Golovkin KOs Rubio to keep middleweight crown
Los Angeles (AFP) - World Boxing Association middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin stopped Mexico's Marco Antonio Rubio in the second round Saturday to keep his title, taking his 18th consecutive knockout triumph in emphatic fashion.
The unbeaten 32-year-old from Kazakhstan, a 2004 Olympic silver medalist, improved to 31-0 with 28 knockouts, the latest coming 79 seconds into the second round and extending a streak of victories inside the distance that began in 2008.
"I loved this fight," Golovkin said. "I don't like dancing. I like to fight. This was a true fight. He didn't step back."
Golovkin, defending his world title for a 12th time, landed an uppercut to stun Rubio and finished off the fight with a powerful overhand left. Rubio tried to rise but referee Jack Reiss counted him out before he made it back onto his feet.
Golovkin could be looking at a unification showdown against the winner of an expected fight between World Boxing Council champion Miguel Cotto and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.
"I want to fight everybody," Golovkin said. "I think Cotto next. Next year. Next fight."
Rubio had failed to make weight for the fight, the 34-year-old Mexican tipping the scales 1.8 pounds over the 160-pound middleweight limit.
As a result, Rubio was not fighting for the title, but could have dethroned Golovkin and had the title vacated.
Rubio fell to 59-7 with one draw.
