Golovkin W12 Jacobs afterthoughts

Is Triple G losing some spunk in his step or was Jacobs as crafty as he appeared?

Granted, Jacobs didn't win the fight but snapping the murderous-punching Golovkin's 23-bout knockout streak and falling short of an upset by a round or two was certainly a major feather in his cap. So dominant and complete a fighter was Golovkin that he might have lost fewer rounds in his previous 16 title defenses combined than he did to Jacobs in this one fight.

Was it a matter of Golovkin losing half a step in his 35-year-old legs or was Jacobs just an exceptional fighter with sufficient savvy and ring IQ to derail Golovkin's penchant for having judges at ringside obsolete? Whatever the case, Jacobs managed to expose some chinks in Golovkin's armor, weaknesses that future big-name opponents the likes of Saul 'Canelo' Alvarev, Jermall Charlo and Billy Joe Saunders will be eager to exploit.

-- Golovkin is no counter puncher. Jacobs showed that if you're first to the punch, Golovkin will step back and reset rather than return fire immediately. Many of Jacobs' flurries were designed to impress the judges rather than inflict damage, much like they do in the amateurs. But they nevertheless stopped Golovkin in his tracks even though he caught most of the incoming fire on his gloves and arms.

-- He is troubled by fleet footwork. Golovkin can handle lateral movement as long as its only in one direction; he will chase you down, cut you off and chop you up regardless of whether you're moving east or west. But by consistently sidestepping and abruptly changing directions, Jacobs effectively foiled Golovkin's seek-and-destroy modus oenrandi.

-- Golovkin has proven equally adept at confronting orthodox and southpaw opponents alike with calculated yet uncompromising brutality, but he seemed confused and somewhat frustrated against a switch-hitter. Although Jacobs was virtually ineffective offensively as a southpaw, his alternating between stances seemed to throw Golovkin off his game.

But as problematic as Jacobs was, Golovkin still found a way to win, albeit barely. Facing the toughest challenge of his career, Golovkin dug deep into his body and soul to box, bang and bully his way to victory, which speaks volumes of his ability to overcome any adversity thrown his way.