Gennady Golovkin pounds Marco Antonio Rubio to keep world middleweight title
Kazakh-born fighter notches his 18th straight stoppage victory and looks for a bigger fight in the future
Gennady Golovkin stopped Marco Antonio Rubio in the second round, defending his WBA middleweight title with his 18th consecutive stoppage victory.
Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) punctuated his brief West Coast debut with a crushing left hand to the forehead. Rubio tumbled to the canvas and couldn't get his wits together in time, the fight ending 1:19 into the second round.
Rubio, he does not step back. He is a good fighter. I respect him. It was a very hard punch
"I liked the fight," Golovkin said. "Rubio, he does not step back. He is a good fighter. I respect him. It was a very hard punch."
The flourish of Golovkin's final blows rocked StubHub Centre, which was packed to standing-room-only capacity with fans of the Kazakh-born, California-trained middleweight who has become one of the sport's most charismatic stars. The crowd of 9,323- easily the largest turnout for a boxing event at the outdoor stadium - chanted "Triple G!" and leaped to its feet for the stoppage. "Those cheers were not only for the fighter, but for the person he has shown to be," said Abel Sanchez, Golovkin's trainer.
Golovkin battered Rubio (59-7-1) throughout his 12th title defence, hurting Rubio earlier in the second round with a right hand and a left uppercut.
"I felt I hurt him with the left hand, and the uppercut was when he was very badly hurt," Golovkin said. "I knew I had him ... I was happy he came forward. He fought Mexican style, and he tried to hurt me, but my power was too much for him tonight."