GENNADY GOLOVKIN recently shocked fans after claiming he could ‘seize’ his chance to ‘legally kill a person in the ring’.
The IBF middleweight champion was responding to Oscar De La Hoya’s claims he could easily beat GGG if he returned to the ring.
Gennady Golovkin issued a grave warning to Oscar De La Hoya earlier this weekCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And the Kazakhstan knockout specialist failed to hold back as he laid into the 1992 Olympic gold medallist in comments he may live to regret.
Here SunSport takes a look at some of the most controversial moments in boxing.
Mike Tyson’s ‘eat your children’ jibe
Truly the Baddest Man on the Planet, Tyson, 57, is no stranger to finding himself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
His biting of Evander Holyfield’s ear could easily feature in this list, however it doesn’t come close to his remark in 2000 where he declared he wanted to eat Lennox Lewis’ children.
In a statement he has since apologised for, Iron Mike went into a rant at the British star following his first round KO victory against Lou Savarese.
Speaking after the fight, he said: “I’m the best ever. I’m the most brutal and vicious and ruthless champions that’s ever been. There’s no one can stop me. Lennox is a conqueror?
“No, I’m Alexander. He’s no Alexander. I’m the best ever. There’s never been anybody as ruthless. I’m Sonny Liston. I’m Jack Dempsey. There’s no one like me, I’m from their cloth.
“There’s no one that can match me. My style is impetuous. My defense is impregnable, and I’m just ferocious. I want your heart, I want to eat his children.”
Tyson eventually faced his rival in 2002, with Lewis knocking the heavyweight out in the eighth round.
Mike Tyson bizarrely stated he wanted to eat Lennox Lewis’s children after beating Lou SavareseCredit: Rex Features
Mike Tyson’s incredible bodyweight workout routine
Gennady Golovkin on Oscar De La Hoya
Speaking ahead of his IBF defence against Kamil Szeremeta on Friday in Florida, the 38-year-old issued a deadly threat to De La Hoya should the pair face each other.
He told AFP: “You know Oscar, you know how dirty his mouth is. Everything involving Gennady Golovkin for him is a nightmare.
“He can say whatever. But let me put it this way – If I got an opportunity to legally kill a person in the ring, I might seize it.”
Often a composed character out of the ring, his comments have not gone down well with boxing fans who have urged governing bodies to fine him.
Gennady Golovkin defends his IBF middleweight belt against Kamil Szeremeta on Friday
Deontay Wilder’s ‘body on my record’ remark
The Bronze Bomber went one step further than GGG in 2018 as he stated he wishes to have killed somebody in the ring before he retires from the sport.
Wilder, 35, made the distressing comments just one month after English boxer Scott Westgarth tragically died from boxing-related injuries.
Speaking on the Breakfast Club radio show, Wilder said: “I want a body on my record. I want one. I want one, I really do. That’s the Bronze Bomber, he wants one.”
Before adding: “I thought I had one time with [Artur] Szpilka because he wasn’t breathing when he hit the canvas. Somebody is going to go.
“I want that on my record, because when I’m in that state on mind, like I ain’t myself.”
Deontay Wilder shocked fans after stating he wants a ‘body on his record’Credit: Getty – Contributor
Muhammad Ali loses boxing license
The legendary boxer had his boxing license by the New York State Athletic Commission revoked in 1967 for refusing to be drafted into the Vietnam War.
Other boxing commissions soon followed suit, resulting in the American great not fighting for over three years.
The People’s Champion was also found guilty of draft evasion and was sentenced to five years in prison, though he stayed out of jail after appealing his decision to the Supreme Court.
He finally returned in October 1970 after being granted a license to fight by the City of Atlanta Athletic Commission.
Ali regained the world heavyweight title after beating George Foreman in 1974 – seven years after being stripped of his titles.
Muhammad Ali was controversially stripped of his world title in 1967 after refusing to fight in the Vietnam War
Roy Jones Jr loses Seoul 1988 Olympic final
The American fought South Korea’s Park Si-Hun in the final for the light-middleweight gold medal.
Jones Jr out-punched his opponent by 86-32, however judges disgracefully awarded the victory to Park in arguably the most shocking decision to date.
Two of the three judges that voted for Park in his 3-2 decision win were subsequently banned for life following the result.
One of the judges later stated that he gave Park the win to appease the South Korean spectators.
Park, 54, recently stated how he wished he would have won the silver medal as he insisted Jones Jr won the fight.
He said: “I didn’t want my hand to be raised but it did go up, and my life became gloomy because of that.
“A boxer just knows whether he had won or lost a match. I thought I lost because I didn’t put up a fight deserving of a win.
“I keep thinking how my life would have been happier had I finished second. A gold medal is important, but isn’t any Olympic medal satisfying and glorious?”
Roy Jones Jr (right) was robbed of winning the light-middleweight gold medal in the 1988 OlympicsCredit: AP:Associated Press
Jake LaMotta takes dive for the Mafia
The former middleweight king – who was played by Robert De Niro in the 19080 biopic Raging Bull – was involved in a highly controversial fight in 1947.
LaMotta agreed to be knocked out in his fight against Billy Fox in order to guarantee himself a world title shot in the future.
He eventually secured his shot at the title in 1949 where he beat France’s Marcel Cerdan in Detroit, Michigan.
The obvious fix was investigated by the FBI years later, with LaMotta himself confirming he had thrown the bout.
Speaking of his decision in 2007, he said: “I regretted it the rest of my life.
“But it happened, and I had a good reason for it. All I wanted to do was become a champion. I wanted a shot at the title, and I finally did after I did what I did. ”
Jake Lamotta (left) beat Marcel Cerdan in 1949 to win the world middleweight titleCredit: AP:Associated Press
SunSport’s pound for pound top ten
Antonio Margarito’s tampered hand wraps
The 42-year-old was banned for a year in 2009 when his opponent Shane Mosley’s trainer Naazim Richardson noticed a powdery substance on his hand wraps.
After he brought this to the attention of officials, Margarito was made to have his hand wrapped three times.
It later emerged that the substance Margarito had used was plaster of Paris – which hardens when it becomes wet.
This would have made his hand wraps to be the equivalent of a cast due to sweat and moisture.
Margarito – who eventually lost his WBA welterweight title to Mosley – has had his 2008 victory over Miguel Cotto questioned as a result along with a number of other victories.
Antonio Margarito (right) lost his 2009 fight against Shane MosleyCredit: AP:Associated Press
Oscar De La Hoya reveals his intentions to return to the ring in early 2021 More
