By Mark McKenna: A purse bid will take place today( May 3) at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas for the rights to promote a bout between the two highest ranked WBA Middleweights , Australian Anthony Mundine and Kazakhstan’s Gennady Golovkin.
The match , for the vacant ’regular’ WBA title will mark perhaps Mundine’s stiffest challenge since he fought heavy handed Danny Green in 2006.
Since that time there has been a notable absence of ’punchers’ on Mundine’s resume and Golovkin at 18-0 including 15 knockouts can crack with authority. The 28 year old fights in the controlled manner of your standard Eastern European and combines deceptive speed with solid power and excellent balance. He hits solidly with either hand but his money punch appears to be a crippling right hand, thrown straight as an arrow or in an overhand fashion.
He brings an excellent amateur pedigree to the paid ranks having won World Junior and Senior Middleweight championships in 2000 and 2003 respectively and has notable amateur scalps over current pro standouts Andre Dirrell and Andy Lee.
Golovkin scored a dramatic one punch knockout win over present Super Middleweight king Lucian Bute in Bangkok, Thailand enroute to Gold at the World Senior Middleweight championships in 2003 after trailing for four rounds so his power is unquestionable at any stage of a fight. After taking Silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics Golovkin decided that his heavy handed style may be better suited to the pro.
Managed by Ivaylo Gotzev most of Golovkin’s wins have taken place in Germany , though he has relocated recently to Big Bear in California to optimise his training and sparring.
Should the bout actually come off it will be a fascinating match-up of speed vs power.
34 year old Mundine has failed to score a knockout in his last eight bouts while Golovkin has scored five inside the distance wins in a row -all inside five rounds. Mundine’s modus operandi of late has been to outscore and out-manoeuvre his opposition at long range, dominating with blistering hand speed and lateral movement.
Golovkin is a plodder in comparison but has demonstrated legitimate firepower at 160 pounds where Mundine has yet to win via the short route.
Having never been beyond eight to this point Golovkin’s stamina is an unknown quantity. Mundine, 38-3-(23) is a veteran of the 12 round distance and figures to try to avoid early incoming fire and steal rounds from the mid point on.
Location and date of the bout will be determine after May 3 - It would be good to have the fight in the USA so American audiences can catch a glimpse of these two talented fighters in what is so far shaping up to be a very interesting bout.
A win over a quality opponent like Golovkin could re-ignite Mundine’s career and capture the attention of the international market , so let’s hope this one does come off.
May 3, 2010
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