Willie Monroe Is Not A Joke

Monroe isn't just some guy they chose off the street.

Boxing writers can be snide. Really snide. And self-righteous. Inexcusably so. And testy. Man, they can be a testy, juvenile bunch. In other words, lots of boxing writers out there don't like being disagreed with. Not to offend anyone, but I may be in disagreement with some boxing writers right now.

For Willie Monroe, Gennady Golovkin's opponent this Saturday, is not a joke. I know, I know, he's just supposed to be red meat tossed of to the fearsome GGG for consumption, but I think he's more than that. This doesn't mean I think he's going to win. Chances are that Golovkin, who can cut off the ring better than any fighter I know, will catch his man and then go to work - and we all know what happens when Golovkin goes to work.

Still, those who roll their eyes at fighters who appear on ESPN might want to start watching boxing on ESPN. There's some talent there, believe it. And Monroe is a prime example of that talent. This guy is slick. Slick and illusive. He also possesses a nice right jab.

And while it's true he doesn't have the energy needed to be a great scientific fighter like Floyd Mayweather or Guillermo Rignodeaux, he does possess the speed, bounce and slickness to frustrate a great many men. Will Golovkin be one of those men? I actually suspect he will be - at least for a short time.

The question for Monroe now is whether or not he can keep GGG away for twelve straight rounds. That's no small task. That's a monumental task. Golovkin, after all, appears impervious so far to an opponent's speed and slickness. Still, Monroe has earned his chance and he can be expected to make the most of it.

Long story short - although it may be a bit much to predict a Monroe victory on Saturday, it may also be a bit much to write the man off entirely. After all, in boxing one never does know.