Tim Tszyu ‘destroys doubters’ with ‘vicious’ KO in world title statement against Tony Harrison

It was the biggest test of Tim Tszyu’s dazzling career. The biggest risk too, as he faced Tony Harrison for the interim WBO super welterweight title.

It was Tszyu’s first shot at a world title and it came against the only man to defeat Jermell Charlo, the man Tszyu was originally set to face before withdrawing to a hand injury late last year.

Tszyu didn’t have to fight Harrison. But he wanted to stay active and he wanted to make a statement — and that he did.

Tszyu sent a brutal warning to the undisputed champion Charlo, dominating Harrison before claiming a ninth-round stoppage win on Sunday to improve his undefeated record to 22-0 with 16 knockouts.

“What’s my motherf***ing name?” Tszyu asked in his post-fight speech.

'I'm very mad': Former world champ fumes at ref as Tszyu ‘nearly murdered’ rival

“The message was sent clearly,” Tszyu added.

“You know what’s up, you know what’s next. I’m coming [for Charlo].”Ben Damon, meanwhile, said in commentary that “the doubters” had been “destroyed” after Tszyu’s latest masterclass.

It was a relatively even opening to the fight, with Harrison primarily working the jab as Tszyu landed a few shots in response.

Harrison’s jab was described as “exactly as advertised” and “on-point” by Damon as the American warmed into the opening round of the fight.

Tszyu, on the other hand, was countering well and turned a hook into a right hand early while also later digging into the body and landing an over-the-top right.

Shawn Porter said in commentary that Harrison “can win” by working the jab and keeping the fight at the pace he would prefer, although he added that the American needed to be “defensively aware” after throwing the jab.

Jeff Fenech, meanwhile, said Harrison needed to put something after the jab, warning it would not be enough even if he was landing more, with Tszyu’s power doing more damage.

“This will slowly wear Harrison down,” Fenech added.

Tszyu started to really find his range in the second round too, landing the bigger and more damaging punches and rocked Harrison with a strong overhand right.

“He tries to hang on,” Damon said.

“Is he hurt Tony Harrison? Tszyu is looking for a huge statement against the former world champion, who gets back on the jab.”

“The eyes are glassy,” added Fenech.

“He’s never been hit like this before.”

Tszyu continued to unload as the third round closed, with Damon declaring Harrison “was definitely hurt by the end” of it.

“Tim Tszyu is in a different mood tonight.... menacing from Tszyu.”

Harrison responded well in a close fourth and in the fifth too, although Tszyu landed another strong right late in the round, walking down his rival with powerful shots.

And even when Harrison threw a right hand, Tszyu continued to counter with smart uppercuts, controlling the fight as it went past the halfway point.

Tszyu then forced Harrison to fight off the ropes in the seventh and worked the jab before landing a big right to open the eighth.

Harrison fired back with a left hand of his own but those shots were too far and few in between for the American, who desperately needed something big to get back in the fight.

“He’s tough but Tim’s got really nice timing, especially with that right hand,” said Porter.

Harrison had one of his better moments of the fight in the ninth as he backed up Tszyu momentarily but it was only a brief blip for the Australia, who destroyed his rival with a barrage of brutal shots to drop Harrison and win the fight.

“I’m very mad at the ref for allowing Tony to take this many clean shots and not stepping in,” Porter said.

“That’s vicious punching.”

“That is hard to watch,” added Damon.

Aussie beast rocks rival with 'magnificent' shot in ud win

Paulo Aokuso (4-0, 3KO) did not get the finish against Yunieski Gonzalez (21-6, 17KO) but it was a dominant unanimous decision win (97-92, 99-90, 100-89) for the IBO Inter-Continental light heavyweight title.

“An impressive win, a dominant performance,” Ben Damon said in commentary.

The fight opened with a relatively slow pace as Aokuso looked to keep his rival on the outside, with both settling into the bout early.

The action had well and truly ramped up midway through the round though, including some bigger shots from Gonzalez but Aokuso had it covered and there was a simple message from his corner.

“The call from the Aokuso corner is be patient, they thought he took too many risks there,” Damon said in commentary.

Jeff Fenech said Aokuso is “something special” and the light heavyweight prospect was showing it against the much more experienced Gonzalez.

“He’s completely worried out of that swarming style we so often see from Gonzalez,” Damon said in commentary.

“Gonzalez did not even have time to think about a counter before Aokuso was re-setting.”

It had Shawn Porter in commentary wondering whether Gonzalez was planning something different, waiting for Aokuso to tire or make a mistake before pouncing.

“Expect a big storm from Gonzalez at some point,” he said.

Aokuso then fired a big 1-2-3 combo in the third round but it didn’t cause many issues for Gonzalez.

