On Saturday, two of today’s top boxing middleweights will unify their titles in the land of the rising sun. Gennadiy Golovkin will put his IBF and IBO titles on the line against hometown fighter Ryota Murata, who will defend the WBA title.
The fight will take place at the storied Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
Golovkin (41-1-1) has been on a three-fight win streak after his 2018 majority decision loss to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the only defeat on his record. He is coming off a seventh-round stoppage win over Poland’s Kamil Szeremeta in December 2020.
Murata, on the other hand, holds a record of 16-2. Entering the contest with a two-fight win streak of his own, he last fought in December 2019 against Canada’s Steven Butler, whom he defeated via fifth-round TKO to retain his title.
Golovkin vs. Murata begins at 5:10 AM ET and will be broadcasted on DAZN. Main event ring walks are expected to begin at 8 AM ET.
Gennadiy Golovkin vs. Ryoto Murata
Round 1 – Both fighters trade jabs to start the fight. Murata comes in more aggressively with a series of one-twos. Golovkin lands a left hook. Murata pushes forward. A clash of heads momentarily halts the action. The round ends with both men trading shots. 10-9 Golovkin.
Round 2 – Golovkin mixes his shots to the head and body to open round two. Murata gets warned for a low blow. Golovkin continues to mix his shots with uppercuts to the body and head. Murata lands his one-twos. Golovkin continues to connect with stiff jabs as Murata answers back with combinations. Round two ends with a Murata uppercut. 10-9 Golovkin.
Round 3 – Golovkin begins round three with a hard right hand. He continues to throw power shots, but Murata answers back with his big right hands. Both fighters trade punches as one of them bloodied Murata’s nose. Murata continues to push the pace as round three ends. 10-9 Murata.
Round 4 – Both fighters are beginning to open up more. Murata continues to rely on his straight right as Golovkin mixes up his shots to the head and body. Murata pushes the pace forward as he likely takes the round. 10-9 Murata.
Round 5 – Golovkin opens the round with a hard one-two. He’s beginning to connect with better and harder combination punches as Murata shells up. Murata answers back with his own shots to the head and body. Golovkin lands with an uppercut-hook combo that seemed to have stunned Murata. Murata continues to land his straight rights to the body. Golovkin lands a left uppercut right after a body shot. 10-9 Golovkin.
Round 6 – Murata lands a hard jab. Another low blow from Murata momentarily halts the action. Golovkin cleanly lands a three-punch combination. He lands an overhand left and follows it up with a combination. Murata responds with a combination of his own. Golovkin finds a home for his right hand. He puts up a more dominant performance for this round. 10-9 Golovkin.
Round 7 – Both fighters trade body shots from clinch range. Golovkin is finding his rhythm this round, landing more shots and combinations. Murata starting to show signs of slowing down. Murata lands a straight right to the body in the last 30 seconds of the round. 10-9 Golovkin.
Round 8 – Hard jab from Golovkin to begin round eight. He’s now the more active fighter, fighting off the jab and landing his left hooks to follow. Murata starting to become more tentative with his shots as Golovkin unloads on him. Golovkin lands a clean overhand left and a hard right as Murata leans towards the ropes. Murata mounts some offense, but Golovkin continues to respond with his hard jabs. Murata presses forward with combinations. 10-9 Golovkin.
Round 9 – Golovkin pounces as Murata appears to be hurt by the onslaught. Golovkin continues to land power left hooks as Murata absorbs most of them. The referee looks closely as Murata seems wobbled and compromised. Golovkin lands a hard jab, and Murata responds with a shot. Murata refuses to quit as Golovkin lands another right hand. Murata goes down as his corner throws in the towel.
Gennadiy Golovkin defeats Ryoto Murata via TKO (corner stoppage) in Round 9 to retain the IBO and IBF titles and win the WBA super middleweight title
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