Boxing: Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin vs. Steve Rolls Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Gennady “GGG” Golovkin vs. Steve Rolls

Round 1

Steve Willis is the referee for this middleweight matchup, which is Gennady Golovkin’s first fight since losing his WBC, WBA and IBF middleweight titles to Canelo Alvarez last September. Madison Square Garden is the venue and the place is loaded with thousands of rabid GGG fans. Steve Rolls has never lost as a pro, but he’s also never fought anybody with the skillset of Golovkin. The fight begins and they meet in the center of the ring. They trade jabs and Rolls is a little stiff, probably because of how big this fight is for him. Golovkin is keeping a distance but is firing off his left jab. Rolls with a jab to the body, but he’s exuding a lot of nervous energy. GGG is very calm, tossing out jabs and feeling out the Toronto native. Golovkin lands a short left hook on the inside and it shakes Rolls up a little. Rolls backs away and Golovkin is slowly walking after him. GGG with a triple threat to the body and it appears as though Rolls is about to get splattered all over the ring. The round ends and Rolls breathes a huge sigh of relief. 10-9 Golovkin

Round 2

Rolls paws with a few jabs to begin the second. The Canadian lands a few shot to the body, but there’s not much on them. Golovkin lands a left hook to the body, but he’s countered by a jab to the grill. “GGG” digs a series of hooks to the guts of Rolls, and the unbeaten contender backs away. Rolls opens up with a right to the head and then misses a follow-up left hook. Rolls is finally settling down now, but GGG tags him with a pair of left hooks to the head. Golovkin backs Rolls towards the ropes with body shots, but Rolls blasts the former champ with a powerful left to the head. Golovkin shakes it off and regroups. Rolls with a left uppercut to the mouth and then a right, before taking a huge breath. Rolls with a triple jab to the head, but his follow-up right upstairs misses. A nice left to the liver from Rolls at the end and he is now on a roll. 10-9 Rolls

Round 3

Rolls fires off jabs as soon as the round begins. Rolls has found a rhythm and is looking good at the moment. Golovkin looks a bit perplexed and isn’t letting his hands go. GGG misses a left hook, only to eat a left to the body. Rolls digs a left to the left and then misses a left hook to the head. Golovkin misses his three follow-up punches. The former champ tags Rolls with a right cross and then ducks underneath a loopy left hook. Golovkin throws a left, but he walks right into a great right cross. Rolls then digs a left to the ribs with 45 seconds left. Finally, Golovkin gets going and digs a right to the body and then a hook to the head. Rolls comes right back with a three-punch combo and then two jabs. It’s another close round, which Rolls wins again. 10-9 Rolls

Round 4

Golovkin with a jab early, but he eats a left and then a right to the head. The Toronto fighter continues to toss out jabs, keeping GGG guessing. Golovkin with a jab and then a right to the guts, but Rolls takes them all. GGG goes with a left hook to the dome and then downstairs, but Rolls shakes them off. They are standing forehead-to-forehead, digging to the body and head. Rolls seems to get shaken by a loopy left to the head. He backs away and Golovkin rattles him with a right to the head and then knocks him dead out with a straight left. Somehow, Rolls struggles to his feet at the count of eight but he falls face first back into the ropes and this one is over. Spectacular knockout for Golovkin, who took a little time to get going.

The Official Result

Gennady Golovkin def. Steve Rolls via KO, R4 2:09

.@GGGBoxing DROPPED Him #GGGRolls pic.twitter.com/JL1AK20GVE

— DAZN USA (@DAZN_USA) June 9, 2019