Golovkin vs Brook: Martin Murray reflects on his brutal battle with 'Triple G'
Wednesday 7 September 2016 09:02, UK
Kell Brook will share the ring with Gennady Golovkin this Saturday night and we asked former opponents to reveal their own experiences of facing 'GGG'.
The IBF welterweight champion has climbed up two weight divisions to test his slick skills against the destructive fists of Golovkin at The O2, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Martin Murray lasted longer than all of Golovkin's 35 other opponents, extending the Kazakh into the 11th round before his brave challenge was mercifully waved off.
Brook will soon battle the most dangerous puncher in the sport and Murray has offered valuable insight into what lies ahead when the first bell rings...
What tactics do you think Kell Brook should use against GGG and can he defeat the Kazakh?
The only way to beat Golovkin is to try and push him back and come forward. Even so, I don't think there is anyone out there at middleweight who can do that. Kell needs to bring something different to the table and despite his distance, range and timing being world class, I can't see him winning.
Is Golovkin the complete fighter or does he have some weaknesses?
The only thing I noticed and I couldn't call it a chink but I just thought that the later the fight went on, he was starting to get a bit frustrated to get me out of there. I thought he was starting to panic a bit as there is a lot of pressure on him to go out there and stop every opponent emphatically. Other than that, he is very good at everything. His timing, range, distance, movement and speed are all first class.
Did the Kazakh surprise you in any way?
GGG opened me up like no one had ever done before and it takes someone very special to do that and he did it through his variety of shots.
Everyone knows that Golovkin can punch, but I was surprised by his variety. He opened me up like no one had ever done before and it takes someone very special to do that and he did it through his variety of shots. I just didn't know where a lot of the shots were coming from and I didn't even see the first shot that put me down.
How does his power and ability compare to other opponents you have faced?
George Groves can punch, don't get me wrong, but Golovkin definitely hits harder. With him it's maybe not every single shot, but those little shots and that variety I've talked about is where he has it. I remember in about round six, I took three consecutive left uppercuts on the inside and every single one of them hurt me.
When he hit me with the first I thought he'd go for the body next time, so I sort of went down to protect the body but he just did the same uppercut again and I just thought 'sugar, that's two on the bounce now and he's got to go for the body' but he just hit me with the third one exactly the same.
He's definitely the biggest puncher I've been in with but what makes him that hardest puncher is that non-stop, relentless pressure he has. He is on you all the time and doesn't give you a moment's peace.
When I fought the other world-class fighters, like Sergio Martinez, Felix Sturm, Arthur Abraham and then recently George Groves, they all give you time to think but Golovkin doesn't - that's the difference.
What shots should Kell Brook be wary of?
We all know he's got a big left-hook to the body so we did a lot of work leading up to that fight, to cover up that left side, making little steps to get out of the way or cushioning the blow and he didn't land it once. But what he did land was the right hook to the body, which I wasn't expecting. I thought he was going to land with the left but he couldn't so he pivoted onto the right - as I said out of sort of desperation - and he caught me and that changed the whole dynamic of the fight.
They say the shots you don't see are the ones that hurt and it was the uppercuts and especially that first right to the body that hurt me - I'd never been hit by a harder body shot in my life.
How do you prepare for such a titanic task?
Kell knows what he's up against and he's mentally prepared himself for so much more come fight night, but it's hard to ready yourself for that variety.
We knew about Golovkin's power and I was prepared for all sorts of pain and punishment once that first bell rang. I even remember thinking once it started that 'this is alright, I am going to manage his power' but it was the variety that did me more than that power. You just have to expect the unexpected.
Watch Gennady Golovkin v Kell Brook, live on Sky Sports Box Office from The O2, on September 10. Book the event via your Sky remote or online here.
