Boxing legend Gennady Golovkin had high praise for his opponent Ryota Murata after defeating the Japanese star on Saturday night.

In front of a lively crowd at the Saitama Super Arena, Gennady Golovkin managed to capture the WBA (Super) middleweight title whilst also successfully retaining his IBF and IBO middleweight titles.

The win didn’t come without some adversity, though, as the 40-year-old was put under sustained pressure by Murata in what served as his first fight since December 2019.

Alas, the underdog simply wasn’t able to sustain his output and was ultimately overwhelmed by Golovkin’s combination of stiff jabs and explosive power.

Murata’s corner threw in the towel with less than a minute remaining in the ninth round, which proved to be a decision that very few fans had an issue with.

After the initial celebrations, GGG went over to his fallen foe and showcased the kind of sportsmanship we’ve all come to know and love from the veteran.

He even went backstage to embrace Murata and remind him that he’ll always be a champion, as seen via his Instagram.

“Ryota, Ryota. This is your belt for all life.”

Golovkin had even more words of praise to hand out in his post-fight interview.

"Murata is a true warrior who fought to the very end," Golovkin said.

"He is an Olympic champion, a middleweight champion, and despite what took place in front of his fans, we are extremely happy to have organised this event in Japan."

What’s next for Gennady Golovkin?

It’s the fight we’ve been waiting to see for years and this September, GGG is expected to come face to face with rival Canelo Alvarez for the third time.

While the Mexican first needs to get past Dmitry Bivol on May 7, the popular opinion is that the trilogy fight is all but signed with Canelo recognising the fan demand for this match-up.

Golovkin will head into the contest as a substantial underdog and even though that’s an unfamiliar position for him to be in, we’re talking about an athlete who never backs down from a challenge.

Buckle up, boxing fans - because it looks like these icons are about to run it back.