GENNADY GOLOVKIN celebrated his 40th birthday by making weight to fight Ryota Murata.
The middleweight boxing champion marks his return to the ring in a unification title bout with Murata in Japan.
Golovkin looked ripped and ready as he scaled inside the 11st 6lb middleweight limit on his big day.
The Kazakh legend has not fought since December 2020 when he stopped Pole Kamil Szeremeta, 32, in seven rounds.
He was due to unify his IBF belt with Murata’s WBA version in April until coronavirus restrictions put an abrupt halt to that.
But with their rescheduled date only days away, Golovkin promised it will be worth the wait.
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He told Boxing Scene: “Murata is the most important fight. Period. I do not look ahead.
“I have been fully invested in training for the fight I have in front of me. I have too much respect for Murata and his body of work.
My focus is on him and winning his title. That is why I am in Japan. I look forward to fighting in a packed arena. I have missed that energy.
“It is going to be exciting because we both have similar styles of fighting.
“We are both power punchers, we are aggressive, and we come forward.
“Diamonds cut diamonds and on Saturday, there will be two diamonds in the ring.
“It will be a boxing gift to the fans. I expect it to be the fight of the year.”
Gennady Golovkin and Japan’s Ryota Murata ahead of their unification
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