If the build-up to one of boxing’s much-anticipated trilogies in recent memory has been fuelled by uncharacteristically intensified trash talk from Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, then it doesn’t seem to have landed too cleanly on its intended target.
If at all.
“To be honest, I do not think about anything Canelo says,” Gennady Golovkin tells The National from his US base, ahead of this weekend’s blockbuster third skirmish with Alvarez in Las Vegas.
“If this fight was so ‘personal’ to him, why did he wait four years for it? Maybe he is trying to be like a promoter and sell the fight. Maybe he is just trying to motivate himself. Maybe he is looking for attention."
For sure, Saturday night’s fight – Sunday morning UAE – need not scramble for additional interest. As Golovkin highlights, it is four years in the making, the closing chapter to two closely contested and controversially concluded bouts.
In 2017, the pair fought to a split draw – many thought Golovkin edged it, although one judge scored it wildly in Alvarez’s favour – while the rematch a year later went to the Mexican narrowly on points. It remains Golovkin’s sole loss in 44 professional bouts. Understandably, it is a defeat he still disputes.
Golovkin, now 40, has fought only four times in as many years since; in April, he stopped home hope Ryota Murata in Japan to add the WBA middleweight crown to his IBF belt.
Given the protracted period between Canelo 2 and Canelo 3 – the trilogy has been long talked about, and Golovkin will this time move up from 160 lbs to 168 – the Kazakhstan star would be right to feel extra flames in the fire.
Or maybe not.
“My motivation for this fight is the same for every fight I have: to perform at my highest level and to win,” Golovkin says. “I love boxing and I love the competition.
“It is so cool to still be in demand by the fans, who want to see me in the ring. This is a big fight for boxing fans and the sport, and I am very happy that, after four years, they are finally going to see the fight they have wanted for so long. I am ready to respond to the challenge.”
Clearly, that challenge is formidable. Alvarez is methodical but menacing, a destructive presence in the ring and the sport’s plumpest cash cow outside it. Remarkably, he is only 32 but has 61 pro fights. In the past year Alvarez has held all four belts at super-middleweight. He sits as boxing’s pound-for-pound king.
The points defeat to unbeaten WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol in May, after taking a sizeable risk to jump up another division, was only Alvarez’s second pro loss (the other coming via Floyd Mayweather in 2013).
He has been blunt and increasingly brash in the lead-up to this week, the enmity with Golovkin apparently real. He’s coming to "destroy" Golovkin, he says, intent on sending him into retirement. That it’s "personal".
Again, though, Golovkin seems unperturbed.
“I expect Canelo to take this fight very seriously,” he says. “I have no doubt he worked hard in training camp, and I know it will be a difficult fight."
Of course, Golovkin acknowledges he is both a different person and pugilist to the last time he faced Alvarez. A significant amount of time has passed, a considerable chunk of it rotted by forced inactivity.
“Like everyone, I was affected by the pandemic,” Golovkin says. “There was so much suffering on a global level. How can you not be changed by that?
“But if you mean on a boxing level, I think I am a little older and a little wiser. The four fights since the second fight with Canelo gave me opportunities to regain the IBF and WBA middleweight titles, becoming a unified champion again, while breaking the division record for title defences.
“I am a different fighter because, at age 40, I have acquired more training knowledge with Johnathon Banks and ring experience which I know has benefited me greatly."
The relationship with lead trainer Johnathon Banks is considered key. They teamed up in 2019 and together have masterminded the four victories since. Now they believe they have the game-plan to overcome Alvarez.
“I have to seize control of the fight on a round-by-round basis,” Golovkin says. “I have developed a lot of new weapons and tactics training with Johnathon.
“The fact that I am fully prepared for this fight at age 40 is a tribute to Johnathon. It has been one of my best training camps. We have the strategy and the arsenal to take the battle to Canelo."
And, the domination by Bivol – admittedly, the size difference was stark – may have shone light on chinks in the Alvarez armoury.
"I think Canelo's loss to Bivol brought him back to Earth,” Golovkin says. “It was a good dose of reality. If Canelo is capable of looking at that fight honestly, he should be able to learn from it and improve. I am sure he is training very hard for our fight."
Naturally, whoever emerges victorious at T-Mobile Arena will undoubtedly see their standing within the sport scale new heights. Although Golovkin, who claimed his first title in 2010 and has knocked out 37 of his 42 vanquished opponents, considers his legacy already secure.
Nevertheless, he targets revenge in the ring for two standout bouts he believes he won.
"I want to win it very badly,” Golovkin says. “But I do not think the result will have any influence on my legacy in boxing. My whole body of work in boxing is bigger than one fight.
“I have been world middleweight champion every year since 2010. To be a world champion that long and at the same weight takes a lot of discipline and hard work. I hold the middleweight division record for total title defences and consecutive title defences, and I am in the Guinness Book of Records for the highest knockout-percentage as a middleweight.
“I have done this by fighting around the world, in some of the most iconic arenas. I am very proud of what I have accomplished."
Yet surely another mighty display would amplify the acclaim already afforded to Golovkin across the past decade or more. Either way, he predicts one more “big drama show” in Vegas.
“We both have power, and we know how to use it,” Golovkin says. “It is rare to see a trilogy in boxing. If there is a trilogy, it is because the first two fights were so good and the fighters are in demand; the fans want to see them fight again.
“This is the biggest fight in boxing and certainly the biggest fight of our trilogy. I believe it will also be the best fight of the three. The first two fights were exciting - I am sure this one will be too.”
The%20specs
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The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
More on animal trafficking
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
The biog
Marital status: Separated with two young daughters
Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo
Favourite book: That Is How They Defeat Despair by Salwa Aladian
Favourite Motto: Their happiness is your happiness
Goal: For Nefsy to become his legacy long after he is gon
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Five ways to get fit like Craig David (we tried for seven but ran out of time)
Start the week as you mean to go on. So get your training on strong on a Monday.
Train hard, but don’t take it all so seriously that it gets to the point where you’re not having fun and enjoying your friends and your family and going out for nice meals and doing that stuff.
Think about what you’re training or eating a certain way for — don’t, for example, get a six-pack to impress somebody else or lose weight to conform to society’s norms. It’s all nonsense.
Get your priorities right.
And last but not least, you should always, always chill on Sundays.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
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THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
UJDA CHAMAN
Produced: Panorama Studios International
Directed: Abhishek Pathak
Cast: Sunny Singh, Maanvi Gagroo, Grusha Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla
Rating: 3.5 /5 stars
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
MATCH INFO
Bangla Tigers 108-5 (10 ovs)
Ingram 37, Rossouw 26, Pretorius 2-10
Deccan Gladiators 109-4 (9.5 ovs)
Watson 41, Devcich 27, Wiese 2-15
Gladiators win by six wickets
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
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