Mexican Marco Antonio Rubio’s challenge for Gennady Golovkin’s World Boxing Association middleweight world title ended on the scale on Friday as he failed to make weight for Saturday’s sold-out bout.
The 12-round fight will go ahead, but even if he beats Kazakh knock-out artist Golovkin, Rubio won’t claim the title.
Rubio stripped to the buff on the scale but came in at 161.8 pounds (73.39 kg), 1.8 pounds over the 160-pound (72.57 kg) middleweight limit.
Rubio was given two hours to try to make weight, but never returned to the official scale.
“We were trying,” Rubio’s trainer Robert Garcia told ESPN.com. “He did everything he could to make weight. But he got to a point where his body just shut down. No more weight was going to come off.”
Unbeaten Golovkin, seeking an 18th straight knock-out, weighed in at 159 pounds (72 kg).
If Golovkin wins, he’ll keep his WBA title and claim the World Boxing Council “interim” middleweight belt left vacant when Rubio failed to make weight.
If Golovkin loses, his WBA title will be vacated, Golovkin’s promoter Tom Loeffler said.
“Any time you have a fighter who doesn’t make weight, it’s disappointing,” Loeffler told ESPN.com.
Golovkin brings a record of 30-0, with 27 knock-outs while Rubio owns a record of 59-6-1.