Golovkin Returns With a Vengeance; Choi and Gongora Prevail Too

Gennady Golovkin returned with a vengeance to retain the IBF middleweight world title by technical knockout after a demolition of Poland’s brave but outmanned Kamil Szeremeta on Friday.

After a year’s absence “Triple G” is back.

Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs) looked stronger, fresher and more powerful than ever as he pummeled Szeremeta (21-1, 5 KOs) at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. It was far different than a year ago in his last appearance when he was pushed to the limit by Sergiy Derevyanchenko.

From the opening round Golovkin started punishing the Polish fighter with a battering ram jab. And once he got the distance, the combination shots came quickly. Down went Szeremeta as the final seconds ended the first round. He beat the count.

Golovkin was on a roll and the momentum was his, just like old times, or before a Mexican redhead managed to survive and snap his knockout winning streak. The body shots and left hooks to the head and body found the openings almost every time Golovkin punched.

Szeremeta had a look on his eyes as if wondering how anyone could be as terrifying as this Kazakh monster. He tried swinging, he tried moving and he tried countering. Nothing worked. Down he went again in the second round.

Each round was a cookie cutter version of the previous round. Szeremeta was floored with a short left hook and down he went again in the fourth. The miracle was that he got up more disappointed than upset. A dream was turning into a nightmare for the Polish fighter who had a whole country looking at him perform.

Golovkin seemed to move into automatic mode and the punches flowed like one of those monster Caterpillar tractors digging tons of dirt with nary a hiccup. Blow after blow dug into Szeremeta with machine-like efficiency.

Finally, at the end of the seventh round, following four total knockdowns, Szeremeta’s corner capitulated. Those watching around the world and in the arena could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Nobody wants to see a one-sided beating.

“We worked very hard,” said Golovkin when asked how he was able to return to the old Golovkin.

Yes he did.

Choi

South Korea’s Hyun Mi Choi (18-0-1, 4 KOs) is real and can fight as she showed in defeating Colombia’s powerful Calista Silgado (19-12-3, 14 KOs) by unanimous decision to retain the WBA super featherweight world title.

Choi, 30, is the last remaining spoke in the super talented super featherweight division. All total there are four world titlists all eagerly waiting to begin a quasi-tournament to determine who is the undisputed world champion. Also, to see who emerges for an even bigger prize: a date to face million-dollar fighter Katie Taylor.

But first Choi walked into the boxing ring with very few outside of Asia knowing her style, skill level and power. Her opponent Silgado was a known quantity and had fought Mikaela Mayer and Amanda Serrano. She was stopped in one by Serrano and battered every round by Mayer.

Choi erupted and showed an eager jab and busy combination punching. Silgado was in defense mode the first two rounds.

Slowly it became apparent that Choi was willing to exchange defense for offense and blow after blows kept coming like a punching machine. Choi was racking up the rounds with efficiency.

Finally, in the sixth, Choi and Silgado pounded each other in a violent exchange of blows. Left uppercuts from the Colombian fighter found the mark over and over again. And it became clear that Choi has a chin as she took the blows and fired back. But Silgado had shifted the momentum finally.

After Choi returned to her corner she was admonished for her lack of tact. When she returned in the seventh round Choi began to use distance more intelligently. From that point on Choi was in complete control. After 10 rounds all three judges scored it 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93 for Choi.

Now all doors are open for the super featherweight free-for-all.

Gongora

A 12-round super middleweight clash saw Ecuador’s Carlos Gongora (19-0, 14 KOs) survive an early beatdown by Kazakhstan’s Ali Akhmedov (16-1, 12 KOs) and then turn things around with his southpaw counter-punching precision.

Gongora shot the left cross through Akehmedov’s guard time and time again and suddenly the Kazakh fighter began to realize he was in trouble. Slowly but surely Gongora punched his way to shifting the momentum.

In the final round, it was clear that whoever won the 12^th round could win the fight. Gongora took a more aggressive approach and connected with a perfect left uppercut and down went Akhmedov. It was the first time in his career he had tasted the canvas. The fight resumed and once again a left Gongora uppercut connected with precision and down went Akhmedov. He could not get up and was counted out at 1:57 of the 12^th round.

“I knew that punch would be there,” said Gongora who wins the fringe IBO 168-pound belt to become the first world title-holder ever for Ecuador.

Photo credit: Melina Pizano / Matchroom Boxing

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