Okay, I wrote a previous blog, complete with a picture of me with Willie Monroe Jr. when he was a kid just starting out. You know where my heart was and I wasn't trying to hide it. Nor did I want to jinx Monroe before the fight when it was clear he needed two things -- courage and a big punch. He only had one of those two things.
Monroe showed courage when he got off the canvas after two early round knockdowns. Both were devastating. Who doesn't know that Golovkin is the savage destroyer, a search and seek and find guided missile capable of launching nuclear firepower against all opponents. An acknowledged predator inside the ring.
But it was clear from the start what I knew already, that he had only six KOs in a career of 19 fights. He doesn't have the big bomb. Never did. I knew that was a problem, a problem mentioned in so many words by Roy Jones Jr. during the fight. He needs to get respect, said Jones, though that was not the way he said it.
Getting respect is the real first rule of Fight Club. If you can't put some hard leather on Golovkin's face or body, then he's going to walk right through you. That's exactly what Golovkin did, shaking off most of Monroe's punches like they were bouncing rubber balls, even asking for more.
Still, don't get the idea that YOU can take Monroe's punches. Unless you're the real deal, you'd go down in a hot minute. What I"m saying about the lack of a big punch applies to the top dogs of boxing.
And then I'm thinking what it must have felt like to take so many hard, hard punches from Golovkin. I've been KOd before and it kind of leaves you in a tough spot, even after the headache dies away. Dies away is probably a poor choice of words.
But I've got to say this about Gennady Golovkin. I've been a huge fan, even though my heart was for the local American man. His attitude is great and I long ago embraced him as the fight promoters and the American public should, and as they seemed to be doing in last night's arena.
He's smart, too, and if you were listening, you would have heard him say that he'd like Cotto or Canelo Alvarez before he'd think of Andre Ward. Andre Ward, remember, was the first guy to say he'd be glad to take on Golovkin. This while lots of other guys who should have been stepping up were in absentia.
Know what I'd like from the wish fairy? I'd prefer Alvarez vs. Golovkin before Golovkin v. Cotto. Cotto's great, mind you, but he's light and also not at the peak of his career (though by no means inconsequential) . Alvarez v. Golovkin is fresh on both sides. Two devastating brilliant fighters.
The winner would face Andre Ward, of whom we've seen too little lately.
I want to say one other thing, writ large: ROMAN GONZALEZ. I want to say it again: ROMAN GONZALEZ. But that deserves a separate space.
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