Gennady Golovkin says Kell Brook fight will be biggest test of his career

Gennady Golovkin is ready to quiet all of the critics who claim that he has yet to face a quality fighter in his professional career.

Golovkin (35-0, 32 KOs) held a press conference on Thursday with current IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook (36-0, 25 KOs) to officially announce their September 10 bout at the O2 Arena in London. The Kazakh superstar wasn’t hesitant to admit that this clash of undefeateds will be the toughest test of his entire career.

“I know it will be an amazing atmosphere with huge fans – true fans – and it is the biggest test for us,” Golovkin said via Adam Smith and Andy Charles of Sky Sports. “I respect Kell – he is a man and he is a true fighter.

“This is the biggest test for me,” Golovkin continued. “[Brook] is the same height as me and he’s a big guy. I saw a couple of his fights and he is a strong guy, the best fighter in his division.”

Golovkin is perhaps the most feared man in the sport today as his aggressive, all-around fighting style has earned him a reputation as arguably the top pound-for-pound boxer in the world. Nicknamed “GGG,” Golovkin is fresh off a second-round knockout victory over Dominic Wade in April. Though the opponents Golovkin has beaten over the years haven’t had the greatest name recognition, that doesn’t take anything away from his greatness as a fighter, and he is eager for the opportunity to prove that he is truly elite.

But it won’t be an easy task against Brook, who will be moving up in weight to challenge for Golovkin’s unified middleweight title. Brook is himself coming off a dominant TKO win over Kevin Bizier in March and is similarly looking for a signature victory against a marquee fighter to legitimize himself in the eyes of boxing society. A powerful puncher with excellent technical ability and some vicious counters, Brook definitely does not seem like the type to get demolished in the early rounds like many of Golovkin’s recent opponents.

Many will look ahead to Golovkin’s (presumably) inevitable bout with Canelo Alvarez (a fight reportedly on hold until at least Fall 2017 thanks to various negotiating hurdles such as weight and money) as the real box office event. But don’t sleep on GGG-Brook in September, which should be an entertaining, competitive affair for all parties involved.

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