David Lemieux (34-2, 31 KO), the IBF middleweight champion, will take on undefeated WBA and IBO middleweight champ Gennady “GGG” Golovkin at Madison Square Garden as a 2-to-1 underdog. Hardcore fans familiar with Lemieux’s work, however, know he is a real threat.
Here are three ways the Canadian power puncher can shock the world and knock out boxing’s boogeyman.
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Push Forward, Get “GGG” Fighting Defensively
There’s no evidence that Golovkin can’t counter punch, but there also isn’t any evidence he can. Golovkin is an offensive fighter who thrives when he is stalking his opponent. Golovkin doesn’t overwhelm with activity, he breaks fighters down by cornering them, and landing accurate, extremely powerful punches.
Lemieux, on the other hand, is always marching forward and throwing a lot of bombs. He doesn’t have much of a jab, but he throws vicious hooks that are also accurate and loaded with power. Golovkin’s been hit before, and if he’s moving backward, there’s no telling how he will react to real power.
Lemieux Warns Golovkin "The Guns Are Loaded"
Throw Combos/Short Hooks When He’s Cornered
Perhaps Golovkin’s greatest skill is cutting off the ring. He is a master of using his footwork to corner opponents against the ropes, and then sizing them up for intelligently places power shots. In his most recent fight, however, vs. a crafty southpaw named Willie Monroe Jr., Golovkin had some issues.
Skip to Round 4 of the video below to check out what Monroe did to handle GGG's pressure.
Monroe Jr. didn’t have the power to hurt Golovkin much, but he was able to let go of combinations when Golovkin had him on the ropes and land effectively. Monroe landed well, but didn’t throw with enough authority to deter Golovkin. In his recap of the fight, ESPN's Dan Rafael wrote "Monroe, showing immense heart, not only survived but mounted a bit of a rally in the fourth and fifth rounds. He caught Golovkin with some solid punches, but Golovkin took them well."
Lemieux has much more power, and if he catches Golovkin on his way in with a short hook or two, that will have “GGG” thinking about his safety, rather than strategizing.
Get Golovkin Out Early
Both fighters have lingering questions about their stamina, which is standard fare for knockout artists like these two. Golovkin has been taken deep by Martin Murray, when he scored an 11th-round TKO, while Lemieux won his title by unanimous decision. Lemieux’s win came against fringe contender Hassan N’Dam though, and he had knocked him down six times in the bout.
Against Gabriel Rosado, Lemieux was strong but slowed down in the middle rounds when Rosado refused to wilt. When fatigue hits, technique fades. If Lemieux’s technique weakens, he will be ripe for Golovkin to take him apart. That’s why Lemieux’s best bet is to come out firing, and jack up Golovkin in the early rounds when he’ll have the most thunder in his gloves.
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