IBF middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin starred in a four-knockdown show as he thoroughly dominated overmatched mandatory challenger Kamil Szeremeta in seven rounds at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, on Friday night.
The win was Golovkin’s 21st successful title defence in two reigns at 160lbs but that statistic is less remarkable when you scrutinise the credentials of Szeremeta. The Pole had barely swapped leather with a credible foe but was somehow catapulted into a mandatory spot by the ever-charitable IBF rankings committee.
Szeremeta (21-1, 5 KOs) had no place sharing the ring with Golovkin and was emphatically put to the sword. Golovkin, looking refreshed and in fine shape after a 14 month lay-off, was out of the blocks quickly with nothing to fear in the opposing corner. He dropped Szeremeta with a left hook in the opening round and never looked back.
Main image: Melina Pizano, Matchroom Boxing USA.
A chopping right felled the Pole in the second before a short left hook toppled him again in the fourth as the challenger did his best to survive a ‘can’t win’ exercise. With Szeremeta’s face a swollen mess, Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs) dropped him a fourth time with a jab in the seventh and referee Telis Assimenios saved him from further punishment.
The win broke Bernard Hopkins’ record for successful middleweight title defences, after Golovkin won the WBA interim title with a first-round blowout of Milton Nunez in August 2010. Golovkin’s full title record at 160lbs is an impressive looking 21-1-1, 19 KOs, but greats like Marvin Hagler weren’t served up undeserving foes like Szeremeta so that record deserves some context.
After drawing and losing controversially against rival Canelo Alvarez in 2017 and 2018, a third fight continues to elude the heavy-handed Kazakh.
“I told you I would come back after the [second] Canelo fight, I’m still smart and I needed time,” said Golovkin afterwards. “Not a big surprise. I feel very comfortable. I had a lot of time. I felt my jab. I felt my power. I respect Kamil’s trainer and I respect Kamil’s corner, but he was done, come on guys.”
On the undercard, Ecuadorian super-middle Carlos Gongora (19-0, 14 KOs) scored a spectacular last gasp win to win the vacant IBO crown, overturning a deficit on all three scorecards to halt Kazakh Ali Akhmedov (16-1, 12 KOs) in the final round. Gongora dug deep to twice drop Akhmedov with the left uppercuts in the 12th, forcing referee Frank Gentile to wave off a dramatic contest.
In other action, WBA super-featherweight champion Hyun Mi Choi (18-0-1, 4 KOs) outscored rugged Colombian Calista Silgado (19-12-3, 14 KOs). Scores were 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93.
Former world title challenger John Ryder (29-5, 16 KOs) marked time before another projected shot in 2021 with a routine points win over Mike Guy (12-6-1, 5 KOs). Scores were 100-90, 99-91 and a too close 96-94.
Main image: Melina Pizano, Matchroom Boxing USA.