His debut performance in America shocked some and opened up the eyes of others. Golvkin brutalized super game Grzegorz Proksa over five rounds. He dropped Proksa in the first round, again in the fourth and put him down for good in the fifth. The knockout was his 11^th in a row. The power display was stunning. The hype had fit the performance.

“It was a good first in America ,” said Golvkin. “I am ready for anyone.”

Golovkin (24-0, 21 KOs ) is the son of a Korean mom and a Russian dad. He was born in Kazakhstan , a country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe . His sterling amateur career convinced many that his future was bright. His professional career started slowly. Golvkin first captured a part of a world title in 2010 (he is now the recognized middleweight champion by both the WBA and IBO) with a first round knockout over Michael Nunez. Though racking up victories in Europe, America didn’t beckon.

K2 (owned by the Klitscko brothers) Promotions signed Golovkin last January. The deal included fights in the United States .  Golovkin traveled to Big Bear, Ca to train. His sparring sessions with Antonio Margerito, Alfredo Angulo, Canelo Alverez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. only added to his mystique. Reports circulated that he handled Chavez Jr. and humbled Alvarez.

Golovkin’s style is a mixture of poise, toughness, and physically superiority. He treated Proksa like a little brother.  He pushed him around constantly. His punches drew many ohs and ahs from the audience in Verona , N.Y.

South African Thomas Oosthuizen gets his chance to knock Golovkin off his pedestal next January at the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York . Oosthizan (20-0, 13 KOs ) will have an advantage in height (five inches) and reach (four inches). Will it matter?

Someone wiser than this writer wrote that, “Power is the great equalizer.”

You think?