Eric M. (Bronx, NYC): Oscar De la Hoya said that he will take his offer off the table and change it for a potential clash between Canelo and Golovkin. Considering that GGG just won against Jacobs, why does that make sense if they truly want the fight?
Vito W.: I’m not quite sure why, but there’s a popular consensus out there that Oscar’s move was the wrong one. Personally, I think any other promoter in the sport would have made the same move if given the same set of circumstances. When Goldenboy Promotions extended the offer to Golovkin before, I felt it was a bit generous, considering that it was leaps and bounds above anything Golovkin could land anywhere else. Still, they justified the deal based on the growing pulse in the sport around his name. Not results. Simply the ‘buzz’. There was nothing in his resume that earned him a guarantee on the $10M+ level at any previous point.
So that said, the best move Golovkin and his team could have taken at the time to was seize the offer. Instead, they opted not to. They decided to listen to that ‘buzz’ and try their luck with a few pay-per-view cards to support their position. The first one (Lemiuex) failed to do 100K. The second one (Jacobs) did a little over 160K. Seems Goldenboy Promotions also got caught up in that ‘buzz’, because it wasn’t until after Golovkin’s second PPV bombed out that they realized there’s no way that they could front such a significant amount of money on a guy who hasn’t proven to net a fraction of the cost. Canelo, on the other hand, has shown considerably greater promise.
Away from Mayweather, he did 900K+ with Cotto, against Khan, he did 450K+, against Liam Smith, he did 300K, and against Angulo, he still managed to do roughly 350K. Golovkin doesn’t have the strength of resume, and certainly not the strength in numbers. Unfortunately, the decision was made to sidestep the GBP offer at the time, which now has backfired, as Canelo’s lowest outing still sets a higher bar than Golovkin’s two events combined. So yes, Oscar and Goldenboy made the right decision to rethink that offer. Golovkin and his team would be best suited to jump on the new one, as any of the men mentioned to face him next could drop his stock even more (Jacobs rematch, Saunders, or Charlo).
Shalon N. (Las Vegas, NV): With Chocolatito losing last week, I have Golovkin at P4P. He had a close fight against Jacobs, but his hand was raised so that’s what counts. What does your P4P list look like?
Vito W.: I’ve never been a fan of the “mythical” perspective on the P4P topic. The textbook definition of the term was coined and always reserved for the one talent in the sport that transcended all others with a skill level that was so profound, no matter what the dynamics (size, style, etc); all things being equal, the raw talent itself would give it a near guaranteed path to victory. It wasn’t initially labeled for a “group” of men, because there’s no way possible that you can have multiple talents that profound in one era. Using the term in a literal sense, I found Mayweather to be a great torch bearer for the term, as his talent was unparalleled in the sport during his peak era.
Fast-forward to this era, and we see a host of names with talent that put cheeks-in-seats, but few that actually hold the same value. Chocolatito is as fun to watch as it gets and would be competitive in any era. But he’s a classic example of why he’d be a good fit for the mythical term, yet not the literal term. From a literal standpoint, could you imagine a fighter with his style as a heavyweight? If he took half the shots he does currently at that weight, there’s no way he’d survive for long. Contrast that with a style like a Mayweather or a Lomachenko.
Those guys have a skill level that would find success on any level because not only can they dish punishment, but they can take punishment, yet are also skilled enough to avoid taking true punishment (which is a huge difference). Judging by the textbook term, I’d have to say Andre Ward. He has the greatest skill level combined with strength of resume at the time. If we’re looking at things from a mythical standpoint, it’s a toss up somewhere between Crawford, Thurman, Lomachenko, Ward, and perhaps Golovkin. The mythical element leaves room for constant debate. The literal one doesn’t, which is why I prefer that path, personally.
Ronald O. (London): I know you’ve spoken very highly of Kell Brook in the past. How do you see his showdown with Errol Spence Jr. playing out in May?
Vito W.: For a few years now, I’ve had Brook rated as the best welterweight in the world not named Mayweather. In the absence of Mayweather, I have him rated as a clear and concise favorite in the division and despite his loss to Golovkin, I still have him rated that way. Many here in America have slept on his talent, and most never truly understood his ability until he locked horns with Shawn Porter. Porter was a raging bull with the type of strength that few knew how to tame. Brook not only did it, but made it look fairly easy.
As great as Brook looked against Porter, we all understand that styles make fights, and this style is one that could make it a very tough fight for Brook. Errol Spence Jr. is the type of talent that I think has all the tools to not only play spoiler for Brook, but pretty much anyone placed before him for quite some time to come. In Spence, you have a complete package of height, speed, skill, and toughness. The one thing he lacks is true experience, and if Spence has any trouble aside from that solid jab of Brook’s, this is where it’ll come. While Brook has the experience and Spence has the youth and attributes, I think the defining moment will come at one of two given moments:
For Brook, the defining moment could come when he starts to get hit flush in the face and is reminded of how fragile that orbital bone is in the aftermath of Golovkin. For Spence, the defining moment could be that point in which Brook lands that wicked uppercut that always look stunning, yet few see coming! How either guy reacts at these given moments will tell us all we need to know about how it could all end. Both men are dangerous, but to date, only one knows how to lose. The confidence of a fighter that has never loss has to be taken seriously, as the opponent must be able to teach him something no one else was successful at teaching. This is going to be a damn good fight! Can’t wait to see it all unfold!
(Vivek “Vito” Wallace can be reached at 754.307.7747. He can also be found on FaceBook, or at Wallace@eastsideboxing.com)
