Gennady Golovkin was at his devastating best on Saturday night at the O2 Arena as he smashed up Kell Brook in five rounds to retain his WBC and IBF middleweight titles.
It was always Mission Impossible for Special K to step up two weight divisions and take on unbeaten pound-for-pound king Golovkin, a task that not even Tom Cruise has dared, let alone accomplish.
After the battle of unbeaten runs ended in the inevitable KO for the Kazakh killer, Britain’s Brook was left needing the help of several emergency services.
With a 36-0 record before fight night, Brook is a rare talent and quite easily the best welterweight in the world. But even that pales against the might of GGG, who even the best fighters know to avoid.
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho said before the derby that Golovkin v Brook was the only fight this weekend, and he was spot on as the fight lived up to the hype from the first bell.
Golovkin (36-0) quickly backed Brook up on to the ropes in the challenger’s own corner and unleashed a left hook to the ribs which immediately had the challenger in trouble.
However, the Sheffield hero rode out this storm and landed some useful shots in the second round to the delight of the home crowd.
GGG bounced back ferociously, hurting brook with a brutal combination that forced him to turn to his corner while pointing at his right eye.
Brook got on the defensive from then on, unable to throw punches as Golovkin peppered the swollen eye with wicked jabs.
The Kazakh killer pinned Brook on the ropes at the start of the fifth and unloaded a barrage of heavy artillery, forcing his trainer Dominic Ingle to frantically wave the white towel from his corner as the referee stopped the fight one minute and 57 seconds into the round.
