Gennady Golovkin Stops Osumanu Adama in the 7th for His 16th Straight Knockout

WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin did his best terminator impression on Saturday night in Monte Carlo, patiently stalking challenger Osumanu Adama for seven rounds before zeroing in for the kill.

And, like always, he got his man in the end.

Golovkin (29-0, 26 KO) floored a game, but overmatched, Adama with an overhand right in the closing seconds of the first round. But far from simply blowing out his opponent, he had to work a little harder than usual to solve his tricky, safety-first style.

Adama (22-4, 16 KO) made a concerted effort to use his reach advantage, constantly flicking out a jab to keep Golovkin at a safe distance and prevent him from getting inside where he could do damage. At some points in the fight, the strategy was highly effective, and it forced Golovkin to be more selective with his offense. 

But as the fight wore on, and as it became increasingly clear that the challenger didn't have the pop to trouble him, Golovkin settled into a rhythm, ripping hard shots to the body to zap his foe's legs. 

A hard left hand floored Adama for the second time, near the end of the sixth round, and when he came out for the bell in the seventh, it seemed that his legs, and any chance he had of winning the fight, were gone.

Golovkin dropped him a third time in the seventh with a jab, and, shortly thereafter, referee Luis Pabon stepped in to stop the fight. 

With the victory, Golovkin scored his 16th consecutive knockout victory and re-staked his claim for the top spot in a loaded 160-pound division.