Gennady "GGG" Golovkin (Photo : Reuters File)
As his star continues to rise, middleweight champion and currently viewed as the consensus baddest man on the planet, Gennady "GGG" Golovkin's (33-0, 30 KO's) best days are ahead.
He's dumping guys left and right with a staggering 91% knockout ratio and looks to be unstoppable. Yet Golovkin's next opponent, Canadian David Lemieux (34-2, 31 KO's) doesn't seem to be worried one bit.
Speaking to Lance Pugmire of the LA Times, Lemieux appeared confident and thankful for the opportunity to compete against Golovkin.
"Sheep live in groups. Lions live alone," said Lemieux. "So when that opportunity came to me, I saw I'm ready, saw we got what we want ... it's a super-fight. Why not now? I'm not scared of anyone. I'm a world champion. I'm very confident in my abilities."
Despite Golovkin's well-deserved reputation, Lemieux is a good test for the 33-year old Kazakh and represents a legitimate challenge.
Before he moves on to bigger and more high profile fights, Golovkin has to get through guys like Lemieux to give him the experience he needs to come from being a good fighter to being an elite fighter.
Interestingly enough, Lemieux is also known as a feared knockout puncher, with 31 knockouts out of 34 victories, but he hasn't received the same kind of exposure Golovkin has.
This will make for a very exciting battle as the two top middleweights will almost assuredly generate fireworks due to their fan-friendly styles.
"I'm not a dreamer. I'm a realist," said Lemieux, who seems ready as ever to get in the ring with a man very few would even consider challenging. "I know I'm going to win. I've gotten to know my abilities. Determination is why I'm here today. We're two pit bulls unleashed and we're both going to go for the neck."
Golovkin however, is a man of few words. With a bright smile beaming from ringside everytime he climbs the ring apron, Golovkin's best statements are made inside the ring.
Yet Golovkin knows the challenge that lies ahead, and he isn't taking anything for granted.
"I respect him because he's a champion," Golovkin said. "I have a plan, my strategy, I know my job."
The two 160-pounders are set to lock horns on October 17, in a 12-round middleweight bout at the historic Madison Square Garden in New York.
Titles will be on the line including Lemieux's IBF world middleweight title, Golovkin's IBO and WBA world middleweight titles and the interim WBC middleweight title.
