Despite a pair of impressive-looking wins this year, Gennady Golovkin doesn't scare Matthew Macklin, who feels that the reigning WBA middleweight titlist has yet to face someone of real top quality.
"I think he's very strong, physically. I think it's important not to underestimate his skill and technical ability; he wouldn't have achieved what he did in the amateurs if he wasn't a good technical boxer as well. He's a good judge of distance, good timing, he's got a good variety of punches, nice uppercuts, good hooks, very good jab. There's a lot of strengths, not so many weakness, certainly nothing to exploit so far but you know he hasn't fought anyone. Boxing is all about levels, isn't it? And he hasn't fought anyone on my level, so I wouldn't have expected anything to be really exploited when you look at the calibre of opponent he's fought."
... "I can't say he doesn't do this well or that well. It's more a case of he looked brilliant but he looked brilliant against B-level at best opposition. So let's see how he goes now with me, it'll be a different kettle of fish."
Macklin (29-4, 20 KO) is 0-2 in world title fights, falling against Sergio Martinez and Felix Sturm, though the latter was certainly a controversial decision in Germany, which many felt Macklin deserved to win. And Golovkin's wins this year over Gabe Rosado and Nobuhiro Ishida, while impressive to watch in their thorough dominance, certainly don't automatically mean he'll dominate a tough, strong, full-fledged middleweight like Macklin. He might, because he's really, really good, but he really doesn't have any experience against someone as well-regarded as Macklin. That's just a fact.
Will Macklin provide a real challenge, even if he loses? Or will GGG keep rolling?