Golovkin eyes boxing jackpot in Vegas

LAS VEGAS –  Gennady Golovkin is undaunted by the challenge of fighting for the first time in Las Vegas and says defending his titles against Canelo Alvarez will be like going on a date with a “new girlfriend”.

Golovkin (37-0, 33 KOs), who holds the World Boxing Council, World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation middleweight belts, will face Mexico’s biggest boxing star Alvarez in a 12-round mega title fight on Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena.

“It is like you are going with your new girlfriend, Oh yeah,” said the 35-year-old from Kazakhstan, describing his excitement for the battle for middleweight supremacy.

Golovkin told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino that he will be ready for anything Alvarez throws at him.

“I bring my belts, all my belts. I feel like a champion. This is my game, this is my fight, I am boss.”

Nevertheless, Golovkin’s trainer, Abel Sanchez, says the majority of the crowd on Saturday night will be cheering for Alvarez.

“I expect the crowd to be pro Canelo. It is more for Canelo right now,” Sanchez said. “People are picking Canelo. That even motivates him (Golovkin) more.”

Golovkin has waited a long time to get his first fight on boxing’s biggest stage in the United States. He has fought in 22 cities and seven different countries but never in Sin City.

            (AFP)