Russians Are Coming: Gennady GGG Golovkin Destroys Rubio

Last night’s boxing matches at Carson’s StubHub Center provided some sobering moments. For me, the sobering moment occurred when Donito Donaire went down on his face under the thunder of young Jamaican Nicholas Walters. I had “misoverestimated” (Yogi Berra word) Donaire, who make no excuses for himself  for having the “*# beat out of me” in  a higher weight class than he was meant for. That is not to ignore the power and skill of Walters.

Also sobering to fight promoters who have been studiously avoiding Team Golovkin was the devastating 2^nd round KO of Marco Rubio (not the American politician) in front of an overfilled stadium in Carson.  The outcome was going to be the outcome, but I didn’t expect it to come so early, even though most of Golovkin’s opponents have been very sent home in time to do some night clubbing. 

Boxing promoters like to hear themselves talking and what they have for too long been talking about is how Golovkin was somehow not up to American boxing standards.  The reason for this canard (that means “lie) is because they want so badly to keep their golden boys, their money machines, their fighting ATMs from being lowered in rank by a guy who is a devastating and intuitive puncher. Aiding promoter delusion is the trope (like politician-speak) is that Golovkin came from some weird country (Kazakhstan) “over there” that they can’t pronounce. 

Now, these promoters have become laughing stocks, as no one believes in their fighters, not while happy-go-lucky Golovkin goes around like a wrecking ball, demolishing the fortress minded boxing establishment.

The only established guy who has any balls in all this is Andre Ward, a superior middleweight by any definition.  Everyone else HBO interviewed about a possible Golovkin fight tried to change the conversation to a discussion of the weather. Ward and his people stepped up and said, yeah, they’d fight Golovkin which shows that they are both smart and brave. Ward is the ONLY guy out there who could beat Golovkin and that is because he is the right combination of punching, ring smarts, and technique. He’s like a B-hop without the age bracket around his neck. 

Donaire's the Betting Underdog?

Donaire's the underdog against the Jamaican Walters tonight. I was surprised at seeing that headline on a site that covers boxing.  I don't have it handy to show you, but you could find it if you care.  That's like saying history is the hardest thing to predict.  You're supposed to laugh now.

The odds makers in Reno and Vegas are thinking of Donaire's recent fight against Guillermo Rigondeaux. You can catch that on YouTube if you didn't see it.  I had picked Donaire to win and was disappointed that he appeared sluggish throughout the fight, and was frankly outfoxed by the smooth and methodical boxing skills (and power shots) of Rigondeaux.

So the betting line is based on that fight, and on the premise that the same guy who fought Rigondeaux will show up tonight, and that his skills have deteriorated with age.  I don't see that happening.

Walters doesn't have the experience, even with his impressive record, and I'm looking for the old Donaire to reappear tonight, the hungry Donaire who wants his rep back.  Agree?  Disagree?

Meanwhile, the top of the bill features GGG versus Marco Rubio and that should be a banger.  Two missiles colliding in flight.  A KO extravaganza.  I can't see that one going past the 5th round, or in extenuating circumstances, the 6th. Who ends up on the floor is open to debate but my guess is that Rubio gets stopped.  I don't say he hits the deck and, frankly, I think GGG is more likely to go down than Rubio is.  But it's the finish that counts, and there I see GGG taking the win.

GGG Golovkin and the Devil in Marco Antonio Rubio

This will be about GG Golovkin, Marc Antonio Rubio, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.

I just wanted a headline that rhymes because I was just reading about 50 Cent trying to rehabilitate his relationship with Floyd Mayweather, Jr.  I'm in one of those moods when I love everyone.

I'm kind of infatuated with 50 and I'm glad he's putting out signals to Mayweather Jr.  I hope Mayweather Jr. will take the hint b/c this little flap, all because 50 allegedly said something about Floyd's one-time gf Shantel Jackson, is lame.   I can't stand all that drama, anyway, and what's it got to do with my favorite sport?  Get over yourselves.

Here's the deal.  I'm not longer much interested in Mayweather v. Pacquiao even though, like millions of others, I will get caught up in the hype when/if they start promoting it.  And I agree-- it will be an exciting fight, no matter how old and battered the principals are.

I think Floyd Mayweather Jr. is  the greatest fighter of  the last two generations and that he has skills beyond those of the energetic and eminently likable/capable Pacquiao.  When my peeps hear me say that, and I have said it often enough to irritate everyone, they think I am dissing Pacquiao when I'm not.  Manny's a great fighter with a great heart that is, at this point, not altogether in it.  On the other side, and in regard to the man everyone except me loves to hate, I've always said that the only way Floyd Jr. could be beaten by someone in the weight class is by old age.

And he's getting there.  If these two had fought, say, eight years ago, Pacquiao would not be so high in the minds of those people who like him more for his decency than his skills.  Floyd would have beaten him, pure and simple.  It would have taken more than heart, footwork, and energy to deal with a Mayweather in his prime.  A Mayweather in decline is still the best of the class, and that will be clear if we do get a matchup in 2015.

Whew!  WTF? Why did I have to say all that when this is about one of the most exciting fights in the recent decade to be broadcast for free if you get HBO. I'm talking about Golovkin and Marco Antonio Rubio.   It doesn't get any better than this.  You have two of the biggest KO fighters in HISTORY!  Golovkin has 27 KOs out of 30 fights and Rubio has 51 KOs out of 59 fights.

Do you see what I'm talking about?  This is like two nuclear warheads crashing together in the sky!  It gives me agita already.  This will be dangerous to watch.  I'm keeping a sedative handy just in case, so my brains don't blow out my ear from the blood pressure rising.

I want to say my bit about the undercard _-- Donaire v. Walters.  I've been a big fan of Donaire and was disappointed in one of his recent setbacks.  Walters is hoping he's in the same lackluster frame of mind as when he lost to Guggliermo Rigondeaux in April of 2013.  I saw that fight and Donaire was flagging while Rigondeaux was at the top of his game and fought a smart fight.  Rigondeaux was the clear winner. It was a bad night for Donaire, but if Walters thinks the guy that lost to Rigondeaux is the one he's coming to meet, he's going to be handed his ass on a shield.

Walters had 24 wins and no losses and also a big KO record but he's about to step up to something he perhaps can't handle in veteran Donaire.  If Walters survives and does a creditable job, it'll be a big boost to his career.  As things stand now with Walters' prediction of knocking out Donaire,  nobody outside of Jamaica is listening.