Golovkin (33-0-0, 30 KOs) is known for dispatching his opponents with his very accurate and power-packed body (liver) shots that usually lead to stoppage in the early rounds.
A power punch or shot to the right side of the rib can be excruciatingly painful and could immediately incapacitate an opponent in boxing or in other combat sports which usually leads to fight stoppage.
Golovkin has won many of his fights using body shots. This happens when he sees his opponent in pain following a power punch to the liver. Soon after, he follows up with a series of power shots that usually land on target because the opponent cannot put up a good defense as he struggles with the pain caused by the liver shot.
Golovkin could be one of the few boxers who seems to have gained the mastery of executing accurate body or liver shots and if he finds Lemieux a good target for an unobstructed liver shot, he would surely go for it.
Typical of Golovkin’s accurate body shot was his fight against Matthew Macklin in 2013 which ended in the third round when he caught Macklin with a devastating liver shot.
“Without a shadow of a doubt he’s the best I’ve fought,” Macklin said of Golovkin. “He was patient, he was hard to hit clean. Every shot is hard, even his jab. I was so preoccupied with the punches upstairs that he got me downstairs,” Macklin said after the fight. To view the fight, click here.
Another victory by Golovkin using body shots was against Martin Murray in their fight last February in Monaco. It was Golovkin’s only fight that almost gone the distance but it was won via a power punch on the liver side of Murray. View video here.
Lemieux (34-2-0, 31 KOs) should be expecting that Golovkin will once again go for a liver shot which is now his expertise having used it against many of his opponents.
If Lemieux hasn’t found a good defensive stance to neutralize Golovkin’s body shots on Saturday, he could be out for a quick exit from the Madison Square Garden.
Lemieux’s punching accuracy is not as good as Golovkin’s, but he is a power puncher and if he can land a series of unobstructed power shots, he could pull off an upset win and give Goloivkin his first loss in his pro career.
