GGG card

[Tanzio]

To be fair, I was distracted by my baby daughter while watching the 5th so I possibly got it wrong. GGG undoubtedly landed the better punches, but Monroe was landing a lot more punches and GGG was defensively poor.

Fair enough, but a left hook buckled Monroe to the point of nearly going down and he took plenty of hard punches during the round that were clearly helping to wear him down. I just don't see how he came close to winning that with his pitter-pats, which were increasingly losing steam.

Ah, I didn't see that punch - must have been when she started crying. That said, I find it hard to score rounds for GGG when he is blocking so many punches with his face, even when they aren't hurting him. He loses the defense and clean punching categories automatically.

At times 3G is now using The Provoglodyte Defense which is ok v limited opposition (and is very fan friendly) but it could get him into trouble v top level competition. I disagree with 3G consciously taking shots just to be a crowd pleaser or to convince top boxers that he is vulnerable. It is sloppy, dangerous, and degrades skill level.

3G can claim he felt nothing v Monroe Jr and Murray. While he was certainly never in serious trouble, he was made to move backwards on more than one occasion and in both fights the body work of his opponent gave him pause.

3G took entirely too much return fire last night. It is probable that he will be defeated by a very good boxer with an iron beard and big power within three years, in a fight similar to Matthysse v The Provoglodyte.

[ikorolev]

At times 3G is now using The Provoglodyte Defense which is ok v limited opposition (and is very fan friendly) but it could get him into trouble v top level competition. I disagree with 3G consciously taking shots just to be a crowd pleaser or to convince top boxers that he is vulnerable. It is sloppy, dangerous, and degrades skill level.

That is a philosophy Sanchez instills, and Golovkin follows it. In the first two rounds he boxed against a running target and dropped him twice. Then he decided that the fight was already made and he could please the crowd by doing some slugging, and Monroe was up to it.

[Tanzio]

At times 3G is now using The Provoglodyte Defense which is ok v limited opposition (and is very fan friendly) but it could get him into trouble v top level competition. I disagree with 3G consciously taking shots just to be a crowd pleaser or to convince top boxers that he is vulnerable. It is sloppy, dangerous, and degrades skill level.

That is a philosophy Sanchez instills, and Golovkin follows it. In the first two rounds he boxed against a running target and dropped him twice. Then he decided that the fight was already made and he could please the crowd by doing some slugging, and Monroe was up to it.

Bad philosophy from wherever spawned. 3G is possibly the third most skilled active boxer. He should never take unnecessary shots. He has the skills and gifts to be clinical. He should be surgical like a matador. The only blood he suffers should be the bull's.

[ikorolev]

I agree, but fighting like that is the best way to build a wide fan base. GGG doesn't have much time to become a super star, so the way he fights now may be optimal for that purpose which can change after he gets a super-fight.

[jezzamundo]

Here's an interesting take of GGG's perceived vulnerability defensively.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwxS3B2OyyA

[crusader]

I haven't watched it yet, but Dwyer seems biased against GGG to me (not reason in itself to dismiss whatever claims he's made in that video) and I believe he laughably suggested that Shawn Porter would beat him or would at least have a good chance of doing so. I used to like Dwyer as an analyst but he's gone cuckoo in the last year or so in my opinion when a certain group of fighters is involved.

Edit: Watched it now and I think he generally makes good points. I agree with him that the best way to optimize one's success GGG is generally by smothering him on the inside (in my opinion not for a much taller and fleet footed opponent like Andre Dirrell though), as he cuts off the ring well and is most effective from mid-range, meaning that trying to fight from the outside doesn't negate his strengths to the same extent. Additionally, he tends to do the most damage when his opponents are on the ropes, where he can easily control distance against an immobile target, so by going at him GGG won't have the same ability to give himself the space he needs for his shots to land optimally.

I do wonder if Dwyer underestimates GGG's power in close though, and I'm doubtful that GGG loses at least 50 percent of his power on the inside. He notes that Cotto would be a tough opponent for GGG, but I don't think the latter possess the durability or speed to be a serious threat (Monroe being able to throw quickly was a large factor in his success in my view, while Martin Murray's durability enabled him to survive many rough patches and do some good work of his own). Moreover, Cotto also does a large proportion of his best work from mid-range and likes to get space to throw his hooks, so I'm not sure if he's the type of smothering fighter Dwyer portrays him as, and I can't see him winning a close-range firefight against a significantly bigger man like GGG anyway....maybe he has the right style but I think the requisite artillery missing.

As for Pacquiao, I think he would give GGG plenty of mid/long-range opportunities, and while he is fast I don't think his defense is good enough for him to survive long without taking damaging punches.