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Gennady Golovkin stops Vanes Martirosyan in 2nd round

CARSON, Calif. — Vanes Martirosyan kept his promise of standing in the center of the ring against Gennady Golovkin to give boxing fans an action-filled fight on Cinco de Mayo.

But it wasn’t a good idea for the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez replacement to trade with the hard-hitting Golovkin.

Golovkin unleashed a vicious onslaught in the second round to knock out Martirosyan before an announced crowd of 7,837 Saturday night at the StubHub Center.

The barrage started with an uppercut right hand and featured a devastating left hook to stun Martirosyan before he fell into a fetal position next to the ropes.

Martirosyan (36-4-1, 21 knockouts) tried to get up, but fell face first onto the mat as the referee called off the bout at the 1:53 mark. Golovkin landed eight straight shots to Martirosyan’s head.

“It’s like being hit by a train,” Martirosyan said. “It’s the hardest I’ve ever been hit.”

Golovkin (38-0-1, 34 KOs) tied Bernard Hopkins’ record of 20 straight middleweight title defenses.

“I’m back,” Golovkin said. “Feels great to get a knockout. Vanes is a very good fighter. He caught me a few times in the first round. In the second round, it was all business.”

Golovkin was initially scheduled for a Cinco de Mayo rematch with Alvarez at T-Mobile Arena. The fight was canceled after Alvarez twice tested positive for the banned substance Clenbuterol, which led to Martirosyan as a last-minute replacement.

“Absolutely,” Golovkin said when asked if he would like to fight Alvarez in September. “I want everyone. I challenge anyone to come take my belts. I don’t care who. Let’s clean out the division.”

Last week, Golovkin said his middleweight streak was more significant than Hopkins’ run.

“Compared to Bernard Hopkins, my record is much bigger,” said Golovkin, the WBA/WBC/IBF champion. “Stronger and bigger.”

Golovkin’s IBF belt wasn’t on the line because the New Jersey-based organization refused to sanction the bout against Martirosyan.

If Golovkin decides to fight Alvarez next or any other opponent besides the IBF’s mandatory challenger, Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Golovkin will be stripped of the belt unless he’s granted another exception.

The IBF gave Golovkin an exception before the Martirosyan bout and ordered him to fight Derevyanchenko in the next three months.

Tom Loeffler, Golovkin’s promoter, didn’t say Saturday if Golovkin plans to vacate or fight Derevyanchenko next.

Golovkin has said many times his No. 1 career goal is to unify the four major belts at 160 pounds. The fighter known as “Triple G” is missing the WBO title, which belongs to Billy Joe Saunders.

Women’s bout makes history

Cecilia Braekhus defeated Kali Reis by unanimous decision (97-92, 96-93, 96-93) in the first women’s bout televised live on HBO.

Braekhus dominated the first six rounds with her high-level boxing skills, but Reis made a late rally with her power.

Reis dropped Braekhus in the seventh round with an overhand right that made the undefeated welterweight champion fall to one knee.

Another overhand right hand from Reis stunned Braekhus toward the end of the eighth round.

“She’s a top fighter,” Braekhus said. “She gave me a tough fight. She’s one of the hardest punchers I’ve ever faced.”

In a last-minute move, Braekhus made a trainer switch. Lucia Rijker was scheduled to be in Braekhus’ corner, but the fighter decided to go back to her previous trainer, Johnathon Banks. No reason was given for the sudden move.

Rijker was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame last year.

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GManzano24 on Twitter.

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