Boxing breakdown: Gennady Golovkin vs Kell Brook

This Saturday afternoon, HBO presents the first fight in a big day of boxing as Gennady Golovkin (35-0; 32 KO) faces Kell Brook (36-0; 25 KO) in a 12 round Middleweight (160 lb.) fight. Ring Magazine has GGG as the #1 contender in the division, #3 pound for pound. Brook is stepping up in weight here – he’s #1 at Welterweight (147). HBO World Championship Boxing Golovkin vs. Brook airs live this Saturday, September 10 on HBO with a special afternoon fight time of 5:30 p.m. ET.

This is a strange kind of fight where the stats don’t really tell the story. On paper, this is one undefeated world champion stepping up to challenge another undefeated world champion. Both are ranked at the very top of their divisions, and the man stepping up will be fighting in front of a highly partisan and rowdy hometown crowd. So what’s not to love? The trouble here is twofold – one, this is not the fight anyone wants to see happening right now (that would be Golovkin vs. Canelo Alvarez); two, no one thinks Brook has a prayer. Add those in, and this “on paper” fight gains a feeling of being something force-fed to us – and a lacking substitute for the real main course.

How do these two stack up?

Golovkin: 34 years old | 5’10” | 70″ reach | orthodox stanceBrook: 30 years old | 5’9″ | 69″ reach | orthodox stance

What have these two done recently?

Golovkin: W – Dominic Wade (KO) | W – David Lemieux (KO) | W – Willie Monroe Jr. …

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