There wasn’t consecutive upsets at Madison Square Garden and Saturday night Gennady Golovkin made that possible with a fourth round KO over previously unbeaten and now 19-1 Steve Rolls. The only round that looked good for Rolls was the second when he got in a good punch to the head of Golovkin.
And the win was expected. The fighter known as “GGG” with a record 20 title defenses as a middleweight champion, is aiming for another fight with Canelo Alvarez. The mission is simple for the newest addition to the DAZN streaming service roster of fighters, and that is a third meeting with Alvarez who took his middleweight titles.
Oscar de La Hoya, the former champion and promoter of Alvarez, he has another opinion. He tweeted after the fight that a third is not on the horizon, at least for now. He wanted Golovkin to have another fight and with a title to prove he is worth the effort.
Though sources were saying after the fight that a third meeting will happen with Canelo and Golovkin. A trilogy would be scheduled in September with Madison Square Garden as the hosting venue.
Leave all the business to the promoters, and of course DAZN that would have rights to a third fight. Alvarez and Golovkin, two of the top ten in the pound-for-pound discussion, also have mega million deals to fight on the streaming network. Working a deal to get a third fight will not be an issue with Alvarez and his 11-fight- five year deal of $375 million that goes as the richest athlete on record.
And Gennady Golovkin, in position at 36-years of age, will not go away until he gets another shot at the title. He goes to sleep every night convinced the title was lost after a controversial decision last September.
“Everybody knows, the fans know who they want me to fight next,”: Golovkin said in the ring after his win. “I’m ready for September. I’m ready for Canelo, Just bring him, just ask him, I’m ready. If you want big drama show please tell him. I’m ready to bring the big drama show.”
Saturday night there was no drama. It was just a matter of time. Steve Rolls, despite giving an effort for three rounds, was going down. A left hook and Rolls was rocked and down to the mat at 2:09 of the round. It was also vindication of sorts after Golovkin sustained that first loss of his career to Alvarez.
Said Golovkin about another meeting with Alvarez, “ I believe because this is boxing. This is boxing business. Why not? The next fight will be amazing for us. I feel right like the people’s champ. It doesn’t matter for me. I want to beat him.”
Yes the middleweight titles are important. However, Golovkin said beating his adversary had more meaning, if that can be believed. But in boxing it is redemption and many times that means more than winning back the title.
Regardless, Madison Square Garden was not sold out for this one. A little over 12,000 were in the house and many seats were filled with free tickets that were distributed during fight week.
Partly attributed to a sell out of 20,000 last Saturday, Andy Ruiz upset Anthony Joshua for the heavyweight titles, or lack of interest of the opponent, there still was plenty of energy from the Golovkin fan base and many from his country of Kazakhstan.
And after this win, the knockout was good enough to demand another meeting between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin.
Undercard: Brian Ceballo the 25-year old welterweight from Brooklyn, and a five-time New York Golden Gloves champion with over 300 amatuer fights, won a unanimous 8-round decision over Bakhtiyar Eyubov, 14-1-1, 12 KO’s.
It was one combination after another and Caballo, 9-0, 4 KO’s, showed his potential. There was never a doubt about this one and his opponent stayed with the punches.
“I had all the amatuer fights and this one tonight prepares me for me at this level,” he said.
Throwing The Punches: It was learned from sources that Madison Square Garden is in the possible hunt to also host the agreed rematch between Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua. What was reported and said to be a rematch in November, and in Joshua’s turf of the U.K. has changed direction.
Sources say the new champion has the call as to where the rematch would occur. And all along, it was always perceived to be that way. But this is the boxing business and anything goes or can happen. Time will tell but the official word should come in the next week or two.
Comment: [email protected] Twitter@Ring786 Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso