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SPORTSMonday 19 October 2015
Golovkin looks for megafight after big win at Garden
TIM DAHLBERG Gennady Golovkin, left, hits David Lemieux in the eighth round of a world middleweight title fight and the wild rights that
AP Boxing Writer at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Golovkin won by a TKO in the Lemieux was hoping would
NEW YORK (AP) — Gennady eighth round. turn the fight around never
Golovkin gave a slight bow landed solidly.
and apologized to David Associated Press When the fight was over
Lemieux after hitting him and the punches had been
while he was on the can- Madison Square Garden Golovkin was both those has stopped within the dis- tallied Golovkin had land-
vas in the fifth round of their things against Lemieux, tance. ed 280 punches to 89 for
middleweight title fight. and that is Cotto.” taking his time in an ef- “I felt his power, but I was Lemieux. It was Golovkin’s
Golovkin could afford to be ficient performance that strong tonight,” Golovkin first pay-per-view bout.
magnanimous. Everything The bout wowed a crowd saw him land 51 percent of said. “My punches hurt “I told you this was a very
else he did was nearly per- his punches. Most of those him.” important fight,” he said.
fect Saturday night when of 20,548 that included landed crisply, and took Lemieux, who brought a “I give my fans and friends
he staked his claim as box- their toll as the rounds add- piece of the middleweight a big show. Thank you, my
ing’s best before a sold-out Republican presidential ed up. title into the ring, com- fans. Thank you, my peo-
crowd on the big stage of With Triple G, of course, plained afterward that the ple.”
Madison Square Garden. front-runner Donald Trump. the knockout is everything. referee stopped the fight Golovkin plans to be ring-
In a coming out party of And while Lemieux was too quickly while he was side in Las Vegas for the
sorts, Golovkin battered Former middleweight still standing in the eighth still on his feet. But Golovkin Alvarez-Cotto fight next
Lemieux at will before ref- round, he became the 21st had won every round on all month, with the hope of
eree Steve Griffith merci- champion Bernard Hopkins straight fighter Golovkin three ringside scorecards, meeting the winner in the
fully stopped the fight in spring.
the eighth round with the has seen a lot in his years in That bout, if it happens,
Canadian taking a beat- would likely be on Cinco de
ing on the ropes. It was yet the sport, and believes the Mayo weekend, which in
another impressive perfor- the past has been reserved
mance from a fighter many man who beat the fighter for Floyd Mayweather Jr.
are starting to notice as he fights.
knocks out almost every- he was promoting is some- With Mayweather now re-
one who steps in the ring tired, the middleweight di-
with him. thing special. vision could be in the spot-
More important, it sets up a light. Golovkin, who has
possible bout that has box- “He’s poisonous,” Hopkins had trouble coaxing fight-
ing fans salivating: Triple G ers in the ring against him,
against the winner of the said. “He’s patient.” is suddenly a very market-
Nov. 21 middleweight title able fighter. With millions of
clash between Canelo Al- dollars at stake, some may
varez and Miguel Cotto. take the challenge against
“This fight puts him at the the devastating puncher.
next level,” promoter Tom “At least now nobody can
Loeffler said. “He’s at the use the excuse they can’t
top of the sport. There’s get paid to fight Gennady,”
probably only one other Loeffler said. “That excuse is
fighter now who can fill gone now.”q
Jankovic wins Hong Kong Open for 15th WTA title
HONG KONG (AP) — Jele- Guangzhou title at the be- Jelena Jankovic of Serbia smiles as she poses with the trophy on her powerful, double-
na Jankovic of Serbia ginning of the Asian swing, after defeating Angelique Kerber of Germany during their final handed backhand and
came back from the brink relied on her powerful match at the WTA Hong Kong Open tennis tournament in Hong took a 3-0 lead in the third
of defeat on Sunday to baseline game. Kong, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015. set. After a medical time-
outpower Angelique Ker- “This victory will do my con- out, Kerber tamely fold-
ber in the Hong Kong Open fidence a world of good. Associated Press ed — dropping her serve
final, putting on hold the Beating Angelique and again in the sixth game.
German’s hopes of playing my win over Venus in the The 30-year-old Jankovic
in the season-ending WTA semifinals proves I can still served out the match.
Finals in Singapore. play at the top level and, The 27-year-old Kerber
Fourth-seeded Jankovic, if I work hard, maybe I can will now have to rely on
who beat Venus Williams win a Grand Slam next a strong showing at the
in the semifinals, was a set year,” said Jankovic, a wild Kremlin Cup in Moscow,
and 6-5 down before she card entry. starting Monday, to see if
rallied to beat second- Kerber’s serve deserted her she will remain among the
seeded Kerber 3-6, 7-6 (4), midway through the match top eight on the Road to
6-1 at Hong Kong’s Victoria with four double faults at Singapore race.
Park for her 15th WTA title. crucial stages in the sec- “I have entered to play in
Ninth-ranked Kerber need- ond set. Both players trad- Moscow but I will have to
ed to win to confirm a berth ed service breaks twice to see how I shape up,” said
at the WTA Finals. go to a tiebreaker where Kerber, who said she has
Former top-ranked Jankov- Jankovic held her nerve. been struggling with a
ic, who added to her Jankovic continued to rely back injury.q
