LONDON -- World middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin fought off the ambitious challenge to his supremacy from Kell Brook with a fifth-round stoppage on Saturday.
Brook's corner threw in the towel after the welterweight champion, who stepped up two weight classes to face Golovkin, faded against the formidable Kazakh, who improved his record to 36-0.
"I'm a warrior," Brook said. "I want to carry on. I was ready to fight on. Anyone who trains with me knows that."
And if the powerful, big-punching Golovkin was expecting Brook to capitulate easily at London's 02 Arena, it didn't go to plan. Instead it was a more open, thrilling contest than anticipated, with Brook posing a sporadic threat despite his eye socket being broken in the second round.
"I respect him. He's good but not so strong," Golovkin said. "I don't feel his power. So many punches and I don't feel."
"Kell is a huge fighter, a very good fighter, but he's not a middleweight. I respect him, he is good, but not so strong. I respect Kell, he's a warrior. And his corner, for his career, for his family, was correct [to stop fight]. It was game over."
After Golovkin retained his WBA, WBC, IBO and IBF middleweight belts, he targeted a unification fight with Billy Joe Saunders to claim the minor WBO title.
"I'm open for everybody," Golovkin said.
