Gennady Golovkin never fails to disappoint.

The man from Kazakhstan was afforded his first ever big pay-per-view US showcase here with the eyes of the world transfixed upon Madison Square Garden and his bid to unify the middleweight division.

At the end of eight dynamic, razor-sharp rounds, IBF champion David Lemieux simply couldn't take any more punishment, his bloodied nose a brutal illustration of the damage delivered by Golovokin's rapier-like jabs and crushing hooks which whirled with devastating accuracy from the very first bell until the last.

This was a supreme performance from a supreme athlete who now has the world firmly at his feet.

Following Floyd Mayweather's supposed retirement and Manny Pacquiao soon set to follow, boxing needs a new superstar leader.
Golovkin can fill the void after coming through his toughest test to date with clinical efficiency and style.

'Gennady was on a different level, ' admitted coach Abel Sanchez. 'His jab was magnificent.'

The 33 year-old's record has now stretched to 34 fights without defeat, including 21 stoppages in a row. To put that into context, his knock-out percentage is now better than Mike Tyson's following the same amount of bouts.

His Canadian opponent certainly had his moments – a flurry of activity late in the fifth had Golovkin on his toes – yet , in truth, the result was never doubt and when referee Steve Willis finally stepped in with one minute 28 seconds left in the eighth, Lemieux's corner could have no arguments.

Ultimately, the stats told a story of pure and utter dominance from the best, and most exciting, pound-for-pound talent on the planet. He connected with 280 out of 549 punches thrown compared to Lemieux's total of hitting with just 89 of 335.

Golovokin averaged 21 jabs a round – a rate Lemieux, let alone anyone else, was able to cope with. (Compubox stats revealed that was, incredibly, four times the middleweight average.)

What happens next will prove equally as fascinating and undoubtedly more dramatic.

The next so called superfight this side of the Atlantic will see Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alverez meet in November with the newly unified middleweight champion of the world surely awaiting the winner. Irishman Andy Lee, the WBO title holder, could be another interesting option.

That, however, is for then.

On this evidence, no-one would relish entering the ring with Triple G.

'I am so proud to have unified the belts on what was a huge night for me, ' said Golovkin.

'That was my goal. What happens next, will happen. I am making a new story for myself. Myself and David had a different style but I was ready for anything. I have respect for Cotto and Canelo. We will see.'

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