Gennady Golovkin, the next big thing

— -- The refrain from many top fighters, and their handlers, typically was the same, and it went something like this: Fight Gennady Golovkin? For what? He doesn't bring anything to the table so it's not worth it.

Of course, they all know the kind of danger that Golovkin, he of the wrecking ball power and 20 consecutive knockouts, presents. So why tangle with a beast if the money is not huge?

But no opponent, not even the winner of the HBO PPV fight on Nov. 21 between middleweight champion Miguel Cotto and former junior middleweight titlist Canelo Alvarez, can say that anymore.

Since coming to the United States to fight regularly in 2012, Golovkin (33-0, 30 KOs) has seen his HBO ratings increase fight after fight. Golovkin, who was born in Kazakhstan and relocated to Germany for a while, settled in Los Angeles earlier this year.

His popularity has mushroomed to the point that rather than fight on an undercard at Madison Square Garden Theater in New York, as he once did in 2013 in his second fight in the United States, or even headline in that smaller arena as he did later in 2013, he has moved into the main arena -- and he drew a strong crowd for his fight with former titlist Daniel Geale last year.

Golovkin then sold out the StubHub Center in Carson, California, where temporary seats were added to accommodate the intense interest, for his fight with Marco Antonio Rubio in October 2014.

In May, Golovkin drew an electric, near-sellout crowd to The Forum in Inglewood, California, to see him fight Willie Monroe Jr., who was given almost no shot to even be competitive. Golovkin dominated in a sixth-round knockout victory.

And now Golovkin, who has defended his 160-pound world title 14 times (tied for second-most in division history) is crossing over even more, making his debut in a national Apple Watch television commercial during last week's Monday Night Football game on ESPN.

It is that kind of potential mainstream appeal, thanks to the excitement he brings to the ring and his likable personality outside of it, that has Golovkin on the edge of huge things. It is the reason Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions, Golovkin's promoter, and HBO, which has GGG under exclusive contract, decided it was time to see what he could do on pay-per-view, where he will make his debut in a world title unification fight against powerful Montreal slugger David Lemieux (34-2, 31 KOs) -- the rare top fighter who asked to fight Golovkin -- on Saturday night (HBO PPV, 9 p.m. ET) at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Boxing, after all, is looking for its next big box-office star in the wake of the retirement of Floyd Mayweather and the expected retirement of Manny Pacquiao in the coming year.