Pacquiao vs Golovkin?

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

THERE’S a trending sports report that Filipino boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao’s next opponent might be the current International Boxing Federation (IBF) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) world middleweight champ Gennady Gennadyevich Golovkin. This started when Pacman called out Golovkin last week to fight him in a catchweight of 155 or 156-pounds, if possible, but not in 160 pounds which is the middleweight limit.

Of course, the IBF and IBO belts are at stake. But as of this writing (June 11), there’s no word yet from the Golovkin’s camp, but sports pundits close to the Kazakhstan-born Golovkin, better known as triple G or GGG, will most likely agree if the prize is right. It will likely be held probably in the early part of 2021 when the world’s atmosphere is already surely safe. The proposed venue is likely in Las Vegas, Nevada.

First to oppose the plan was his former promoter the Top Rank Promotions top honcho Bob Arum saying that the concept is a suicide battle for Pacman, detailing the credentials of GGG as a calculating pressure fighter with methodical movements inside the ring, that he has the most durable chin in boxing history which could be the reason why he was never knocked out or knocked down in all his 350 amateur fights and 42 as a professional. He only suffered one defeat and a draw. In other words, Pacman has no chance at all to win.

The Arum’s statement resulted in catcalls from Pacman’s fans especially Filipinos, but some also agreed with Arum, saying that the 5’10.5 former pound-for-pound king Golovkin is a natural middleweight fighter, a precise puncher with destructive power with 23 knockouts streak that spanned 9 years (2008-2017).

But I do have to agree with pro-Pacman fans knowing that the eight-division world champion Pacman is not new to fighting tall guys, having fought those four inches taller than him, like former world champions Oscar dela Hoya and Antonio Margarito. And Pacman beating them both. I believe Pacman will not call GGG to challenge him if he knows he won’t have any chance at all. Yes, admittedly, Golovkin is stronger than Pacman as far as punches are concerned, but Pacman is faster with systematic foot lateral movements than Golovkin and that will can make the difference. I guess Pacman will do what he did to Dela Hoya and Margarito. Let’s just wait and see.

Like the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic gold medalist Dela Hoya, Golovkin has a vast amateur experience that caught the fancy of boxing fans in his country Kazakhstan when he bagged the gold medal in 2003 World Boxing Championship, and the gold medal in the 2004 Asian Amateur Boxing Championship held here in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan. His victory in Asia paved the way for him to represent anew his country in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games where he won the silver medal. He has a total of 345 amateur record wins and lost only five. His only professional loss and draw was against the Mexican warrior Canelo Alvarez. So far, there’s no trilogy plan battle for the two.

If the Pacquiao-Golovkin fight will not push through, Pacman’s chief trainer Freddie Roach broached the idea that the pacesetters in Pacman’s derby in the welterweight division (147 pounds) are World Boxing Organization (WBO) champ Terence Crawford, International Boxing Federation (IBF) titleholder Errol Spence, Jr., four-time division world titlist Mikey Garcia, Pacman’s nemesis Keith Thurman and former two-time division king Danny Garcia are on the queue of Pacman’s World Boxing Association tiara.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: For I will send pestilence upon her, and blood in her streets; the wounded shall be judged in her midst by the sword against her on every side; then they shall know that I am the Lord. EZEKIEL 28: 23

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