Upcoming Fight
Gennady Golovkin vs. Billy Joe Saunders
June 17, 2017
Madisson Square Garden, New York
Golovkin's Amateur Career
He was a scholarship holder with the Olympic Solidarity program since November 2002. At the 2003 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Bangkok, he won the gold medal beating future two-time champion Matvey Korobov (RUS) 19:10, Andy Lee (29:9), Lucian Bute (stoppage), Yordanis Despaigne in the semi-finals (29:26) and Oleg Mahskin in the finals.
Martin Murray: "Everyone knows that Golovkin can punch, but I was surprised by his variety.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics he beat Ramadan Yasser Abdelghafar 31-20 and Andre Dirrell 23-18, lost to the Russian Gaydarbek Gaydarbekov 18-28 and won the silver medal. He qualified for the Athens Games by winning the gold medal at the 2004 Asian Amateur Boxing Championships in Puerto Princesa, Philippines. In the final he defeated home fighter Christopher Camat. At the world championships 2005 he sensationally lost to Mohamed Hikal. He finished his amateur career with an outstanding record of 345-5.