Gennady Golovkin vs. David Lemieux: Winner, Recap and Knockout Reaction
The Gennady "GGG" Golovkin (34-0, 31 KOs) train rolls on.
On Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York, the lineal middleweight champion added another world title to his impressive resume. The IBO, WBA and interim WBC champion dethroned IBF titleholder David Lemieux (34-3) via an eighth-round technical knockout to unify another leg of the 160-pound division.
This one wasn't close.
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Lemieux was game, but Golovkin's jab set the tone early, and GGG's power shots ultimately forced referee Steve Willis to call an end to the bout. UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey took time to congratulate Golovkin on his win:
From the beginning of the bout, Golovkin pumped a hard, thudding jab into Lemieux's face. The 33-year-old from Kazakhstan was patient and calculated despite the fact that he was headlining his first major pay-per-view bout.
Per Golden Boy Promotions, Golovkin talked about his game plan and opponent during the post-fight interview with HBO's Max Kellerman:
""David is very good & very strong, I wanted to show everyone that I can box too" @GGGBoxing tells @Max_Kellerman in post interviews
— GoldenBoyPromotions (@GoldenBoyBoxing) October 18, 2015"
With Golovkin's approach and precise execution, Lemieux looked like a beaten man by the second round. The 26-year-old Canadian struggled mightily to find the range for his power shots. It seemed as though every time he tried to get in range, Golovkin would stand him up with the jab.
By the third round, Lemieux had begun to take more chances and landed his first significant punches of the fight. However, even at his best, his efforts weren't enough to win the rounds. In the fourth frame, a powerful left hook from Golovkin almost put Lemieux on the canvas.
To the latter's credit, he stayed up, but the referee was beginning to take a close look at him. Lemieux had his best moment in the fifth round, but that was quickly followed up by one of his worst.
Moments after landing one of his signature left hooks—the shot that usually puts opponents in peril—Lemieux was dropped by a liver-quivering body shot from GGG. Laceupboxing tweeted an image of the knockdown:
You can also see Golovkin hit Lemieux while he was on one knee. As HBO analyst Roy Jones Jr. pointed out, Golovkin could have been disqualified for that action. In fact, Jones was disqualified in 1997 when he did the same thing during a bout with Montell Griffin.
To Lemieux's credit, he didn't try to milk it. He rose to his feet and fought valiantly. However, Golovkin's constant pressure and omnipresent jab systematically broke him down. After watching Lemieux retreat to the ropes after eating a combination, Willis stepped in to call a halt to the bout.
When it was over, Lemieux disputed the stoppage. HBO Boxing tweeted this quote:
The stoppage could be viewed as premature, but in reality, Lemieux didn't have a chance to win the fight. His heart was sufficient, but his skills weren't. He would have only taken more punishment had the bout continued.
Golovkin has solidified himself as one of the biggest draws in the sport after Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s retirement. If GGG takes on the winner of the Canelo Alvarez-Miguel Cotto bout that is scheduled for November 21, it will be the biggest fight in the sport.
When asked about his future plans, Golovkin told Kellerman he wants the winner.
Lemieux didn't shame himself in defeat. He showed great resolve. He'd have a solid chance to beat most middleweights, but as he found out, Golovkin isn't most middleweights.
The knockout win was the 21st straight victory by stoppage that Golovkin has recorded. At this point, he's running out of willing opponents and challenges. Let's hope the winner of the Canelo-Cotto fight can push GGG to another level.
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