IBF middleweight champion Gennadiy Golovkin 41-1-1 (36) delivered a vintage performance to stop Kamil Szeremeta 21-1 (5) in seven one-sided rounds at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida on Friday night.
The 38-year-old Kazakh had the brave but outgunned Szeremeta on the deck four times before the 31-year-old Pole’s corner wisely retired him from the contest between the seventh and eighth rounds.
Right out the gate Golovkin had his jab working well, sticking it in Szeremeta’s face to set up power shots with both hands. A right uppercut to the body from Szeremeta for a moment before a left hook dropped him just before the end of the opening round.
Things didn’t get any better for Szeremeta in the second with a right hand to the ear dropping him again.
Szeremeta managed to stay on his feet in the third but was on the end of a beating for the three-minute stanza with Golovkin showing great variety to his attack, working up and down to the body and head.
In the fourth Szeremeta was down again from a left hook with a minute to go in the round.
During the fifth and sixth rounds Golovkin showed off his boxing skill, slipping and blocking shots at will while controlling the tempo and ripping home hard shots whenever the mood took him.
In the seventh round Szeremeta found himself on his backside for the fourth time in the fight courtesy of a Golovkin jab.
It was enough to convince the challenger’s corner to withdraw their man from the fight.
“[It was] not a big surprise because, you know, it’s [a] high level,” Golovkin told DAZN’s Todd Grisham. “Kamil Szeremeta, he’s a great boxer. You know, come on, guys. I’m not surprised.
“I just – I feel very comfortable because, you know, like, I work hard, I had a lot of time, I have a lot of good people with me, you know, [to] support me. I’m very proud of my team.”
Certain fans and pundits had written off Golovkin following his disputed loss and draw to Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, but he said he just needed a little time to rebuild.
“I told you I would come back after the Canelo fight, I’m still smart and I needed time,” Golovkin said. “Not a big surprise (with his accuracy). I feel very comfortable. I had a lot of time. I felt my jab. I felt my power. I respect Kamil’s trainer and I respect Kamil’s corner, but he was done, come on guys.”
Still, Golovkin wouldn’t be drawn on calling out Alvarez, who will face WBA super middleweight champion Callum Smith tomorrow night.
“I’m open for anybody (next), the best for business, for the DAZN, for me,” Golovkin said.
Promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing said he couldn’t be happier with Golovkin’s performance.
“I thought he was fantastic,” he said. “I mean, he’s been out since last October. It’s difficult for these elite-level guys to come back after over a year out. I thought the jab was fantastic.”
