Here's a different way to look at it. How many middles in history would have looked as good as Golovkin did vs the same opponents? I say very few. Golovkin should rate as a top 5 middle weight puncher. No debates here. Can he box? He has the best amateur wins over pro's, perhaps in the past 10 years. Does he have an iron chin? Yep. Never down or hurt in all pro and amateur matches. Is he avoided? Yep. Perhaps more than anyone else in boxing in the past 15 years. I think he would tear up many past champions. He's all time puncher with skills and Hagler's durability.
I would think so. Given the circumstances of the fight, Ray waiting till Marvin was getting old, setting all the parameters (ring size, 12 instead of 15, etc) and finally, the actual result was somewhat controversial. Besides, ignoring all of the foregoing, if you put Leonard above Golovkin as a Middleweight, you'd have to start wondering if Buster Douglas or Michael Spinks were greater Heavyweights than Ernie Shavers or Eddie Machen, based on the same general principle.
My goodness, what brought that on ? Are you ok now ? Has this happened before ? (You should write down the particulars and location of that rare Greb-Tunney video, in case you splode off your mortal coil. It'd be such a waste !)
'I've never been hit as hard from anybody else and I've sparred heavyweights'' -- Undefeated super-middleweight prospect Julius Jackson who's attended three of Golovkin's camps so far. Another one of Golovkin's sparring partners praising his power. I guess Golovkin must be wearing ''doctored'' 16oz gloves when he's sparring too lol. 14:33 mark Jackson also comments on the sparring sessions between Golovkin and George Groves at the 23:18 mark as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=q_2m-uLZXlU
Back in the day when I felt the Klitschko's would rule the heavyweight division, those at the CZB laughed. Yet it happened just like I called it. There is an older fan base that took a while to get used to Eastern Euro heavies constantly beating the best that North America Western Europe, and the UK had to offer. Now its clear the best middles and light heavies are coming from the same area. I think some of those in the media who weren't happy with the Klitschko's like Kovalev and Golvokin. Quick question for you. Have you ever said so and so is an all time great before his 5th title defense?
he has great potential to be up at the top but his age may prevent it. Now if he can get the unification fights at middleweight Cotto,Quinlan,etc and maintain and clean-up that division and see if it makes sense to move up or down, he says he can go to 154 and if Floyd gets past PAC and GGG unifies middle that may be a good weight for a super-fight (if Floyd feels it) At this point he is moving up the top 50 rankings IF he continues to win but it is not over till the FAT LADY SINGS
Today it is hard to evaluate GGG's place in middleweight history, based on the low caliber of fighters he has faced. BUT it is not GGG's fault...No man who ever lived can pick the date they are put into this world, and Golovkin is not responsible for the truly low caliber of middleweights of today who flee his very name...Watching fighters since I was a pup in the 1940s, my INSTINCT tells me Golovkin might very well be one of the top elite fighters H2H in the MW division. I love the oldtimers because of their deep pool of top fighters they had to face time and again and survive and conquer, and something I see in GGG tells me he may very well be one of the great MWs in ages. What can't he go? Never floored in over 300 amateur bouts. As heavy and hurtful hands I've seen to any part of the body and head...Tall and rangy with very fast combos, and a will to be the very best...I'll go out on a limb. Gennady in spite of woeful completion [no fault of his own] may be one of the truly greats, IF they don't avoid him...