Boxing notes | 10-20-14

Golovkin stops Rubio, defends WBA title

CARSON, Calif. — Gennady Golovkin stopped Marco Antonio Rubio in the second round Saturday night, defending his WBA middleweight title with his 18th consecutive stoppage victory.

Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) punctuated his brief West Coast debut with a crushing left hand to the forehead of Rubio, who tumbled to the canvas and couldn’t get his wits together in time.

Golovkin battered Rubio throughout his 12th title defense, hurting Rubio earlier in the second round with a right hand and a left uppercut. A raucous sellout crowd in the outdoor stadium chanted the name of the Kazakh-born, California-trained middleweight who has become one of boxing’s most charismatic stars.

Golovkin won Rubio’s WBC interim belt, which means the winner of WBC champion Miguel Cotto’s upcoming bout with Canelo Alvarez must either fight Golovkin or vacate the title.

Pacquiao makes pro basketball debut

MANILA, Philippines — Manny Pacquiao made his professional basketball debut on Sunday, just a month before he is set to defend his WBO welterweight crown.

Pacquiao started Sunday’s game for the newly formed KIA Sorento of the Philippine Basketball Association but played only seven minutes and committed two turnovers in his team’s 80-66 win over the Blackwater Elite at Philippine Arena.

The boxing icon, who joined the pro league team as a player-coach, played in a preseason game earlier this month, finishing with one point and two turnovers after a 10-minute stint.

Pacquiao said after the game he would take a break from his KIA duties to focus on the defense of his WBO welterweight crown on Nov. 22 in Macau against undefeated junior welterweight champion Chris Algieri.

At 5 feet 6 inches tall, Pacquiao does not have the typical stature of a basketball player, but is a big fan of the sport.

The Associated Press