Brutal Golovkin continues his path of destruction

Gennady Golovkin stopped Marco Antonio Rubio in the second round Saturday night, defending his WBA middleweight title with his 18th consecutive stoppage victory.

Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) punctuated his brief West Coast debut with a crushing left hand to the forehead. Rubio tumbled to the canvas and couldn’t get his wits together in time, the fight ending 1:19 into the second round.

“I liked the fight,” Golovkin said. “Rubio, he does not step back. He is a good fighter. I respect him. It was a very hard punch.”

The flourish of Golovkin’s final blows rocked StubHub Center, which was packed to standing-room-only capacity with fans of the Kazakh-born, California-trained middleweight who has become one of the sport’s most charismatic stars. The crowd of 9,323 - easily the largest turnout for a boxing event at the outdoor stadium - chanted “Triple G!” and leaped to its feet for the stoppage.

“Those cheers were not only for the fighter, but for the person he has shown to be,” said Abel Sanchez, Golovkin’s trainer.

Golovkin battered Rubio (59-7-1) throughout his 12th title defense, hurting Rubio earlier in the second round with a right hand and a left uppercut.

A raucous sellout crowd in the outdoor stadium chanted the name of the middleweight who has become one of boxing’s most charismatic stars.

“I felt I hurt him with the left hand, and the uppercut was when he was very badly hurt,” Golovkin said. “I knew I had him. ... I was happy he came forward. He fought Mexican style, and he tried to hurt me, but my power was too much for him tonight.”

Golovkin takes the plaudits from supporters after his early win. Pic: Getty Images

Golovkin won Rubio’s WBC interim belt, which means the winner of WBC champion Miguel Cotto’s upcoming bout with Canelo Alvarez must either fight Golovkin or vacate the title.

Golovkin, who battered Australia's Daniel Geale in three rounds last time out, has also been linked with top super-middleweight (168lb) fighters Andre Ward, now seen by many as the world's No.1 pound-for-pound boxer, and Britain's Carl Froch.

Golovkin has trouble attracting the world’s biggest 160lb names, so he hopes to clean out the division by winning every belt.

“He’ll fight anyone, whoever we can get in the ring,” promoter Tom Loeffler said.

Rubio briefly complained that the knockout punch was illegal, although television replays clearly contradicted him.

“Gennady is a great champion,” Rubio said. “He hit me hard, but it’s not the hardest I’ve been hit. I came to fight, to put on a good show. I got up, but the referee decided to stop it.”

Marco Antonio Rubio is stopped in round two by referee Jack Reiss. Pic: AP

Rubio missed weight for the fight on Friday by nearly 2lb, costing him the chance to fight for both titles. He entered the ring weighing 181 pounds, but Golovkin floored him with the same relentless style that has been too much for every middleweight opponent to date.

Golovkin landed 28 power punches in just over four minutes of ring time against Rubio.

Golovkin has trained in Southern California with Abel Sanchez for the past four years, and the Germany-based fighter is contemplating a full-time move to Los Angeles. After starting his US career with five fights on the East Coast, he debuted in California with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ logo on his left hip.

The fight was a validation of Golovkin’s rising status, highlighting his surge to the top of the middleweight division. Golovkin’s pro career foundered until he signed with the Klitschko brothers’ promotional company in early 2012, but the 32-year-old has been making up for those lost years with a busy schedule and a relentless series of knockouts.

Golovkin made his US debut just over two years ago, gathering savvy fans and HBO’s promotional might with each spectacular stoppage.

“He’s collecting belts,” Loeffler said. “He wants to show he’s a super champion, and 2015 will be a huge year for him.”

"Axe Man" Nicholas Walters celebrates winning the WBA featherweight title. Pic: AP

Earlier, Nicholas Walters stopped Philippine-born Nonito Donaire with a second left in the sixth round, winning the WBA featherweight title in dramatic fashion Saturday night.

Walters (25-0, 21 KOs), a fairly unknown fighter from Jamaica, punctuated his breakthrough performance by knocking down Donaire (33-3) for the first two times in the four-division champion’s career.

After Donaire swung and missed with a huge left hand late in the sixth, Walter caught him above the ear with an overhand right. Donaire fell face-first to the canvas, and though he beat the count, he couldn’t continue in his second loss in four fights.

Walters also knocked Donaire down to one knee in the third round with an uppercut, and he absorbed Donaire’s biggest punches in an impressive all-around performance that thrilled the sellout crowd for Gennady Golovkin’s middleweight title bout against Marco Antonio Rubio.

“We worked hard for this victory,” Walters said. “Donaire is a super great champion. I know I have to respect him, and that’s what I did. He caught me with a few shots.”

Walters, nicknamed the Axe Man for his chopping blows, had won 10 of his last 11 fights by stoppage while climbing from obscurity and winning one version of the WBA title.

Nicolas Walters lands a long right against Nonito Donaire. Pic: Getty Images

Donaire was a serious step-up in competition for Walters, but he handled the champion with activity and precision before finishing the fight.

“I’ve never seen a featherweight with as much power as Walters,“ Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said. “Nothing like the concussive power this kid has.”

Donaire fell hard to the canvas in the first round, but it was ruled a slip. He otherwise controlled the early action, and he staggered Walters with a flurry at the second-round bell.

But Walters stunned Donaire and knocked him down to a knee late in the third, putting an uppercut squarely on Donaire’s jaw. Donaire rose and survived the round, but developed a dripping cut near his right eye in the fourth.

Donaire lost his 122-pound titles to Guillermo Rigondeaux in April 2013. The Filipino-born, Bay Area-raised Donaire had been considered one of boxing’s top pound-for-pound fighters before getting schooled by Rigondeaux, but he bounced back with consecutive victories, winning the WBA 126-pound title in May.

Before this fight, Donaire said he had a revitalised passion for boxing after struggling for motivation in recent years. Winning his fourth world title exceeded his own expectations, and becoming a father changed his mentality toward his violent sport.

“I’ve got to go back to the drawing board,” Donaire said. “I know I can’t compete with guys like Walters.”

Donaire has big decisions to make after this heavy beating. Pic: AP