Gennady “GGG” Golovkin-Martin: Murray Golovkin Batters Murray To TKO Victory

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Gennady-Golovkin-vs-Martin-Murray-Live-StreamHBO World Championship Boxing was live from the Salle des Étoiles in Monte Carlo, Monaco as Gennady “GGG” Golovkin was set to defend his WBA and interim WBC middleweight titles against Martin Murray in a bout scheduled for 12 rounds. Murray was supposed to test Golovkin and finally provide a test for “GGG,” who has run through his opposition—riding an 18 KO/TKO streak heading into the fight.

Last time Murray was headlining an HBO WCB broadcast he was in Argentina, and he was on the bad side of a controversial unanimous decision loss to the lineal middleweight champion, at the time, Sergio Martinez. Since the loss, Murray has won 4 in a row, albeit against softer opposition.

Still, Murray appeared like a legitimate test for Golovkin or at least the best fighter heading into a bout with actual momentum.

Golovkin started out the fight in his typical fashion and didn’t rush in there, especially when you consider the way other fighters with the same kind of power typically do. Instead, Golovkin was methodical and tried gauging openings opposed to jumping on his opponent.

Murray utilized a mixture of punches, but mostly stayed in the same style. Still, Murray found success in brief spots with jabs to the body and overhands, nothing landed flush, and it was always one shot at a time.

Golovkin finally landed a decent shot to close out the first round; it was enough to show Murray his power and win him a slow round.

The second round was much better for Murray, who made it a point to get off first and disrupt Golovkin’s approach. Murray won the round by keeping “GGG” from sitting down on his punches and landing more than one shot at a time.

In the 3rd round, Golovkin was able to bounce back and really hurt Murray in the closing moments. While Murray was never in serious trouble, he absolutely felt the power that has plagued “GGG’s” past foes.
The work Golovkin did in round 3 set the stage for the rest of the fight. Golovkin smelt blood, but what makes him so good is his killer instinct mixed with his intelligent approach to a finishing.

The attack from Golovkin was clearly based on a mixed approach; it worked well for him in the 4th as “GGG” scored a knockdown on Murray with a shot to the body. The delayed reaction from Murray made it easier to see how devastating it truly was. Golovkin scored another knockdown in the round to make it a 10-7 in Golovkin’s favor, but he survived the round.

It took Murray sometime to regain his composure and didn’t really ever fully get his legs back, but he gained enough poise to throw back some meaningful punches. Murray continued to fight in a way that suggested he wasn’t just trying to survive, but he was eating tough shots that ate away at his will. Still, Murray didn’t let his will break and was willing to continue on despite the beating.

What started to feel like a hard and sudden stoppage was upon us, Murray began to die a death of a thousand tiny knives. Golovkin made 3-minute rounds seem like 10-minute rounds for Murray. But Murray proved to be a warrior willing to endure.

Close to the end of the 9th round, Murray changed the tempo a bit and found more success, and that success spilt over to the 10th. However, just like that Golovkin’s power proved to be as sneaky as it is apparent, and he sent Murray to the canvas on a right-hand with seconds left in the 10th.

Murray wanted to continue, that was obvious, but as he continued to take a beating in the 11th the referee finally had enough and waved off the fight.

I believe that Murray lived up to the bill as Golovkin’s best opponent. He boxed well, and he did some things offensively at a high level. However, the Golovkin detractors will continue to find a way to debate things like this that pertain to “GGG’s” resume.

The one definite that can’t be argued is the fact that Murray is undoubtedly the gutsiest fighter Golovkin has ever shared a ring with as a professional.

The win will raise Golovkin’s stock and maybe by not ending the fight so early will encourage the high-profile fighters to consider sharing a ring with Golovkin, but I doubt it.