Golovkin vs. Monroe: BoxingScene.com Staff Predictions

By Jake Donovan

Just as quickly as Gennady Golovkin has made a name for himself as one the sport's brightest stars today, he is also creeping towards middleweight history. His showdown with Willie Monroe Jr. marks his attempted 14th defense of his middleweight title. 

Bernard Hopkins holds the divisional record with 20 defenses of at least one belt, while Carlos Monzon has made more defenses of the World lineal middleweight crown (14) than any other fighter in history. Golovkin stands a much better chance at catching Hopkins due to the fact that he's yet to lay claim to the division's lineal crown.

The reason for that: you can't win what's not at stake. 

Golovkin has been in hot pursuit of reigning middleweight king Miguel Cotto just as he longed for a shot at the division's previous ruler, Sergio Martinez. Cotto continues to run his own show, having opted for a defense versus Daniel Geale - whom Golovkin iced in three rounds last summer. 

As for Martinez? While the Argentine southpaw was willing to take on all comers, his handlers weren't quite as brave, instead pointing to Golovkin's lack of drawing power while on the rise.

In a nutshell, Martinez' team didn't want any part of Golovkin. Neither does any other notable middleweight these days, it seems, which leads us to Saturday's HBO-televised main event at The Forum in Inglewood, California. 

Monroe Jr. (19-1, 6KOs) will stand the opposite corner, the opponent of choice for three reasons. 

First, he lands the shot on the strength of his Boxcino tournament-winning effort from last May, claiming top honors in the ESPN2-televised eight-man middleweight bracket. Second, Golovkin's team insists it was necessary to see how the unbeaten middleweight will fare against a slick southpaw, a relatively new look for him. 

The other reason? He was the only fighter who stepped forward for the challenge... or perhaps the other middleweights simply stepped back.

Either way, Golovkin (32-0, 29KOs) gets the opportunity to stay busy. The preference for the knockout artist from Kazakhstan is to fight four times per year. Those plans were disrupted last year due to the untimely passing of his father, although he still managed three knockouts in as many fights during his 2014 campaign. 

Saturday's bout will mark his fourth fight in the span of just 10 months, this coming off of an 11th round stoppage of Martin Murray in February. It was the deepest Golovkin has had to go in a fight in order to obtain a knockout, and the closest he's come to going the distance since 2008, having never previously fought past the eighth round. 

In the seven years since Golovkin was forced to accept a decision win, 19 straight knockouts have followed.

Will Monroe Jr. become the 20th victim? Or will Golovkin struggle to corner a boxer, putting his knockout streak - and perhaps his middleweight title reign - at risk?

Read on to see how the staff at BoxingScene.com believes the middleweight action will play out. 

GENNADY GOLOVKIN vs. WILLIE MONROE, JR. 

Triple G will take a few rounds to cutoff his elusive opponent but once he does, good night. Monroe doesn't have the firepower to keep GGG off him. 

This could be a fight where Golovkin is made to look foolish for a few rounds before settling in and stopping Monroe... or a fight where Monroe is too brave for his own good and gets lit up early. I'll opt for the former - Golovkin gets another big stoppage, though one that exposes a few chinks in the armor.

GGG take a few rounds to catch up with Monroe, then he'll break him viciously.

Monroe might make Glolovkin work more than people think, but it's a survival game before it's done. Without the power to keep Golovkin off, eventually it boils down to how long he can take the beating.

Golovkin will stalk and stop Monroe in the mid rounds. Monroe is a mover and a slick guy, so we’ll see how well Triple G does against such a style. I think he’ll do well and get the stoppage.

Golovkin has become the nightmare of the middleweights. As the mandatory contender for the WBC title, Cotto the champ, have to face Gennady in the next fight if Cotto can beat Geale. Until that time, I think Monroe Jr, can’t stop GGG. In 3 or 4 rounds GGG will make adjustments to get another win by KO.

I'll go with an upset here. Willie Monroe Jr. is such an elusive competitor, such a viscous and awkward fighter that he can do what no other was able to do in seven years - which means he will go a distance (in a shutout loss with scores like 118-110). Also, GGG hasn't faced such a fighter since Ian Gardner, who dealt Triple G some prooblems in a decision loss.

Golovkin by KO - 6

Golovkin by decision - 1