“A much better round for Gonzalez, he may not have won the round but he landed some good punches,” Fenech said.

Fenech though also had no doubt at some point later in the fight that Gonzalez would really let his hands go and take a few risks, likely already down 3-0 entering the fourth.

Gonzalez pressed Aokuso against the ropes at one point but the Australian traded blows and then used his footwork and agility to escape any further damage, not that he sustained much in the first place.

“He has been outmanoeuvred and out-worked and everything else,” Porter said of Gonzalez.

Damon, meanwhile, said Aokuso was “cruising” as the fight entered a sixth round.

Forget cruising though, Aokuso exploded with a brutal right uppercut and straight left that send Gonzalez crashing to the ground.

“A magnificent uppercut,” Damon said, adding that Gonzalez had sustained “serious damage”.

Gonzalez though was able to get up and survive the round — and the next too — with Porter calling on Aokuso to get the finish he needed to make a title statement on Sunday.

“Knockouts mean something and if he doesn’t finish this fight in the way everyone in this crowd knows this should finish, you’re really missing an opprotunity to make a statement,” Porter said.

Aokuso could not get that finish though but in the end it was still a strong win on the cards.

Murdock wins thriller as hardman fumes

Issac Hardman was left furious at the judges after being on the wrong end of a split decision, with Rohan Murdock emerging victorious.

Two judges scored the contest 97-92 in Murdock’s favour while one gave it 96-93 Hardman in a see-sawing contest.

Murdock started brightly and found a home for his shots on Hardman, as the latter seemed content to absorb shots and counter.

However, around the midway point of the fight, Hardman picked up the pace and enjoyed more success, landing thunderous shots on Murdock who somehow stayed on his feet.

The two sprinted towards the final bell in a thrilling finale and Main Event’s Ben Damon felt the contest could have been a draw.

Instead, Murdock got the win as Hardman stormed off to furiously protest the result.

'Best version of Nikita': aussie legend's all-time Tszyu claim after brutal beatdown

Nikita Tszyu lived up to his moniker of ‘The Butcher’ as he dismantled tough Tasmanian Bo Belbin in a TKO victory.

Tszyu displayed a full array of shots to the head and the body, although Belbin wore each shot well and rarely took a backwards step.

But there was only so much damage he could take before the referee had seen enough, with a knockdown in the fourth round quickly followed by a stoppage.

Main Event’s Jeff Fenech said it was the “best version of Nikita I’ve seen so far” on commentary as Tszyu now moves to 5-0.

'They will rob us': Mahoney's 'prophetic' warning in shock result

Main Event’s Paul Kent was one of several left baffled at how Ben Mahoney’s ten round slugfest against Koen Mazoudier was scored as a split draw.

Mahoney and Mazoudier both started strongly before the Queenslander picked up the pace and snapped his jab at pace, rocking his rival in the early and middle rounds.

Although Mahoney appeared to be winning, his corner warned him “they will rob us” going into the eighth round, with “they” being the judges given Mahoney was on enemy territory.

Both men enjoyed a sprint to the finish in a hotly-contested fight, although the consensus seemed Mahoney had eeked out a narrow victory.

Instead, the scorecards showed otherwise with one judge awarding it 97-93 in Mahoney’s favour, 97-94 in Mazoudier’s favour and a 95-95 draw.

Mahoney was left perplexed at the decision.

“We’ve come to Sydney on a No Limit show in the backyard of the opponent and still got a draw,” Mahoney said.

“I won that fight anywhere else. Let’s run it back in the Gold Coast.”

Kent added that the warning from Mahoney’s corner “was prophetic” and was flabbergasted at the judge who scored the fight in Mazoudier’s favour.

“Whoever scored it 97-94 to Mazoudier, I tell you, I want some of what he’s on, because he’s enjoying it,” Kent said.

Full card results

Main card (from midday AEDT)

Tim Tszyu def Tony Harrison via TKO in Round Nine — 12 rounds, super welterweight – interim WBO super welterweight title

Paulo Aokuso def Yunieski Gonzalez via UD (97-92, 99-90, 100-89) — 10 rounds, light heavyweight – vacant IBO Intercontinental light heavyweight title

Sam Goodman def TJ Doheny via UD (97-92, 98-92, 100-89)

Issac Hardman def by Rohan Murdock via SD (97-92 x 2, 93-96)

Nikita Tszyu def Bo Belbin via TKO in Round Four

Prelims (from 10am)

Koen Mazoudier draws with Ben Mahoney (97-93 BM, 94-97 KM, 95-95)

Shanell Dargan def Courtney Martin via UD (39-37, 40-36 x 2)

Imam Khataev def Gi Sung Gwak via KO in Round Two