Gennady Golovkin Challenges Canelo Alvarez After Knocking Out His Replacement

When the Cinco de Mayo looked to be in jeopardy due to Canelo Alvarez' disqualification, many boxers came-a-calling to replace him on the card. The Gennady Golovkin vs Canelo Alvarez rematch was the biggest anticipated for 2018. If you recall, their first encounter ended in a controversial draw, with many fans and experts believing Golovkin to be the victor.

So when news trickled down, of Canelo failing a second drug test, the event was at risk of not happening at all, no replacement could adequately stand in for Canelo because the fight itself had become a grudge match. Canelo's suspension carries with it a 6 month ban from boxing in sanctioned bouts. Of all the options at his disposal, Gennady Golovkin elected to pick Vanes Martirosyan, a competitive junior middleweight in his own right.

The fight got off to a roaring start, with both Golovkin and Martirosyan looking to establish their distance and pace. Martirosyan landed a few power shots on his heavier opponent, but it all came to standstill in the second round. Golovkin was able to seize control of the fight with a pointed uppercut, followed by 4 or 5 clean shots which put Martirosyan on the canvas, unable to rise from the 10-count administered by the referee.

After his 2nd round victory, Gennady made sure to call out Canelo Alvarez, telling an ESPN reporter, "If he's ready, I'm ready at any time," before wishing the viewers a happy Cinco de Mayo. Who do you have in the eventual rematch?