Gennady Golovkin-Kell Brook fight opens boxing-filled Saturday

You know that feeling you get when it’s the first Sunday of the NFL season? That’s the same feeling boxing fans will have Saturday morning.

The two best pound-for-pound fighters will be in action during a loaded doubleheader that extends from the West Coast to the far East Coast. Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (35-0, 32 knockouts) goes on the road to defend his middleweight belts against Englishman Kell Brook (36-0, 25 KOs) at the O2 Arena in London, airing at 2:30 p.m. on HBO.

The nightcap features Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (45-0, 38 KOs) moving up in weight to challenge WBC super flyweight champion Carlos Cuadras (35-0-1, 27 KOs) at The Forum in Inglewood, California. HBO will televise a replay of Golovkin-Brook after the Gonzalez-Cuadras bout.

For the hardcore boxing fans, the day is actually a tripleheader. HBO also will air the co-main event from The Forum, as Jesus Soto Karass and Yoshihiro Kamegai meet in a rematch after a split draw in April. If you didn’t see their fireworks in the first bout, do yourself a favor and YouTube it right now.

“We have four undefeated world champions with a combined record of 151-0-1 with 122 knockouts, live on HBO, not pay per view, in the United States,” said Tom Loeffler, who promotes Golovkin. “It’s really an outstanding tripleheader and the biggest day of international boxing this year.”

Fighting on the same day isn’t new for Golovkin and Gonzalez, who are often at the top of boxing pundits’ best pound-for-pound list. The boxer known for his initials “GGG” won’t be closing the show this time.

Gonzalez, the exciting Nicaraguan, is headlining his first HBO main event and will look to add his fourth division world title. Gonzalez wants to accomplish the feat to honor his mentor, Alexis Arguello, the Nicaraguan legend who died in 2009.

Arguello came up short in two attempts to win a belt in four weight classes, losing to junior welterweight Aaron Pryor in Miami in 1982 and at Caesars Palace in 1983.

“I dedicate this fight to my mentor, Alexis Arguello,” Gonzalez said. “I know how badly he wanted a fourth divisional championship, and I want to do this for him. I love fighting at The Forum. I feel very comfortable there knowing that Alexis had success there.”

For Golovkin, it wasn’t the fight he wanted after Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Billy Joe Saunders and Chris Eubank passed on facing the middleweight monster. Brook, regarded as one of the best welterweights, stepped up to the challenge by moving up two weight classes.

Golovkin has knocked out his past 22 opponents, but Brook could be his toughest opponent.

“Right now my focus is on Kell Brook, he signed the contract, and that’s who I’m ready to fight,” Golovkin said. “I have a great deal of respect for him.”

Brook has been spewing confidence this week, and stepped on the scale heavier than Golovkin during the Friday weigh-in. Brook weighed 159.4 pounds to Golovkin’s 158.8.

Should be an exciting Saturday in the ring.

VARGAS WANTS REVENGE

Las Vegan Jessie Vargas, the Mexican-American welterweight champion, grew up idolizing Mexican greats Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez.

The Mexican trio posted a 2-6-1 record against Manny Pacquiao. Vargas will get a chance to avenge the losses of his heroes when he meets Pacquiao on Nov. 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

“He’s the older fighter, I’m the younger fighter, the same position when he beat Morales and Barrera,” Vargas said.

“I feel they were past their primes. I watched them live. (Those fights) hurt me, they were my idols. I said to myself I’m going to be in that position once and I hope that (Pacquiao) is still fighting at that time.”

“This is not a movie that you (seek) revenge,” Pacquiao responded. “This is sports and do your job.”

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow on Twitter: @gmanzano24