Gennady Golovkin vs. Dominic Wade
Liam Brady, Staff Writer/Graphic Designer
With all due respect to Wade, I see him trying to box and move, the most logical thing to do against Golovkin when you can’t match him for power.
However, just like his last outing at The Forum, I believe Golovkin will “seek and destroy” and break down his opponent within six rounds.
In other words, the customary narrative for a Golovkin fight.
Prediction: Golovkin
Chris Nicastro, Staff Writer
Rumor has it that this fight has come damn near close to selling out the Forum in Inglewood, further cementing GGG‘s status as the Grateful Dead of boxing.
Gennady Golovkin’s fans don’t care who he fights. He could fight a damn kangaroo in Antarctica and the legion of GGG would follow.
Golovkin is going to keep mowing people down until he gets every belt he desires.
Dominic Wade may have a remarkable amateur pedigree and a great start to his professional career, but he’ll be far too green for the Kazakh.
Expect him to box well early, but fade quickly with Golovkin knocking him down and out by the middle rounds.
Prediction: Golovkin
Brandon Glass, Staff Writer
Really, there isn’t much to this. Gennady Golovkin is a MONSTER in this sport, with 91 percent knockout ratio and 15 successful world title fights under his belt(s).
Dominic Wade, the (replacement) mandatory challenger, has only 18 (non-title) bouts under his. Wade’s only edge in this fight is his athleticism; particularly, his hand speed and foot work. Can Wade focus long enough to survive until the later rounds, frustrating Golovkin and still remain sharp?
Even after taking leather off GGG? I think that’s a task too big to ask from a guy whose first dance at the world level was a split decision win over a 42-year-old journeyman in Sam Soliman. Golovkin stops Wade in four rounds, tops.
Prediction: Golovkin
Art Hernandez, Photographer
Prediction: Golovkin
Jack O’Connell, Staff Writer
This Saturday, Gennady Golovkin will be offered a sacrificial lamb…I mean, will face rising contender Dominic Wade. I’m being generous calling Wade a “contender.” His last scrap with Sam Solimon really showed that he’s still a prospect with much to learn.
If Wade wants to pull off the upset (and I mean huge upset), he is going to have to deploy a Martin Murray-style game plan: stick, move, smother, repeat. Murray was able to frustrate Golovkin with this strategy and, in my eyes, pick up a round in the early stages of their fight back in 2015.
Wade can stick, he definitely can move. Smother? Against Solimon, whose bread and butter is fighting inside clinches, I think we know the answer to that.
Truth be told, I don’t think Wade has the capacity to do so, certainly not against a fighter as relentless as GGG. Golovkin is going to stalk Wade from bell to bell and essentially manhandle him with his fists. Golovkin will jab with authority, effectively cut off the ring, and from there, knock Wade out with a big right hand. Golovkin by early KO.
Prediction: Golovkin
Shelbi Keyes, Staff Writer
This Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood California, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin puts his WBA, IBF, and IBO Middleweight Championship titles on the line against mandatory challenger Dominic “Lights Out” Wade. Though most boxing fans may not be thrilled to see Golovkin in this fight, Wade is no pushover.
Both fighters have blemish-free records, Golovkin is 34-0 with 31 KOs and Wade is 18-0 with 12 KOs. Someone’s ‘0’ has got to go. Wade has a huge opportunity in facing Golovkin. As of now, he is virtually unknown in the boxing world. That can all change Saturday night if he upsets Golovkin.
Wade heads into the bout with four-and-a-half inch reach advantage, which typically allows him to keep his opponents at bay and lets him land snappy jabs and counter punches. Wade seems to be extremely confident in interviews and media workouts, mentioning that his time is now and if he didn’t take this opportunity, he would probably never get this shot again.
Despite his mental and physical preparation for the fight, I don’t see Wade lasting more than six rounds. Golovkin is coming off of an impressive TKO victory over David Lemieux at Madison Square Garden last October.
With his sights firmly fixed on current WBC champion Canelo Alvarez, this matchup is simply keeping him ring-ready for bigger fights in the future.
Will Wade pose a challenge in the ring? Definitely. But, I believe Golovkin will use his aggression and skill to cut off the ring and take advantage of Wade’s lack of head movement, ending it within six rounds.
Prediction: Golovkin
Alex Burgos, Editor-in-Chief
The Big Drama Show returns to Inglewood on Saturday night as Gennady Golovkin takes on the IBF No. 1 mandatory challenger, Dominic Wade.
Odds makers have Wade anywhere from a +1600 to +6700 underdog. That means you can win a healthy sum of cash if he springs the upset. That’s a big if.
Standing across the ring from Wade on Saturday night will be the “Good Boy Killa,” Gennady Golovkin, who in my opinion is the best fighter in the sport. Wade, while being a talented up-and-coming fighter with a strong amateur background (and in his own words, a thug!), is not ready for this level of fight.
Golovkin is an animal that will cut off the ring and make Wade and his lanky frame very uncomfortable with precise power shots. Wade has to try to make good use of his jab (he sports a four-inch reach advantage over GGG) and athleticism to even survive the first couple of rounds, but that will be really difficult.
I see Golovkin taking Wade out in less than three rounds with top-notch aggression and unearthly power.
Prediction: Golovkin
