Hopkins has a knack for stealing people's soul in the ring. He could make GGG's offense look ordinary while frustrating the hell out of him, and then win rounds by making a big spectacle of his own shots. Hopkins is like a lion tamer in the ring and could possibly survive the beast of Golovkin. Hopkins has a gift of turning an aggressive fighter into a pile of frustration. Ward on the other hand would get beaten violently and fast by GGG, Ward is a self preservationist that relies on the ability to strike and hold, strike and hold, strike and hold. Golovkin will hurt Ward as Ward strikes, and then Ward won't be able to clench. Ward doesn't like getting his brain scrambled and will have to revert to a totally defense style. Ward will not last long trying to run from a lion and will basically quit on his knees before taking too much damage. Ward's tricks have worked well for him, but GGG is a different animal, he hurts guys when they try to clench and if you watch tape you'll see that guys abandon trying to hold him after a few attempts. Golovkin has the answer to Ward, bet on it if the time comes.
I could be, can you point to a fight were he didn't use the strike-hold offense to thwart his foe's offense? I would like to watch it and see what else he has that could trouble Golovkin.
The strike and hold offense is used by Khan...Brook...Lomachenko...Molina..and several other fighters. Ward does not fight like that. If a slow-motion bum like Adama can catch ggg clean with lead rights...just imagine what ring general like Ward would do.
what ppl fail to understand....clenches and smothering are part of boxing. especially when u have an aggressive fighter against a defensive fighter. they're going to happen. as a defensive fighter....if u don't employ clenches or smothering when a fighter gets into position...expect to get pummelled. we've seen so many examples of this...especially recently... bika/dirrell brooks/porter garcia/matthysse algieri/provodnikov in all of these fights....clenches and smothering lead to victory for the guys that employed it. on the flipside...malignaggi/porter....or alexander/porter...neither guy was capable of smothering or clenching and paid the price. it's about taking control of the exchanges. ward is a physically strong guy who can take a fight into the trenches. we've not seen ggg taken to the trenches yet. can he deal with that? will he force ward to fight his fight? ward is capable of switching the fight up several different ways and constantly changes tactics to the point where his opposition never finds a rhythm that works for them. bhop does something similar. i think both bhop and ward beat a guy like ggg. i'm picking bhop to beat kovalev.
I understand the clinch, its a necessary and effective tool. but what I'm saying is that Wards style of clenching isn't going to work on Golovkin. Ward is an offensive clencher, he strikes first and feints with his other hand while coming in with his head down. He is really fast with it and it works on most guys because they cover up or lean back to defend against the first shot and Wards head is instantly in their face and they don't see what that other hand is doing. The other hand can be a punch or a clench so guys cover up and get held. Golovkin will throw as soon as he senses anyone coming into his wingspan, he isn't trying to defend, he is trying to connect. Like Ward, he is anticipating peoples reactions and moves, and leading them into their own traps. I've watched guys try to hold Golovkin and it just doesn't work.
Ward beats the brakes off of Golovkin. Triple Duck has not been in the ring with anyone even approaching the caliber of an Andre Ward. Golovkin wouldn't see the final bell..
Actually Andre has never been in the ring with anyone of Golovkin's caliber. The difference though, is that after both connect, one of them is going to realize that they are in a different league. To beat Golovkin, you have to be willing to take a huge amount of damage, and Ward being the intelligent man and future ringside announcer is not going to let himself get brain damaged. Ward has awesome reflexes, and is very smart, but when you get hurt those things go out the window, and you're left with guts, chin and power - Advantage GGG. I don't think Ward is so good that he can avoid getting hit for 12 rounds against Golovkin, the guy is just too accurate and and aggressive. Once Ward gets hurt, its all over.
Why not Ward actually taking a fight and keeping active...He is the most over rated Fighter in the Business at the moment does not fight and gets all this adulation and Son Of God ****.....If he ever decides to take a fight in the hopefully not to distant future...I can assure you it wont be Golovkin.!!!!
A prime Hopkins beats Golovkin at the moment you would have agree but in two years time would we all agree to this way of thinking . Not if Golovkin manages to unify the belts and continues to destroy all challengers at middleweight