GGG stops Rolls with massive 4th-round KO

NEW YORK — Gennady Golovkin entered the ring to face unheralded Steve Rolls on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden well aware of what had transpired one week earlier when huge underdog Andy Ruiz Jr. pulled a massive upset by knocking out England’s Anthony Joshua in his United States debut to take his three heavyweight world title belts.

Rolls said all week that he was inspired by Ruiz’s performance as he attempted to author his own monumental upset in the same ring, but GGG would have none of it.

Instead, Golovkin, the former unified middleweight world champion, scored a massive fourth-round knockout in their super middleweight bout contracted at 164 pounds before an announced crowd of 12,357.

Golovkin was participating in his first nontitle fight since 2010 and returning from a nine-month layoff following his disputed majority decision loss to rival Canelo Alvarez. Their rematch cost Golovkin his unified middleweight title and ended his division record-tying run of 20 consecutive defenses.

The fight was something of new beginning for Golovkin, who was in his first fight with trainer Johnathon Banks after parting ways with longtime trainer Abel Sanchez. It also kicked off a six-fight, three-year, nine-figure deal with sports streaming service DAZN, which signed him after the expiration of his contract with HBO, as the network’s exited from the boxing business at the end of last year.

Golovkin followed Alvarez to DAZN hoping to set up a third fight with Alvarez in September and it is likely he will get it, although Alvarez’s handlers at Golden Boy Promotions told ESPN they will sit down with Alvarez next week to go over their plans for his fall fight.

“I love knockouts and I love New York,” Golovkin said. “It was a great night all around. I’m ready to come back in September. I’m ready to bring back the big drama show. We know who the fans want me to fight next.”

Golovkin went after Rolls (19-1, 10 KOs), 35, of Toronto, who was facing his first name opponent, simply could not take the power of GGG.

Golovkin went to the body late in the first round and sunk in a hard left hook and then a left hook to the head that got his attention. He continued to the same line of attack in the second round and landed clean punches but Rolls landed his own clean shots, including a left hand that snapped Golovkin’s head straight back.

In the fourth round, Golovkin (39-1-1, 35 KOs), 37, Santa Monica, California, backed Rolls up with a right hand and seemed to sense that he was hurt. He let his punches fly as Rolls looked to cover up and bob and weave away from the incoming punches.

But Golovkin eventually got in a massive left hook that landed on Rolls’ chin and dropped him face first to the canvas. His eyes were glassy but he tried to get up before eventually collapsing in a heap as referee Steve Willis waved off the fight at 2 minutes, 9 seconds as the fans celebrated the expected outcome.