Gennady Golovkin is boxing's scariest fighter according to the men that he has left reeling during five years of world title fights.
The Kazakh defends his WBC interim middleweight title and the WBA version on Saturday at Madison Square Garden, in New York, against the IBF champion, David Lemieux. Golovkin, 33, won his first world title in 2010, has added belts and retained belts in a series of 15 world championship fights.
So far, he has stopped or knocked out all 15 of the men that have stood in front of him. His total record as a professional is 33 wins, no defeats and 30 fights have ended quickly.
"He is cold, calculating and does not waste any punches," said Matt Macklin, who was dropped with a sickening body shot in round three of a double world title fight in 2013. This Saturday Macklin, down at light-middleweight, returns to his hometown, Birmingham, with an eye on the world title at the weight below Golovkin.
Only one man has managed to extend Golovkin beyond eight rounds and that was Martin Murray, another British fighter, who survived until the 11th round in February of this year. It was hard to watch at times as Golovkin hurt Murray to head and body before the end.
"He cuts down the ring, lands with accuracy and does it without changing his expression," said Murray, who had failed on points in two previous attempts at the middleweight world title. Murray has moved up in weight and fights for the WBO super-middleweight title against Arthur Abraham on November 21 in Germany.
On Saturday night Golovkin is the main attraction -- his often anonymous apprenticeship is over and he is the new pay-per-view boy. So far, his 15 world titles fights have been in six different countries, but his nomadic ways are a thing of the past.
"It has not been easy to get the recognition," said Golovkin. "I have worked hard, done what I needed and kept on winning. I'm here now and ready for even bigger fights."
Lemieux is not a happy fall guy, not impressed with being considered the latest lamb for Golovkin to slaughter, and he enters the ring as the IBF champion. He also enters the ring having stopped or knocked out 31 of the 34 men that he has beaten. He is dangerous when hurt and he can operate from close, which has often been a blind side in Golovkin's defence. It's banger vs. banger, make no mistake.
Only Canada's Ian Gardner, who went the full eight rounds in 2008 -- the last year Golovkin was taken the distance -- has won more than two rounds in a fight against Golovkin, according to the judges. Gardner left boxing shortly after the loss.
Lemieux will be there, trapped by his own bravery and knowing that there is a chance his short left hook could do real damage; Lemieux knows that he will have lost the necessary power in the later rounds and that means he will have to stand and fight.
It's a risk but boxing is about risk -- last Saturday in Manchester, Terry Flanagan took the biggest risk of his career when he stood and traded with Las Vegan Diego Magdaleno; Flanagan won in two to keep his WBO lightweight title. It was the best win by a British boxer in a world title fight for a very, very long time.
Golovkin is in terrific form, arguably the best fighter in the world right now, but only a fool would believe that Lemieux is scared and that is what makes this fight just a little bit special.