxing
One thing that’s off-putting to Gennady Golovkin’s opponents is the moment they realize how truly relentless he is. The thing is, his persistence in coming forward likely won’t scare David Lemieux away. Pressure is what Golovkin does best and it’ll be interesting to see how he negotiates it in the ring.
Ordinarily I would recommend that someone dealing with a pressure fighter be a skilled mover and puncher with excellent defense. However, Golovokin and Lemieux are two rare, yet similar pressure fighters in that a moving opponent only excites them more; they love the chase. We saw this when Golovkin fought Willie Monroe Jr. He had slicker movement than anyone Golovkin had dealt with, but he still kept coming forward no matter what.
Golovkin has to put the right kind of pressure on Lemieux. He has to pressure him on all sides, not just by coming forward. He has to use angles to catch Lemieux off guard and make a conscious effort to control the distance between them.
Golovkin also has to pressure Lemieux mentally. He has to break him down early by making him feel as ineffective as possible, and taking away his best asset–his power. This means keeping an extra tight defense, using superb head movement, making Lemieux feel like he can’t knock him out, and making him pay for his defensive mistakes.
2. Combinations
Golovkin’s power needs to manifest in at least three-punch combinations in order to make Lemieux feel less confident coming forward.
By throwing more punches, Golovkin also has a better chance of catching Lemieux making a defensive mistake. Lemieux can be dropped and in terms of confidence, this will be devastating to him even if he’s able to get back up.
3. Break Lemieux’s Forward Momentum
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In addition to using pressure and combinations, Gennady Golovkin’s main goal is to disrupt and ultimately thwart David Lemieux’s forward momentum. It’s ultimately a question of how Golovkin would be dominant if he were to face himself in the ring.
Lemieux thrives off being able to come forward and be aggressive, and he has to take that away from him.
If Lemieux physically can’t or at least feels ineffective in coming forward, Golovkin can really do whatever he wants in the ring. He can’t let Lemieux press the action or bully him in the ring.
Golovkin needs to make Lemieux learn as quickly as possible that there’s a price to pay for his aggressiveness and quickly turn his strength into his fatal flaw.
Header photo by Will Hart/HBO Boxing
