by MICHAEL DOLAN
Photographs by JOSH MADSON
Styling by CHANDRA CHAVEZ
Grooming by MISHELLE PARRY
As the most feared fighter in the middleweight division, and perhaps the best pound-for-pound fighter in all of boxing, Golovkin now has plenty to think about. With a 32-0 record, and a stunning 29 wins by way of knockout, Golovkin has become one of the sport’s main attractions. His three knockout wins at Madison Square Garden in New York City took place in front of sold-out crowds, including many fans from his native Kazakhstan.
While many believe that Golovkin’s knockout magic will continue, he doesn’t take anything in his life for granted. Golovkin grew up in a town called Karaganda, a city located close to several coal mines in Kazakhstan. “It was a tough city,” he says. “My father went to the coal mines every day, and my mother worked in a laboratory. Our life was hard, but we were a very close family.”
When Golovkin turned 21, he was fighting at an elite level on the national stage. He took gold at the World Championships in 2003. Then in 2004, he defeated Andre Dirrell in Athens, on his way to an Olympic silver medal. Golovkin had success early in his career, but he wanted more.
He wanted to be truly great—to see his name mentioned with the greatest fighters of all time. In 2010, he began boxing under his current trainer, Abel Sanchez, in Big Bear, California. Sanchez immediately saw a diamond from that coal town in Kazakhstan, and they went to work together.
“Abel has helped me develop the style I have now,” Golovkin says about his punching prowess. “He always focused on making exciting fights and putting pressure on opponents. It has worked well between us. The results have been a lot of knockouts in the ring.”
Those knockouts have become a must-see for every fight fan.
Though he has dispatched several contenders early and somewhat easily, he still feels he has a lot more to prove.
“Abel has helped me develop the style I have now,” Golovkin says about his punching prowess. “He always focused on making exciting fights and putting pressure on opponents. It has worked well between us. The results have been a lot of knockouts in the ring.”
Those knockouts have become a must-see for every fight fan.
Though he has dispatched several contenders early and somewhat easily, he still feels he has a lot more to prove.
“I am in the prime of my career,” Golovkin says. “I still have a lot more to show people in the sport. For me, my priority is to unify the middleweight championship. I need to know who the best middleweight in the world is. I like it the old school way, when there was only one champion and everyone knew who he was.”
He prefers to stay busy training and fight four times a year ...there are still fights to be waged. The truth of who deserves be the middleweight division’s undisputed champion needs to be resolved. And then, Golovkin can truly rest.
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