Lightening doesn’t strike twice. Well – when it does in boxing – it doesn’t strike twice on back-to-back weekends. With the world still reeling from Anthony Joshua’s seventh round stoppage at the hands of relatively unknown Andy Ruiz Jr., it’s the turn of another star of the sport to make his return to the ring: Gennady “GGG” Golovkin.
Madison Square Garden will once again play host to a main event that was met with confusion on announcement. Gennady Golovkin – now 37-years-of-age – takes on relatively unknown(er) Steve Rolls in a 164-pounds catchweight contest. There are no belts on the line in this one, with neither guy holding any of the gold in the middleweight division which has all-but been cleaned out by Canelo Alvarez.
Speaking of Canelo, Golovkin will be using this fight against Rolls as a keep-busy fight on his path to a third encounter with the Mexican star. After two controversial, yet absorbing contests, Canelo-GGG III looks primed for September this year, with a draw and a Canelo victory separating them to date. It’s a career-defining year for Golovkin who has changed trainers to Johnathon Banks; Abel Sanchez was deemed expendable in Triple-G’s quest to find that extra 3% in his game. That 3% may well be enough to steal a win over the Mexican later this year, assuming we get a fair fight under the watchful eye of the Vegas hierarchy.
But back to Steve Rolls. The 35-year-old is a virtual unknown having turned pro in 2011 having represented Canada at the 2009 World Championships. With a 19-0 record, Rolls has barely popped his head above water in the middleweight division. Fighting mainly in Canada, Rolls is yet to contest a 12-round contest, with his last win over KeAndrae Leatherwood coming in a UD over 10 last December.
Golovkin is fast approaching the end of his career, but with plenty of money fights out there for him to grab, Rolls will no doubt be the last ‘tick-over’ contest to consider. A ferocious power puncher with an 85% KO record, there aren’t many guys that can say they made it to the end of a Golovkin fight. His two fights against Canelo proved Canelo’s punch-resistance more than it disproved the Kazakh’s power.
In stature these two are fairly similar. There is no mis-match in size or reach, but when it comes to levels and experience, this is (on paper) one of the easiest fights Golovkin has faced in his last six years as a professional. We can’t begrudge the chance Rolls has to make a name for himself on the world stage, but at 35, the Canadian has already reached his limited ceiling in the boxing game; he’s in too deep in the Big Apple.
Golovkin won’t want to put September’s fight with Canelo in any jeopardy. A professional, dominant display is expected on Saturday night, with the Kazakh hurting Rolls early in the contest. GGG has 21 victories inside the opening four rounds: at 7/5 that price is a steal for a 22nd inside the Garden.
Gennady Golovkin to win in rounds 1-6 @ 4/7 (BetVictor)
Gennady Golovkin to win in rounds 1-4 @ 7/5 (BetVictor)
