Thirteen years ago today, Gennadiy Golovkin stopped Matthew Macklin with a devastating third-round liver shot. The knockout, a signature moment in his career, confirmed his concussive power and accelerated his rise to stardom in the American middleweight boxing scene.
The fight on June 29, 2013, was meant to be Golovkin’s toughest professional test. Macklin, an experienced and durable Irish contender, was seen as the measuring stick for the unbeaten Kazakh champion. But those questions about GGG’s elite credentials lasted less than nine minutes. Golovkin established control immediately behind an educated jab and hurt Macklin late in the first round with a crushing right hand. Macklin recalled: “[Golovkin] came out fast and strong, and he caught me with a couple of good shots in the first round. I knew then that I was in for a tough night.”
Macklin attempted to press the action in the third, but his aggression was his undoing. Golovkin calmly waited, walked his opponent into range, and detonated a perfect left hook to the liver. The single punch folded Macklin to the canvas in visible agony. He said: “The pain was indescribable. It felt like I was being electrocuted. I’ve been hit with some big shots in my career, but nothing like that. It was the hardest single punch I’ve ever been hit with.” He could not beat referee Eddie Cotton’s count. The shot was so destructive that Macklin later revealed it had broken his ribs, a stark illustration of the force GGG generated.
That knockout was the moment Golovkin transitioned from a feared Kazakh puncher to a must-see attraction in the United States. The victory at Foxwoods Resort Casino improved his record to 27-0 and served as a clear warning to the 160-pound division. His opponent was convinced. Macklin stated: “He’s the real deal. I don’t think there’s a middleweight in the world that can stand up to his power. He’s going to be a superstar in this sport for a long time to come.” The win was the launchpad for one of the longest middleweight title reigns of the modern era, leading to his blockbuster rivalry with Canelo Alvarez. For Macklin, the defeat ended his pursuit of a world title, though his reputation for taking on the best remained intact. He retired in 2016.
