20 little-known facts about Gennady Golovkin

10. Daniel Jacobs ended Golovkin’s 23-fight knockout streak

Although Daniel Jacobs has excellent amateur pedigree, possesses genuine knockout power and is a gifted athlete, few gave him a serious chance against Gennady Golovkin thanks to a supposedly suspect chin. And when Golovkin dropped Jacobs in round four of their middleweight title fight, the script, despite a somewhat sluggish start from Golovkin, appeared to be playing out in a relatively predictable, preordained fashion.

Jacobs utilized movement and flashy combination punching in spots to stymie Golovkin’s typically fluid offense. While the final verdict, a Golovkin unanimous decision via scores of 114-113 and 115-112 (twice), seemed a tad too narrow, the bout was undeniably competitive and a credit to the skills of both combatants. That said, a major post-fight debate loomed: Had Jacobs produced a heroic performance in defeat, or had Golovkin lost a step?

Had Jacobs won his share of rounds but been stopped, the arguments following this fight would have been far tamer. However, because Jacobs ended Golovkin’s 23-fight knockout streak, the Kazakh’s struggles were magnified. All of a sudden, Golovkin proving he could go 12 brisk rounds in a championship fight and the manner in which he out-jabbed Jacobs were conveniently ignored.

Although the Jacobs fight is relatively fresh, it’s worth mentioning here because of how that performance has influenced the conversation surrounding Canelo-Golovkin. When Golovkin fighting Canelo was first seriously considered, few gave the Mexican a shot; now, the match is viewed as the best fight in boxing thanks to the ascending Canelo perhaps catching Golovkin on the slightest of downward arcs. Regardless, September 16 should reveal exactly what the Jacobs fight meant for Golovkin.