Ring Observer Boxing by Scoop Malinowski
By Scoop Malinowski
Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez are struggling to find a fair deal to make their rematch a reality.
Alvarez wants his 65-35% split, which Golovkin agreed to for the original rematch contract which was canceled due to Alvarez’s double positive tests for using the illegal Clenbuterol performance-enhancing drug.
Now Golovkin, the dominant, record-breaking middleweight champion feels he deserves better than 65-35. The unbeaten champion from Kazakhstan wants 50-50 with Canelo, just like Joe Frazier and George Foreman were compensated for their fights with Muhammad Ali.
Alvarez and his promoter Oscar De La Hoya are adamant about 65-35 and are threatening to move on to another opponent. Golovkin too is considering other options against the likes of Billy Joe Saunders.
But the biggest money fight out there by far in the middleweight division – and the most appealing – is the rematch of Golovkin vs Canelo.
So there must be some way to compromise the situation.
We will explore such options:
65% to the winner, 35% to the loser. This would be fair if both combatants were supremely confident, however Alvarez has shown many examples of stalling, ducking, dishonesty, and excuse making to ever be considered capable of agreeing to such a compromise. And he has a signed rematch contract (expired) with Golovkin accepting 35%. So why would be give back any inches when he has the leverage and time on his side?
50-30-20. 50% to the winner, 30 to the loser and the 20% balance to the winner. Canelo could get 70% if he wins and GGG would get 50% if he wins.
Winner take ALL. I doubt we will ever see this option ever happen in pro boxing, in this day and age of businessmen and smart business decisions. But the “winner take all” proposal has been offered by a high profile fighter in the past. Most recently, Rock Newman offered Frank Maloney a winner take all option for Riddick Bowe vs Lennox Lewis back in the 1990s, as revealed in Ken Gorman’s book “Lennox Lewis Champion.” Newman faxed the offer to Maloney who said he would discuss the idea with Lennox who immediately said “Yes.” When Maloney relayed their decision to Newman, Maloney said he never heard a word back from the Bowe camp about the proposal, which obviously was a bluff.
Lewis and Bowe never did fight as pros. (Lewis KOed Bowe in the 1988 Olympic gold medal final.)
And at this point, it looks rather bleak about Canelo and Golovkin agreeing on terms for their rematch. But never say never, and constant negotiating and pushing can work to achieve the desired result, which is to force Canelo and Golovkin to do it again.
