The more I have thought about this, the more I have seen so many parallels between GGG and Marvelous Marvin.

Both guys started their careers as 'outsiders', they were not from established boxing heartlands. Hagler was from Brockton and he relocated to New Jersey, well outside the main US boxing cradles of Philadelphia, Detroit etc.

In the smaller, more connected world 30 years later, Golovkin emerged from Kazakhstan (not Mexico, Britain or even Ukraine). GGG has had to build a foreign fan base, as PPV and earnings will not come from his homeland.

Joe Frazier said to Hagler early in his career "You've got three strikes against you, kid. You're black, you're a southpaw and you're good". Very true words in the 1970's, which led to Marvin fighting for years in small halls, at short notice and against hometown fighters. He didn't get a title shot until something like his 50th fight .... a near impossible statistic nowadays and even highly unusual back then. He fought very accomplished and dangerous fighters multiple times such as Bennie Briscoe, Boogaloo Watts and Kevin Finnegan. He was unquestionably one of the most avoided fighters in the world for several years prior to eventually getting his shot.

He was harshly treated in his fight with Antuofermo,which was adjudged a draw. When he cut Alan Minter to ribbons in front of his home fans, he didn't get the respect and recognition that he thought he deserved. In fact, it wasnt until his 10th defence against Tommy Hearns that recognition and status were forthcoming, and he was already just passing his prime by then.

GGG left his family behind and spent several years in Germany mowing down opponents unnoticed. It wasn't until he moved to America that he began to get rankings. His gym performances made sure he was avoided by the big names for as long as they could get away with it. He had three strikes against him, as Smokin Joe might have said: "he was from Kazakhstan with no fan base, he hardly spoke English, and he was good".

When he won the WBA middleweight title, he too made several defences invisible to the wider boxing public. It was seen as a 'minor' title as the WBA has their usual inexplicable Super champion who studiously avoided getting anywhere near GGG. He also made 10 defences before unifying and getting some long overdue recognition and larger purses.

Both guys had many things in common inside the ropes too. Granite chins that come along once in a generation, crushing power and in intimidating ring presence which hid extremely rounded and underrated boxing skills.

Both fighters then secured what they saw as their real big earner. A fight against the biggest draw in the sport, the golden boy backed by the biggest promoter and the biggest TV deal, moreover it was against a slick boxer from a lower weight division.

Ray Leonard had received more money for his professional debut than Hagler earned in his first 40 fights. He had the adulation, crossover appeal and the money that Hagler never had. Ray had been carefully steered to world title glory and had a history of making sure that he negotiated all the advantages in his favour. Hagler, the long reigning undisputed middleweight champion took the short end of the purse, wasnt the A side ....... and saw him lose a very very controversial decision.

Sound familiar?

GGG has again taken the short end of the purse, has again not been seen as the A Side, is coming off a controversial draw and is now comfortably past his physical prime.

Like Ray, Canelo is a very good fighter indeed. Unlike Ray, Canelo is young enough that he will be seen as the cash cow of the future. Does GGG believe that he has to conclusively KO Alvarez to have any chance of winning? What would have happened had Leonard granted an ageing Hagler a rematch a year later?

Does Canelo leave a permanent stain on GGGs legacy, does Golovkin get his revenge for the patently ridiculous Adalaide Byrd scorecard? Will the end of the fight be controversial again, do we get a third instalment?

All will be clear by tomorrow, but there are so many parallels with Marvelous Marvin Hagler, and so many cards once again stacked against GGG ....... that I wonder?