Tszyu, Zerafa score merciless first-round TKO’s
Darren Walton |
Nikita Tszyu has restored family pride and maintained his unbeaten record with a devastating first-round TKO win over the previously undefeated Lulzim Ismaili.
Ismail’s corner opted to stop the fight after the Macedonian copped a battering from “The Butcher” at the ICC Sydney Threatre on Wednesday night.
In improving his own record to 11-0 and capturing the vacant WBO intercontinental super-welterweight title, Tszyu also extended his famous family’s incredible record in Australia to 52-0.
As well as Tszyu himself, the 27-year-old’s Hall of Famer dad Kostya (18-0) and older former world champion brother Tim (23-0) – have never lost a professional fight in Australia.
Victory for Tszyu may have set up a domestic blockbuster with his family’s arch-rival Michael Zerafa, who earlier destroyed American Mikey Dahlman inside two minutes in the co-main event to claim the WBO intercontinental middleweight strap.
The 33-year-old former world title challenger hurt Dahlman early with a big right before tripping and unfairly receiving a double count from the referee.
An incredulous Zerafa mocked the decision and swiftly took matters into his own hands, punishing Dahlman further with a flurry of punches to the head.
Standing corrected, the referee had no choice but to stop the fight and award Zerafa a TKO.
While he would prefer to fight Tim Tszyu next, Zerafa said he was also prepared to settle for Nikita if need be – and show who’s boss.
“I believe I beat Nikita,” he said.
“Nikita’s doing good things and beating who’s in front of him and he’s proving that he belongs at that level with me.
“But I think there’s a little bit more to do.”
If he really had his way, though, the WBC’s soon-to-be fifth-ranked middleweight would prefer to be fighting internationally for boxing’s biggest spoils than settling any scores in a domestic grudge match.
“Overseas for a title eliminator, yeah, 100 per cent. Give me that,” Zerafa said.
“My dream was to be a world champion, not to fight one of the Tszyu brothers.”
AAP
