Nikita Tszyu has successfully defended his Australian super welterweight title for the first time after dominating Danilo Creati on Wednesday night.
The 26-year-old Tszyu (9-0, 7 KOs) didn’t have it completely his own way though, as after a dominant first five rounds, was left wobbly for a lengthy period of the sixth.
But the Aussie got back on track from there and while Creati bravely went the distance despite copping heavy shots across the 30 minutes - Tszyu acknowledging his effort with a hug before the 10th round began.
“He can honestly take a shot. I thought I hurt him early ... but he just kept going,” Tszyu said.
He did not call anyone out after the bout but Brock Jarvis’ attendance was notable.
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'I still feel a little light-headed' | 01:41
Tszyu landed early shots quickly including his first knockdown early in the second round, with Creati’s glove briefly touching the canvas.
“He has been perfect. Ruthless,” commentator Ben Damon said on Main Event.
Already in the third round Olympian Harry Garside was suggesting on commentary Creati’s corner should throw in the towel.
A series of heavy blows saw Creati desperately clinging to Tszyu at the end of the fourth round just to survive.
But in the sixth round things took a severe turn with Tszyu “hurt badly” and the Italian threatening a massive upset. Tszyu recovered and survived through the round.
“He’s looked gone throughout this fight, but slowly and surely he showed his quality, and then he showed his punching power. Big right hands, and he followed, and he followed,” Damon said.
Taken past the sixth round for the first time in his pro career, Tszyu recovered and regained control, leaving Creati - who had declared Wednesday night would be his own Rocky movie - needing a knockout to win.
Tszyu looked for the finish in a busy 10th round but could not find it.
'I'm all good' - Why was Nikita late? | 00:43
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Historic upset in wild world title eliminator
Malik Zinad has eliminated Jerome Pampellone from the IBF light heavyweight world title picture after defeating the Kiwi in a 12-round war.
Zinad was the busier man and landed the better shots on the Kiwi to earn a majority decision win, with two scorecards reading 117-111 in his favour, while one judge declared the bout a draw.
Aussie Olympian Harry Garside declared Zinad had one of the best chins he had ever seen.
The Libyan got to work early and led the exchanges, directing Pampellone across the ring with his pressure.
However, Pampellone quickly found his groove in the third and fourth rounds with some big shots that would’ve rocked most light heavyweight contenders but not Zinad, who laughed off the shots and invited the Kiwi to throw more.
Zinad slowly and methodically began to pick Pampellone apart, although the latter continued to answer back with big shots that landed.
Ultimately Zinad’s relentlessness paid off to earn the win as he maintained his unbeaten record, progressing to 22-0 while handing Pampellone the first loss of his professional career.
Zinad will be the first Libyan to fight for a world title.
Aussie’s world title bid falls short
Adopted Australian Linn Sandstrom’s bid to become the nation’s newest world champion has sadly fallen short as she as unable to dethrone Clara Lescurat.
It was a valiant display from Sandstrom but she struggled to find answers to Lescurat’s relentless offence.
A hestitancy to engage beyond single shots for the majority of the bout was what cruelled Sandstrom, with her coach Tony Del Vecchio left fuming at the end of Round 7 knowing what was on the line.
Lescurat’s consistency at initiating exchanges earned her the unanimous decision victory to mark her fourth title defence, with the scores reading 100-90, 99-91 and 97-93 in her favour.
Aussie into world rankings in dream return to home turf
Mateo Tapia has rocketed himself into the WBO middleweight rankings after winning a gritty bout over tough Venezuelan Keiber Gonzalez.
Tapia, fighting back in Australia for the first time since October 2022, looked right at home against Gonzalez en route to a unanimous decision (98-92 x 2, 97-93) victory.
The man dubbed ‘El Tijuanero’ put together one of the most complete performances in his career, showcasing his razor-sharp jab that left Gonzalez constantly guessing.
There was a brief moment when Tapia appeared to be knocked down in the second round, but it did not seem to be ruled by the referee.
Tapia soon grew into the fight and found his groove in the seventh round, timing his counters to perfection and putting Gonzalez on the back foot with some rapid rips to the body.
Gonzalez also did not relent and had moments of his own, but it was too little too late from the Venezuelan as Tapia prevailed to move to 17-0, with bigger and better challenges awaiting.
‘Hypebeast’ Hussain settles the score
Benjamin Hussain didn’t quite get his wish of forcing Mason Smith’s team to throw in the towel, but he did get a stoppage victory of the Victorian.
Hussain earned the TKO win in the 10th and final round to retain the WBA Oceania super welterweight title in a thrilling encounter.
