Vanes Martirosyan has an opportunity of a lifetime against Gennady Golovkin

Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin didn’t waste any time with a substitute opponent on Saturday night, dropping and stopping stand-in Vanes Martirosyan in round two of a scheduled 12-rounder at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Gennady Golovkin as a massive favorite at tonights fight against Vanes Martirosyan proved once more that boxing odd-makers though not ideal still knows their stuff very well. Unsurprisingly, bookmakers have installed Golovkin as a heavy favourite against the 32-year-old Martirosyan, who has 36 wins in 40 fights including 21 by knockout.

Last night’s event had been slated for a rematch between Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez. Their first bout last September was a competitive draw, with many observers believing Golovkin did enough to beat anybody on the scorecards except the popular Mexican champion. The NSAC suspended Alvarez for six months April 18 for failing two performance-enhancing drug tests in February.

“For this guy to want to step up and make this fight in two and a half weeks, you have to give him credit, one, that he took the fight, and two, that he thinks he can win”, Sanchez said.

“If he’s ready, I’m ready at any time”, Golovkin said of Alvarez.

Instead, Canelo was replaced by Vanes Martirosyan.

One by one, unified middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin tore through one challenger after another.

With or without Saul “Canelo” Álvarez, Gennady Golovkin put on a show on Cinco de Mayo.

It means the undefeated “GGG” not only retains his World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, International Boxing Federation, and International Boxing Organization middleweight titles but also equaled Bernard Hopkins’ record of 20 straight middleweight title defenses.

However, the second round was one way traffic, as Golovkin unleashed a succession of rapid fire punches.

The dominant Cyborg, who defended her belt in bouts in December and March, said she has two fights remaining on her UFC contract, and then will push to fight Braekhus in a boxing match. As the first round ended, a murmur of hope rose from the few Martirosyan fans. “Golovkin can not be careless going into this fight but no matter how it plays out he is sure to produce fireworks that will have fans on the edge-of-their-seats”. I want anyone to come and try to take my belts.

“She was the hardest puncher I ever faced”, said Braekhus who had never been knocked down before. He is expected back in the fall, possibly for the rematch with Alvarez, who plans to return September 15. “Let’s clean out the division”.

Yes, the man who celebrated his 32nd birthday on Tuesday will receive a bumper pay-day for doing the honourable thing by the sport and providing Golovkin with an opponent but some things aren’t worth the cash and in GGG he’ll face a bear with a sore head.