Unstoppable Gennady Golovkin produces boxing masterclass
The opening rounds were reminiscent of a Floyd Mayweather style rather than a Gennady Golovkin approach.
GGG began his bout with David Lemieux with a snappy left jab which prevented his opponent from getting into punching range in this unification fight at Madison Square Garden.
It was accurate, relentless and stinging. Lemieux had nothing to counteract the jab and in round four Golovkin became more spiteful.
Golovkin unleashed an array of shots but round five was when Lemieux found himself in ominous territory.
Following a brutal left hook to the body Lemieux took a knee to the canvas and the ruthless GGG punched the Canadian in the head despite already being down. Golovkin was fortunate to go unpunished.
The brave Lemieux rose from the floor but his night was about to get even worse.
After a closer next round the referee threatened to finish the contest in the seventh as he deemed Lemieux was enduring too much punishment. His nose appeared broken and Golovkin showed no signs of easing up.
He let it continue into the eighth but after Golovkin unloaded ferocious combinations with little coming back, the ref had no choice but to end it.
It wasn’t anything like Marvin Hagler vs Thomas Hearns because Golovkin was technically superior and outboxed Lemieux superbly.
The Kazakhstani is now the unified WBA and IBF world middleweight champion.
He is the mandatory to face the winner of WBC champion Miguel Cotto and Saúl Álvarez.
But after witnessing a beautiful destruction of Lemieux, neither Cotto nor Canelo may wish to enter the ring with the undefeated monster that is GGG.
Golovkin has stated he wants to claim the four belts in the middleweight division which is admirable in today’s boxing world.
His camp recently said they have great respect for Irish WBO champion Andy Lee, who was scheduled to fight GGG before Golovkin’s father passed away. If Lee gets past challenger Billy Joe Saunders, that could be a fight that we see next year.
But can any current middleweight defeat Gennady Golovkin? Most believe that soon we will witness something rare and wonderful in our sport, a unified middleweight champion who holds the four belts.
Gennady Golovkin is one fighter who puts boxing before business. Marvin Hagler did it, and when GGG hangs up his gloves, his reputation will be up there with the greatest middleweights of all time.
