Gennady Golovin Overwhelmed Murata For TKO Win

Gennady Golovkin wanted to demonstrate that at 40 years old and even after over a year out of the ring, that he could still perform at a championship level. And Saturday night before a capacity crowd in Japan, he did just that.

The IBF Middleweight champ Golovkin used a punishing style at close quarters for most of the night and he eventually stopped WBA world champion Ryota Murata after knocking him down in the 9th round of the scheduled 12 rounder.

And Still @IBFUSBAboxing @IBOBoxing World Champion new Unified @WBABoxing Champion. @GGGBoxing #GGGMurata pic.twitter.com/KBLK7DM8W3

— Tom Loeffler (@TomLoeffler1) April 9, 2022

From the beginning Golovkin, fighting for the first time in 16 months and who turned 40 years old on Friday, went on the attack swarming Murata in the first round with hard rights and lefts along the ropes.

The Japanese fan-favorite was content for most of the night to hang back along the ropes and try to counter punch Triple G. However, although he occasionally scored with a good right hand or two, he was taking far more than he was getting throughout the night.

Golovkin, now 42-1-1, bloodied Murata’s nose early in the fight and continued to score to the body throughout the middle rounds of the title main event at the Saitama Super Arena just north of downtown Tokyo.

By the eighth round it was obvious that Murata, 16-3, was worn down and was taking punishment, especially with the right hand from the future Hall of Famer Golovkin.

Through eight rounds, GGG was winning on three cards (two decisively) from the American judges,

#GGGMurata scorecard. #boxing pic.twitter.com/keC8Pljzn9

— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) April 9, 2022

The end came quickly in the 9th, when Golovkin swarmed Murata again and landed a barrage of punches to send him reeling with referee Luis Pabon looking on carefully Golovkin eventually landed a hard lead right hand and then a second glancing shot, as Murata went down to the canvas on all fours.

The Japanese champion’s corner quickly threw the towel in and ran into the ring giving Triple G the stoppage victory at 2:11 of the ninth. It was Golovkin’s 37th pro win by KO or stoppage in his career.

The victory gives Golovkin a clear path to a trilogy fight with Undisputed Super Middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez for September. Alvarez handed Golovkin the only loss of his career in a hotly contested decision in September of 2018. The two had previously fought to a disputed draw that many people believed Triple G had won in their first fight a year earlier.

Alvarez is still scheduled to battle WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dimitry Bivol in Las Vegas on May 7th. A victory there will cement the third fight with Golovkin.