On 18th October at the Stub Hub Centre in California, Genady “GGG” Golovkin, the middleweight champion from Kazakhstan, faced up to challenger Marco Antonio Rubio from Mexico.
Rubio, a good fighter but not great, has had a mixed history with some wins over lower class fighters. GGG would be his biggest test. GGG weighed in as a KO specialist with an amazing record of 30 fights for 30 victories with 27 KOs. Rubio is a more experienced fighter at 59-6-1 and with 29 KOs, but he lacks the lightening punch of GGG.
Nobody expected Rubio to beat the champ as GGG has not be taken the distance since 2008 but a reasonable contest was hoped for and Rubio was expected to give GGG a tough encounter – it was not to be.
To start with Rubio was overweight. GGG weighed in at 159 and looked as tough and as wiry as ever. Rubio hit the scales at 161.8 being 1.8 pounds over the limit. In my opinion he looked drawn and tired – maybe from trying to make weight. Rubio was then subjected to a fine for being over the weight limit and would also be unable to claim the title should he have won – not a good start.
The first round started as most do, with both boxers just feeling each other out, but this only lasted for 60 seconds before GGG began to crowd Rubio on the ropes and denied him any opportunities to land any scoring blows. GGG landed several scoring blows and his ring craft was clearly superior.
While Rubio delivered a flurry with 30 seconds to go, GGG withstood this and counter punched well with a precise right. Rubio’s flourish was not enough and GGG won the first round.
The second round commenced with GGG coming at Rubio and pressuring him and very quickly had him on the back foot. Rubio did not have the skills to with stand this pressure and GGG opened up Rubio with a devastating upper cut followed with a series of quick one-two combinations. These were devastating and Rubio fell to the canvas. As he was not able to get to his feet in time the fight was called.
In the four-and-half-minute fight GGG landed 28 out of 54 punches thrown while Rubio just managed 13 of 40. But more than that, GGG dominated the ring completely and denied Rubio any chance of gaining any tactical advantage.
His lightning quick punches blew away Rubio’s defences, and in the end I think Rubio’s heart really wasn’t in it. He was overweight, he had been fined and was not going to gain the title even if had won.
I suspect he was happy that the fight ended quickly. Rubio walks away with a pay day, less the $100,000 fine and his reputation diminished. Meanwhile, Golovkin grows in stature and is fast approaching the title of the best middle weight we have seen for many years. He now wants to fight Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, who holds the WBC title.
Cotto will be a much more of a challenge for GGG but he may have to wait. Cotto could decide to take on Saul “Canelo” Alvarez instead. Alvarez is a bigger draw card on the “pay per view circuit” and as such may be a better option for Cotto’s management.
If not Cotto then Golovkin may look at Manny Pacquiao or even Floyd Mayweather.
Hopefully whomever he takes on will give the boxing public a better fight than we saw from Rubio.
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