WBA Champ Golovkin KO’s Simon In Germany

WBA middleweight titlist Gennady Golovkin made short work of challenger Lajaun Simon last night at Ballsaal Interconti Hotel in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Kazakhstan born Stuttgart resident Golovkin was making the second defense of the belt he won last December with a third round KO of Nilson Julio Tapia and retained against ex-IBF light middle champ Kassim Ouma in June.

Big-punching former amateur star Golovkin, 29, was also competing for the vacant IBO crown.

Simon came into the contest as the reigning USBA strapholder but was also coming off a loss to Dionisio Miranda in December and had previously failed in a bid to unseat IBF champion Arthur Abraham in 2009.

Once the bell rang in Dusseldorf, Simon, who scaled the lightest weight of his career, sought to press his height and reach advantage by working behind the jab but made little headway against the crafty champion.

It didn't take long for Golovkin to show that he could counter Simon's jab at will with a hard right hand.

Soon afterward Simon walked into a single counter left hook that put the Philadelphia based American down for the full count at 2:17 of the first round.

Golovkin remain undefeated at 22-0 (19) while Simon is stopped for the first time, falling to 23-4-2 (12).