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IBF middleweight champion Gennadiy Golovkin 41-1-1 (36) has brushed off questions about his age ahead of his unification bout against WBA boss Ryota Murata 16-2 (13) at the Super Arena in Saitama, Japan tonight.
The Kazakh turned 40 yesterday but so far has shown no signs of slowing down.
“There are advantages and drawbacks that come with age,” Golovkin said to Sky Sports. “I see all the changes as positive. I get smarter, I get more experienced and age gives me an additional edge.
“Time flies and the older you get the faster it goes. I continue to stick to my traditional training approach and when we get in the ring, we’ll see the results.
“I wouldn’t point out any particular goal that I’m still trying to achieve. I’ve achieved a lot and learned a lot during my career. I feel very comfortable in my current position.
“I’ve been in boxing pretty much throughout my entire life. I feel in top form and if there is demand, if there are interesting offers, you’ll continue to see me in the ring.
“It is going to be a top-class fight and of course this is the fight that warrants fans’ attention, to say the least.
“Both fighters are power-punchers, both fighters are dangerous and I would say it’s totally unpredictable how it might play out.”
Victory over Murata is expected to lead to a third fight for Golovkin with Mexican superstar and undisputed super middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 57-1-2 (39) in September.
Golovkin is yet to secure a win over Alvarez, with a hotly disputed split draw in their first fight in 2017 and a majority decision loss in their rematch in 2018.
The 31-year-old Alvarez is set to make a hit-and-run mission to light heavyweight where he will take on WBA champion Dimitry Bivol 19-0 (11) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 7.
Alvarez has recently said he sees the trilogy bout against Golovkin as personal.
“I just like to get in the ring – against whom, this is secondary to me,” Golovkin said.
“The comment that he’s taking it personal, if he has some personal ambitions, he should have been looking for this fight to take place much earlier, not disappear, not go in different directions.
“Now to say that it’s personal, I would say those sordid remarks are misplaced.”
Golovkin insists he won the first two bouts against Alvarez, which took place at the 160-pound middleweight limit. The trilogy bout would be Golovkin’s first proper foray in the 168-pound super middleweight division.
“I think it is the biggest fight that is feasible,” Golovkin said to ESPN. “I thought I won the first two, so winning the third would be the same to me.
“Nothing would change for me. The reason I think it is a big fight is because we have already given the fans two fantastic fights.
“Many people from around the world watched them. The fans know what to expect and I think they want to see more of what we gave them the first two times.
“That is a question that will be answered on the night of the fight. Even two pounds can affect a fighter in a good way or a bad way.”
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