Golovkin-Jacobs Aftermath: Confidence-booster for Canelo Alvarez?

The prospect of a massive middleweight showdown between Gennady Golovkin, 34, (37-0-0, 33 KOs) and Saul Canelo Alvarez, 26, (48-1-1, 34 KOs) has been around for quite some time already - and the fans are dying for it.  But as far as making the fight is concerned the proposed bout is probably now inching closer to the top of the list of fights in which the people involved had to move mountains in order for the fight to happen. The Golovkin camp places blame on Alvarez camp, claiming Alvarez has some fear issue when it comes to the idea of fighting the undisputed middleweight champion from Kazakhstan. The Mexican might finally face Golovkin seeing the recent outcome of the match between Gennady Golovkin and Daniel Jacobs.

While Saul Canelo Alvarez, current WBO light middleweight title owner, has already established a recognizable authority in weight spectrum ranging from welterweight to the middleweight divisions, Gennady Golovkin has the greater claim to dominance, in the middleweight division in particular. Golovkin is not simply beating people blocking his way, he crushes them. In the last 23 fights of Golovkin no one managed to survive to hear the final bell. Seventeen of those 23 fights were defences for his world titles.

In hindsight, the school of thought disseminating the idea the camp of the Mexican or Alvarez himself harbours fear of Golovkin, is probably right after all. At one time of last year, Golovkin became the mandatory challenger to Alvarez's WBC middle weight title. But Alvarez would claim his body was still requiring physical maturity in order to thrive in the heavier division, relinquishing his title in order to campaign anew at 154lbs. To the disappointment of the fans, Alvarez is now fighting fellow countryman Julio Caesar Chavez, Jr., on May 6, at a catchweight of 165 lbs, which is 5 lbs heavier that the 160 lbs he would be meeting Golovkin.  

But things probably have already changed in Canelo's camp upon seeing Daniel Jacobs gave  Golovkin a real run for his money at the Madison Square Garden last Saturday, March 18.  Aside from Golovkin seeing his 23-knockout streak came to an end, his aura of invincibility is also apparently gone. As a matter of fact not a few fight experts felt Jacob did enough to deserve the victory.  With this very recent change in the middleweight landscape, the possibility of Gennady Golovkin and Saul Canelo Alvarez finally facing each other in a massive middleweight encounter is now within realistic reach.