Matt Korobov

There's been some talk on here over the past few days about Golovkin vs Chavez Jr. and it got me to thinking about Matvey Korobov

Like Golovkin, Korobov was a a superb amateur. He is a former two-time world amateur champion and finished his amateur career with a 300-12 record

I remember watching him fight a few years ago and being very impressed. Of course, his opponent that night, who's name escapes me, was nothing special. Nonetheless, this performance, coupled with his highly impressive amateur career, led me, at the time, to take quite an interest in his career.

Since then, however, Korobov hasn't really kicked on. He fought only once in 2012, and, although he boxed 4 times last year, his opposition was not stellar and he is still yet to schedule a fight for this year.

He is 31 now, a few months older than Golovkin, and seemingly missing his chance.

What are everyone's thoughts on Korobov? Does he still have it in him to make an impact at world level? Or is his undoubted talent destined to go unfulfilled?

I heard Bunce talking about him after a few Pro fights as a potential superstar given his amateur background but I can't say I ever remember seeing him fight as a Pro. I thought he was based in America with everything i place to let him push on so it's a bit surprising he's not really hit the big time yet.

I think I remember Angelo Dundee talking highly of him! High praise.

If it is the same guy I'm thinking of then the one fight I saw him in, he didn't look like he had much of an x factor about him, as he fairly easily outboxed and out worked and opponent. But this was a while ago and was the only time I've seen him, so judgement is very much reserved on my part.

Seen him a few times, not impressed at all.

John Bloody Wayne wrote:I think I remember Angelo Dundee talking highly of him! High praise.

If it is the same guy I'm thinking of then the one fight I saw him in, he didn't look like he had much of an x factor about him, as he fairly easily outboxed and out worked and opponent. But this was a while ago and was the only time I've seen him, so judgement is very much reserved on my part.

Interesting that you should mention that, JBW.

As I said, I watched him a fair few times after seeing him demolish an opponent on HBO. In that fight he looked immense! Near-perfect defence, timing, combination punching, and solid power. However, as mentioned, I followed a few more of his fights and, although he always looked talented and generally won his fights fairly comfortably, he looked a little more laboured and he never really sparkled like that again.

Maybe he lacked / lack focus, there was a little talk of him cutting corners in training. It's a shame, as, in my humble opinion at least, he looked to have all the tools to be a genuinely top fighter.

Saw him on the undercard of the Manny v Hatton fight and only recently realised it was him that I'd seen and not Golovkin. Looked very good (albeit against a clearly overmatched opponent) and remember the commentators (may have been Darke at the time) talking about him as the future of middleweight boxing.

I was wondering when i'd seen him fight SFW as I recognised the name, it must have been that same fight. Could be wrong but were they mentioning him as a top prospect alongside Jacobs who I think was also on the card?

That's right - remember seeing Jacobs for the first time that night.

I'd forgotten his name and somehow just assumed that it had been Golovkin that I'd seen as he was a hard hitting middlewweight from one of the former Soviet republics.