The man dubbed ‘The Hypebeast’ lived up to the billing as he walked out to the ring with a number of Bulldogs players including Matt Burton, Josh Curran and Bronson Xerri as the Hoodoo Gurus’ ‘That’s My Team’ blared out across the loudspeakers.
The bout briefly got scrappy midway through, with Hussain docked a point after dishing out his second accidental low blow of the evening as the referee had to pause the contest and warn the fighters to clean things up.
Smith, who had to evade Hussain's relentless pressure for the entire fight, eventually ran out of gas in the final round as the latter ramped up the intensity to eventually end the fight.
FULL CARD AND RESULTS
MAIN CARD
Nikita Tszyu (c) def Danilo Creati via UD (100-88, 99-90, 100-89) to retain Australian super welterweight title
Malik Zinad def Jerome Pampellone via MD (117-111 x2, 114-114) — IBF light heavyweight world title eliminator
Clara Lescurat (c) def Linn Sandstrom via UD (100-90, 99-91, 97-93) to retain WBA super flyweight world title
Mateo Tapia def Keiber Gonzalez via UD (98-92 x2, 97-93) to win vacant WBO global middleweight title
Benjamin Hussain (c) def Mason Smith via TKO in Round 10 to retain WBA Oceania super welterweight title
PRELIMS
Jasmine Parr def Sarah Watt via TKO in Round 5
Charlie Kazzi def Joe Kara via UD (50-45 x 2, 49-46)
Shanell Dargan def Christine Gillespie via MD (58-56 x 2, 57-57)
Andrei Mikhailovich def Les Sherrington via TKO in Round 1
PRELIMS WRAP
Parr earns first stoppage in dominant display
Jasmine Parr finally has the first stoppage in her professional career after beating Sarah Watt.
The referee was forced to wave off the contest in the fifth round after Parr had Watt rocked and against the ropes.
Parr piled on the shots while Watt simply had no answer, giving the referee an easy decision to make.
Parr, the daughter of Australian MMA legend John Wayne Parr, looked every bit the part in the bout and even knocked Watt down right at the end of the second round as she moved to 5-0.
Kazzi shuts out Kara
Charlie Kazzi ensured there would be no revenge for Joe Kara as he beat the tough Papau New Guinean for a second time.
Kazzi earned the unanimous decision victory (50-45 x 2, 49-46) as he impressed at all ranges.
If anything, the young lightweight contender was perhaps a little guilty of wanting to engage at short range, which allowed Kara back into the bout.
But Kazzi rarely looked troubled when absorbing Kara’s shots and would answer back with thunderous combinations, outlanding his rival 179 to 113.
The win improved Kazzi’s record to 5-0 as he continues to progress his career.
Dargan downs Gillespie
Shanell Dargan has earned the fourth victory of her career with a gritty majority decision over Christine Gillespie.
Dargan won two judges over with scorecards of 58-56, while one judge felt Gillespie had done enough to earn a draw at 57-57.
It was Dargan who outlanded her rival, with 110 punches to Gillespie’s 99.
Gillespie did her best to pick Dargan apart with some lethal one-two combinations, but Dargan proved to be too versatile with her shots as he switched up her attacks to the head and the body.
PRE-FIGHT STORY - GLOVE MEETING EXPLODES AS RIVALS ALMOST COME TO BLOWS
Nikita Tszyu’s latest Pay-Per-View event is set for a fiery curtain raiser after the two entourages involved in tonight’s IBF world title eliminator were involved in a heated exchange during a regulation meeting over gloves -- with suggestions the row almost became physical.
Fox Sports Australia has been told the two teams for Jerome Pampellone and Malik Zinad — who will contest the IBF light heavyweight eliminator -- were involved in a fiery verbal stoush that, ironically, had nothing to do with the gloves being used -- but allegations of disrespect.
It is understood Zinad was presented with three gloves from Pampellone’s team, one of which had the Kiwi’s name written on them.
However, despite featuring his rival’s name, Zinad decided he wanted those gloves, much to the surprise of Pampellone’s camp.
It sparked a tense back and forth which, amid the chaos and profanities, allegedly saw somebody on a table and Zinad’s brother hurl his set of gloves at Pampellone’s trainer Isaac Peach.
The exchange, which occurred during a glove meeting inside an Entertainment Quarter office on Tuesday evening, ensures tonight’s co-main will be an explosive affair between the two unbeaten fighters.
With tensions between the two camps almost at boiling point, officials have taken drastic measures to heighten security presence both ringside and in the crowd.
Pampellone, who fights out of New Zealand and is signed to the No Limit stable, is without loss in 18 fights while Zinad, who hails from Libya, is on a tear of 21 straight wins.
It comes as No Limit CEO George Rose has reminded all fighters that a $20,000 bonus is up for grabs for KO or performance of the night.
