Canelo vs. GGG: 5 keys for Gennady Golovkin

3. Don’t let Canelo get comfortable in the pocket

Those thinking that Canelo Alvarez has narrowed the gap in overall skills and technical ability with Gennady Golovkin make a valid point, but it’s also worth noting that Canelo’s marked improvement has been on display, especially recently, against foes ideally suited to highlight the breadth of skills. Against a Liam Smith, Amir Khan or slightly diminished Miguel Cotto (let’s not get into Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.), Canelo could either catch and counter in the pocket or fight off the ropes with utter contempt for return fire (except against Cotto).

That said, Canelo’s ability to connect with counter uppercuts in-close, slip jabs and land his cross or set up his knockout of Khan with a steady diet of right hands to the body is impressive. And against Chavez, Canelo showed an admirable capacity to sit on the ropes and explode with combinations shortly after Chavez opened up.

What Gennady Golovkin can’t allow Canelo to do is sit comfortably in range and use his combination of evasive upper body movement and hand speed to land clean counters. To accomplish this, Golovkin can employ several aspects of his arsenal. As has been mentioned, working his jab exactly as he did against David Lemieux will be crucial, as will a consistent body attack. Golovkin can also crowd Canelo by subtly shifting stances and weight when he gets inside to create new avenues to the body for his left hand.

However, don’t expect Golovkin to wrestle or bully Canelo in the trenches. The Kazakh is too adept at keeping foes on the ends of his punches for such a crude approach, and he’s the more technically proficient boxer in this match-up. If there’s a warning sign to look for when it comes to Golovkin, though, it might be to note whether he consistently finds himself frozen for that split second as he gets close enough for Canelo to land. If he can stalk, jab, throw combinations and then reset distance with purpose, the Mexican might start to hesitate.