The Big Drama Show returns to the Big Apple as WBC, WBA “super” and IBF middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (36-0, 33 KOs) of Kazakhstan will take on WBA “regular” middleweight champion Danny Jacobs (32-1, 29 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York this Saturday, March 18 at New York City’s Madison Square Garden live on HBO PPV. We caught up with “GGG” at his LA media day workout as he talked about his upcoming showdown with Jacobs.
“I am very excited. This is a big fight, New York, Madison Square Garden, Daniel is from Brooklyn. It’s a huge fight for us, very serious,” Gennady Golovkin told Fightnews.com
“We are very excited about this fight. These are clearly the two best middleweights in the world against each other. This is a true definition of the best fighting the best. Gennady says this a challenge in which he gets motivated for,” Tom Loeffler told Fightnews.com. “This is really a homecoming for him in New York,”
Golovkin held his nine week training camp in the Southern California high altitude mountains at the Summit in Big Bear, California with his trainer Abel Sanchez as he prepares for Jacobs and is in the final phases of camp.
“I want to thank my team for my preparation. This is my job and it has been great,” Golovkin on camp.
“We have been in camp for 7 weeks and we have 2 more weeks and we should be on schedule for the fight,” Abel Sanchez on camp. “He had some great sparring with David Benavidez. We also had KeAndre Leathewood, John Jackson all have been giving Gennady great sparring,” Sanchez added.
As storms hit Southern California during camp with massive rain, there was snow fall up in the mountains as Golovkin was in the grueling stages of training camp. When asked by a reporter how it was to train in the cold and snow, trainer Abel Sanchez quickly replied.
“These conditions are treacherous for you and me but for Gennady this is nothing. He is use to training in much more colder tougher conditions and he loves training in the snow. Where he is from in Kazakhstan it gets to minus forty,” Abel Sanchez chuckled away.
“I like it I am use to it and it’s my job,” Golovkin as he gets set to take on Jacobs.
Coming off another stoppage win, Golovkin disposed of IBF welterweight champion England’s Kell Brook in five rounds as he traveled to London beating Brook in his homeland as he became the latest “GGG” knockout casualty.
“There was too much talk last year Canelo, Golden Boy, Chavez, Froch, Sanders, and Eubank it was crazy,” Golovkin explained. “So I fought Brook, everyone talks but no one wanted to fight,” Golovkin added.
With all the hype surrounding a potential showdown against Mexican superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Golovkin has made it clear that his focus remains on Jacobs. A loss to Jacobs would automatically change those plans for a Canelo showdown.
“Right now I am 100 percent focused on Daniel,” Golovkin said.
Not to mention Canelo also has his Cinco de Mayo weekend showdown on May 6th with fellow Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez. Golovkin gave us his thoughts on the Mexican showdown between Canelo and Chavez.
“Canelo lost his belt and was too much talk and Chavez wants to comeback. For both it’s a good fight but Canelo is more fresh and has the power,” Golovkin on Canelo vs. Chavez
The question remains, why Canelo don’t fight “GGG” at the middleweight limit of 160 pounds but is willing to fight Chavez over the middleweight limit at 164.5? Golovkin expressed his frustration.
“Boxing is 154, 160, 168 but this 164.5 is bad for boxing. If you’re a champion you will defend and fight at your weight. What is this? New category?,” Golovkin said. “My focus is Jacobs,” Golovkin added.
His opponent Jacobs is coming off a seventh round knockout in his last fight over Sergio Mora in a fall rematch. He won the vacant WBA “World” middleweight title in 2014 with a TKO of Jarrod Fletcher at the Barclay Center in his hometown of Brooklyn. Having suffered his only loss back in 2010 at the hands of former world champion Dmitry Pirog of Russia, Golovkin and his team assure they will be in with a dangerous fighter.
“I am excited for Daniel. He has good boxing style, power and a lot of boxing I.Q.” Golovkin said about Jacobs. “Daniel is much better now that loss to Pirog was a good experience for him and he has improved,” Golovkin added.
Jacobs also won his biggest battle as he was diagnosed with cancer in and beat the cancer and would go on to become world champion.
“He has a strong mentality now in life and he is a true champion,” Golovkin said.
Golovkin vs. Jacobs Middleweight Madness will be a 12 round championship unification bout as the WBC, WBA, and IBF titles will be on the line in a winner take all middleweight battle.
“If he is successful on March 18th it will open a lot of doors for him,” Tom Loeffler said. “Golden Boy said they are ready for September,”
