Vanes Martirosyan was not only battered in the wee hours of Sunday morning but he was taught a lesson.
The Armenian-American fighter moved up to middleweight to face the terrifying enigma known as Gennady Golovkin and he learned that there are levels to the fight game.
Standing in for the suspended Saul 'Canelo' Alavarez, who failed a drug test in the build-up to his scheduled rematch with Golovkin, Martirosyan lasted less than five minutes against the WBA, WBC and IBO middleweight champion.
In front of 7,837 fans at Los Angeles' StubHub Centre, Golovkin steamrolled his way past his latest title defence and kept his undefeated record intact.
In the second round of the main event, GGG flattened Martirosyan after turning it on and deciding to make it a short night for his opponent
"Second round is all business," Golovkin said after moving to 38-0-1.
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The solitary draw on the Kazakh phenomenon's record remains a source of much contention because most viewers felt that Golovkin came out on top in his 2017 meeting with Alvarez, who will be eligible to return to the ring in August after a six-month ban following two failed drug tests for clenbuterol.
A rematch is expected to take place before 2018 is out and it likely remains one of the richest fights in boxing.
It's safe to say that Golovkin is game.
"I’m ready any time," Golovkin said. "I”m still champion of the world. Nine years. I have 11 belts. Come take my belts now."
