It wasn't to be for IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook, Gennady Golovkin's persistence and punching power resulted in a 5th round stoppage. Brook's corner threw in the towel after witnessing the punishment their man was enduring; pictures have shown that to be a brave (and correct) decision.
Firstly, you've got to hand it to Brook. Every man and their dog knows Golovkin is being ducked. 'Special K', who isn't a natural middleweight, stepped up two weight divisions to try and shock the world by dethroning Golovkin. After a valiant effort, GGG's natural weight advantage proved to be too much and Brook simply couldn't continue to receive blow after blow.
There is absolutely no shame in losing to Golovkin, Brook must look at every positive available to him. He made the decision to take the fight nobody seems to want, he made it to the 5th round whilst getting in decent offense along the way and he provided the sturdiest challenge Golovkin has ever come across- broken eye socket and all. Hold your head up high Special one; you did yourself, and the United Kingdom proud.
Now- onto Golovkin, simply put, we're witnessing greatness. Disregard the 2004 Olympic silver medal, disregard the 92% knockout ratio, and disregard the bewildering humility. Just watch the guy fight- watch him go to work. Every step is with a purpose, every movement has callous intention behind it, every punch is thrown to devastate. The 34 year old Kazakh is a fear inducing warrior.
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Many an established fighter have called out the middleweight champion of the world, the likes of Eubank Jr, Billy-Joe Saunders and Daniel Jacobs have all talked a good game, but for one reason or another couldn't make a fight happen. Could it be that these boxers are legitimately scared of a fellow professional? When you consider Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez vacated his WBC middleweight title, actively side stepping Golovkin who was his next mandatory challenger, it's hard to believe otherwise.
Golovkin and his team made it known from day one that the goal was to win all the belts in the middleweight division. So talk of Golovkin moving up or down is void. Why should he add or lose a few pounds to secure a big name? Surely all the big names in the division should be gravitating toward him? He holds the WBC, WBA, IBO and IBF world middleweight titles; he's the king of his division. He shouldn't have to change his weight class simply because his supposed adversaries all lack bottle.
No boxer is without his weakness. One criticism often aimed at Golovkin is that he takes too many punches; his head movement isn't as sharp as it should be, and therefore his opponents will always have a chance to catch him with a decisive blow. Be that as it may, Golovkin has had 36 professional bouts, so the law of averages dictates that one of his 36
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opponents should've been able to catch him with that decisive blow. To date, it hasn't happened.
As well as being one of the most powerful middleweights of all time, Golovkin also has an iron chin. His give and take style suggests he isn't afraid to get hit and he always backs himself to oust his opposite number. To see a world champion with his fighting style is refreshing, with all due respect to the great 'boxers' of past and present, it's the 'brawlers', the 'sluggers'- who truly excite boxing fans.
When you watch a Golovkin fight you're sure of a knockout. There's absolutely nothing wrong with trying to outscore your opponent, the aim of boxing is not to get hit. But we as boxing fans all have a little malice in us, seeing someone hit the canvas is what really gets the juices flowing. Triple G is the ultimate combination of hearty, humble and horrifying- a fighter who puts backsides on seats and bodies on canvases.
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Whoever Golovkin's next victim opponent is faces a monumental task in trying to defeat the unbeaten menace, more power to them, hopefully they have a plan. But as legendary heavyweight 'Iron' Mike Tyson once said, "Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth."
Words By TJ Wedderburn
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