Defending WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (27-0, 24 KOs) put away tough Irishman Matthew Macklin (29-5, 20 KOs) Saturday night in three one-sided rounds at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Connecticut.
The bout was televised live on HBO’s “Boxing After Dark.”
Macklin came out jabbing in the opening stanza. He moved around the ring nervously, unsure of what Golovkin was packing.
He soon found out.
Golovkin, calm and collected, snapped back the head of Macklin with a cracking right hand. His jab was laying the foundation for his heavy shots. A combination rattled the former European champion. A left hook followed by a right staggered Macklin at the bell.
In round two, Golovkin stalked. He hard jab shook Macklin. Two right hands and a left hook to the body thudded home. Golovkin was cutting off the ring effectively, making it difficult for Macklin to find any rhythm or comfort. At the end of the round, Macklin went back to his corner with a cut over his left eye.
Macklin landed a two left hooks in round three. He unloaded a right hand that just missed. He knew he had to find a way to keep the Golovkin freight train from running him over. Golovkin swatted away Macklin’s punches and countered with a right and left uppercut. A perfect left hook to the liver put Macklin down on his stomach. He screamed in pain as the referee counted over him.
It was obvious he wasn’t getting up.
The time was 1:22 seconds of round three.
“I told you this is just a regular fight not the biggest challenge,” said Golovkin in the ring after the fight. “This is just a regular fight because I’m champion today.”
Macklin, who many said would give Golovkin his toughest fight to date, stated “Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the best kid I’ve ever fought.”
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