GOLOVKIN CLEARLY PAST HIS PEAK...

[amwsnw]

I think GGG finds Canelo an easier fight than Jacobs. Will Canelo stand up to GGG relentless Jab? Also GGG will be able to get closer to Canelo than he did Jacobs and utilise his power. I think people are quick to criticize GGG without complementing Jacobs, who I think is the second best middle in the world at the moment.

[Baby Face Finster]

Golovkin is my favourite fighter atm but I still stand by my belief that if he had fought Pirog he would have lost.

[Best Coast]

I think GGG finds Canelo an easier fight than Jacobs. Will Canelo stand up to GGG relentless Jab? Also GGG will be able to get closer to Canelo than he did Jacobs and utilise his power. I think people are quick to criticize GGG without complementing Jacobs, who I think is the second best middle in the world at the moment.

Huge respect to Jacobs for the performance of his life. I had him narrowly winning the decision but stand firm in my conviction that 2-3 years ago GGG would have blown him out. GGG has clearly lost a step while Jacobs is a much more complete fighter than ever before. But a 32-33 year old GGG would have beaten Jacobs of today convincingly.

This does NOT mean GGG wont beat Canelo because Canelo lacks the speed and boxing skills of Jacobs. Hopefully GGG's lackluster performance will embolden Canelo to take the fight ASAP.

[Thomastearns]

Regardless of whether you had GGG winning or not (I had Jacobs up by a point) you must admit Golovkin just doesnt have that edge he had a few years ago. His outing with blown-up welter Brook was also less than impressive and that is 2 lackluster bouts in a row. Could be age, could be something else...

Your thoughts?

Kell Brook, like many of GGG's opponents (not to mention GGG himself) just does not get the credit they deserve. (Perhaps the Spence fight will correct that).

The fact is that the last two opponents of Golovkin were the best boxers he has faced. They exposed weaknesses and flaws in his technique. Jacobs acknowledged that it is well known that GGG finds southpaws awkward. There is quite a bit of material for Sanchez to work through with his number one fighter. It doesn't mean he's on the slide, it just means the opposition is improving.

Even great champions need to be pushed. It's up to him and his motivation. Might be better to forget about Canelo and the $$$$$$$$ for now. I suspect that fight will never happen, not unless Alvarez's fans start boycotting his fights and insist. Problem is, they too can afford to wait and wait.

[world ranked]

I agree.
Gennady lost control of the second part of the fight, where he's usually the strongest.

Did the dollars dent his motivation?
Did fluoride land (USA) work his "magic" on his Kazach body?

It looked to me he was seeing the openings but not letting his hands go, which is the definition of shot.
It was too strange to see him repeatedly touch gloves, which he never does.

Should he rematch Jacobs, he might lose.

He had too much to lose with potential unification with BJS and Canelo fights this year, so he didn't want to take risks.

I would tend to think Golovkin not holding punches back because of BJS

[boxing_rocks]

I agree.
Gennady lost control of the second part of the fight, where he's usually the strongest.

Did the dollars dent his motivation?
Did fluoride land (USA) work his "magic" on his Kazach body?

It looked to me he was seeing the openings but not letting his hands go, which is the definition of shot.
It was too strange to see him repeatedly touch gloves, which he never does.

Should he rematch Jacobs, he might lose.

He had too much to lose with potential unification with BJS and Canelo fights this year, so he didn't want to take risks.

I would tend to think Golovkin not holding punches back because of BJS

WBO belt is Golovkin's first priority ahead of Canelo.

[caldo2025]

Well GGG's 35 so obviously he's going to start receding so yes, he's past his peak. He's still the best P4P fighter in the world and defeated a fantastic fighter Saturday Night who not only wasn't scared of the GGG mystique, brought a wrinkle into the ring and confused GGG completely.

If Danny Jacobs fought the whole fight conventionally, he would have been knockout number 24 in a row for GGG. The switch to southpaw was enormous and bought him many more rounds than he should have had. It surprisingly confused GGG badly and turned the fight around in several stages of the fight. Jacobs has a faster jab from southpaw and it really was effective. He should have fought the whole fight from that position and we might have a different verdict.

Yes he's past peak but still the best and the greatest MW ever.

[Thomastearns]

Golovkin is my favourite fighter atm but I still stand by my belief that if he had fought Pirog he would have lost.

Pirog, at least against Jacobs, moved like a magician.
Fate saved GGG from a boxing lesson. Its often the quick elusive fighters that finally dethrone the harder punchers, eg Liston, Hagler and Duran etc. Nothing tires more than chasing shadows.

We'll know if GGG is slowing when he faces BJS. Saunders is pretty elusive when he can be bothered.

[Tanzio]

Jacobs was big, strong, well prepared and fought a clever fight. GGG made hard work of it, but prevailed and moved to 37-0.

Even the very best in the history of the sport had their struggles. I can't think of a single fighter who just absolutely blitzed everyone they ever fought.

He must be an ATG if people criticize him for a win which wasn't dominant.

