Gennady "GGG" Golovkin has become known as a jolly fighter who becomes an assassin inside the ring. At 33-0-0 with 30 knockouts-and 20 knockouts in a row-it's hard to believe he fears much. Super middleweight champion Andre Ward thinks he is reluctant to face him, however, and talks a big game to hide that.
Ward also criticized Golovkin's level of competition, and said he's untested against elite fighters as well as someone casual fans won't recognize.
"You shouldn't worry about who I'm going to box or have boxed. You, like the rest, were lucky with the "Super Six" tournament because you got your opponents by contract. And who are you fighting now?" Golovkin said. Ward is scheduled to fight Paul Smith on BET in his first fight since November 2013.
Golovkin has had five fights since then.
"If I say that I'm ready to box any middleweight and ready to rise to 168 for a big fight, then I am responsible for the words," Golovkin continued. "And I have nothing left to discuss with you. As a man, you are dead to me."
Golovkin seemed especially tired of being characterized as a nobody to the casual fan. Golovkin's gates have been steadily increasing; his last two fights at the Stubhub Center in California have sold out, and Golovkin drew a large gate last summer in his first ever fight headlining Madison Square Garden's "big room" vs. Daniel Geale.
Ward, meanwhile, has also famously struggled to draw despite being the consensus No. 2 fighter in the world pound-for-pound before his long absence.
"If you do provocative attacks, do not even think that Loeffler [Gennady's K2 promoter] will buy into them. You haven't been interesting to anyone for a long time, so he will no longer engage in the promotion of your name. Go and build your own image. Although everyone already knows what you are, and because of this, they do not go to your fights," Golovkin said.
It's safe to say Ward and Golovkin are unlikely to be doing business any time soon. Expect Golovkin, who is focused on unifying the middleweight titles, to face the winner of David Lemieux vs. Hassan N'Dam next. They are fighting Saturday for the vacant IBF title.
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