Gennady Golovkin Heating Up his Sparring for Rosado!

By Ken Hissner, Doghouse Boxing (Jan 7, 2013) Doghouse Boxing
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On January 19^th WBA and IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, 24-0 (21), of Kazakhstan, residing in Germany will defend his titles against Philadelphia’s “King” Gabe Rosado, 21-5 (13), the No. 15 WBA contender. Rosado is moving up from the No. 1 contender of the IBF light middleweight rankings to challenge Golovkin at Madison Square Garden.

Dhafir Smith has been in camp at Big Bear with Andre Ward and Lucian Bute among others and has a solid jab and a defense to make him a wanted sparring partner for numerous fighters when he isn’t continuing his own career. Up until Thursday he said he was doing fine sparring with Golovkin. He is a veteran of 56 fights and holds the PA light heavyweight title. He also has a win over former super middleweight champion Jeff Lacy. Joining Smith in came a little after he arrived was another Philadelphia boxer Farah Ennis, 20-1, who is a former NABF super middleweight champ and brother of Derek “Pooh” Ennis who was the last to defeat Rosado for the USBA light middleweight title.

After Ennis’ first day in camp as I am talking via phone with Smith I asked how Ennis did and in the background Ennis says “I got my ass kicked”. I understand he has been holding his own since while most of Golovkin’s past sparring partner don’t last but a short time. I received a returned e-mail from Golvkin’s mgr/agent Tom Loeffler after several weeks in camp saying Smith was doing well in camp. “He is what they say he is (heavy hitter). He can box and come forward strong,” said Ennis. Both Smith and Ennis talked with this writer Sunday from camp. “Golovkin and the rest of us play cards together and have plenty of laughs,” said Ennis. Maybe they should take a deck of cards into ring when sparring?

The call from Smith on Friday to me was “this is the toughest amp I have ever been in”! It seems the closer to fight time Golovkin is heating it up! He’s known to be one of the hardest punchers in boxing stopping 21 of his 24 opponents and having a more impressive amateur record of beating some of the best in the world. Only one boxer has gone past the eighth round with Golovkin and that was former IBF light middleweight champion Kassim Ouma who was stopped in the tenth. The three decision wins were all 8 round bouts. “The guy punches like a heavyweight,” said Smith. Even the 30 fight veteran from Philadelphia Lajuan Simon suffered his first stoppage loss in 2:17 of the first round a little over a year ago to Golovkin when he got hit by a left hook and couldn’t get up without assistance. Unbeaten light middleweight Tony Harrison is also in camp and will be on the card.

Rosado has some big supporters among the press in Philadelphia and though a light middleweight has an upper body of a light heavyweight. Since Rosado’s last loss in 2010 to Ennis he has won 7 straight and 5 by stoppage. His promoter J Russell Peltz feels this is a great opportunity for Rosado since a title bout with K9 Bundrage for his IBF title couldn’t be arranged. Another 10 days in camp and Golovkin and Rosado will be meeting. Look for fireworks!
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