Like many GGG opponents before him, Jacobs is suddenly not that good because GGG beat him

You have managed to reverse engineer reality. Jacobs was considered a no hoper prior to the fight by the vast majority of boxing fans, including the hardcore contingent. His stock has soared due to a competitive loss to 3G. Furthermore, 3G has gone from unbeatable to vulnerable by the speed of one competitive W.

Suddenly a boxer with one notable W in his entire career over a very green Jacobs would have beaten 3G

3G v Jacobs was a simple reality check:

1. 3G is not unbeatable.
2. Jacobs does not have a weak chin.
3. 3G could not walk through SMW and LHW competition.
4. Jacobs is far more gifted and skilled than given credit for by the vast majority.

[Thomastearns]

[You have managed to reverse engineer reality. Jacobs was considered a no hoper prior to the fight by the vast majority of boxing fans, including the hardcore contingent.

3G v Jacobs was a simple reality check:

1. 3G is not unbeatable.
2. Jacobs does not have a weak chin.
3. 3G could not walk through SMW and LHW competition.
4. Jacobs is far more gifted and skilled than given credit for by the vast majority.]

I guess people like certainty in an uncertain world. There was too much of this 'GGG is a monster who will walk through the weak- chinned Jacobs' talk.
Reality showed us different.

Trouble is, the reality can be interpreted in different ways. This is no sweet science. The new thinking fad seems to be, 'GGG is overrated and over the hill.' Why can't we give Jacobs more respect after what he's been through?

What happens if Saunders beats GGG? (OK, can only happen on points). Brook and Jacobs have revealed definite technical flaws though Brook fought on GGGs strengths whilst Jacobs did the opposite. Maybe GGG needs a new trainer if he wants to improve? Changing horses is always risky in boxing but Freddy Roach always puts a lot of emphasis on mobility and speed training.

GGG is an all-time great, but all-time greats need to be able handle all styles. Otherwise it could be Dempsey v Tunney all over again.

[crusader]

A lot of people overrate Pirog, and especially his power, based on the win over Jacobs. More people should watch his fights with Maciel and Ishida....

Good fighter for sure, but he was far slower than Jacobs and GGG would've had an easier time tracking him down and landing. He was shifty and unorthodox, but I don't think that would've been as much of an issue for GGG as Jacobs' speed was.

I am confident that GGG would've beaten Pirog when they were scheduled to fight

[lefty]

A lot of people overrate Pirog, and especially his power, based on the win over Jacobs. More people should watch his fights with Maciel and Ishida....

Good fighter for sure, but he was far slower than Jacobs and GGG would've had an easier time tracking him down and landing. He was shifty and unorthodox, but I don't think that would've been as much of an issue for GGG as Jacobs' speed was.

I am confident that GGG would've beaten Pirog when they were scheduled to fight

Pirog equally would have found it easier to land on GGG than he did Jacobs.

Just because he had couple of lacklustre displays against Maciel and Ishida; that doesnt mean he's been overrated.

He delivered when it mattered against Jacobs. Even GGG had some mediocre displays on his way up. His fight with the super welterweight Ouma was hardly earth shattering. The fight with Bouadla was rather forgettable aswell.

[crusader]

A lot of people overrate Pirog, and especially his power, based on the win over Jacobs. More people should watch his fights with Maciel and Ishida....

Good fighter for sure, but he was far slower than Jacobs and GGG would've had an easier time tracking him down and landing. He was shifty and unorthodox, but I don't think that would've been as much of an issue for GGG as Jacobs' speed was.

I am confident that GGG would've beaten Pirog when they were scheduled to fight

Pirog equally would have found it easier to land on GGG than he did Jacobs.

Just because he had couple of lacklustre displays against Maciel and Ishida; that doesnt mean he's been overrated.

He delivered when it mattered against Jacobs. Even GGG had some mediocre displays on his way up. His fight with the super welterweight Ouma was hardly earth shattering. The fight with Bouadla was rather forgettable aswell.

Those lackluster displays came at the height of Pirog's career; it was not him on the way up, and there is no indication that he was getting better. His reputation is based pretty much entirely off the Jacobs KO, but I don't think Jacobs was as good as he is now, and Pirog's other fights aren't suggestive of an elite fighter in my view (certainly not suggestive of a major banger). Golovkin has a string of explosive KO performances, but Pirog only has the come from behind stoppage of inexperienced Jacobs, and then lacklustre decisions or late stoppages over fringe-contender opposition like Ishida, Maciel, and Martirosyian.

Pirog would've probably found GGG easier to hit than Jacobs, but I don't think he was good enough for that to turn the fight in his favour. He was powerful and unorthodox, but I think GGG has the sharper jab, a greater range of shots, and significantly more power. He's shown limitations against very fast movers and guys who take it to him inside, but Pirog was neither of those, and I think GGG would've won comfortably.

[ALI]

He's 35 in couple weeks. He's had 487 fights. And last night he looked it.

I can't accept at 35 and after 487 contests he's in his prime. Sad thing is im not sure we ever really saw him tested when he was

Very sad indeed, how a fighter like GGG can come and go and never fight another elite oponent is bewlidering, but nothing surpises me in boxing anymore.

Frustrating does not even begin to describe it!