In an exhilarating night of boxing at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on August 23, Nikita Tszyu proved his mettle by overcoming an early setback to secure a sixth-round TKO victory over Jack Brubaker. “The Butcher was almost left on the killing room floor,” as Tszyu had to navigate a perilous landscape after an accidental headbutt was ruled as a legitimate knockdown. Brubaker, sensing an opening, wasted no time in capitalising on the situation, landing a powerful right hand that left Tszyu on unstable ground.
However, the young pugilist demonstrated exceptional resilience, making it through the bell before launching a counteroffensive featuring a series of punishing body shots and hooks aimed squarely at Brubaker. The bout inevitably drew comparisons to Tim Tszyu’s clash with Brubaker in 2019, which concluded in four rounds; Nikita, albeit requiring two more, managed to maintain his undefeated record.
While Tszyu and Brubaker stole the limelight, the co-main event featured Liam Wilson facing off against Carlos Alanis in a high-stakes duel that followed Wilson’s devastating loss in the WBO super featherweight world title fight. In a match punctuated by Wilson’s tactical shifts, the Queenslander initially struggled to break through Alanis’s elusive defence. In the opening rounds, Wilson landed a mere 37 of his 173 punches. “Liam gets a bit careless at times, especially against an opponent who is continually moving,” noted boxing analyst Barry Michael. However, a persistent Wilson cracked through Alanis’s guard in the seventh round, landing a decisive shot to the ribs. Though Alanis managed to recover and complete the match, Wilson secured a unanimous decision win, thus returning to winning form.
The night was not devoid of heavyweight thrills, courtesy of Kiki Toa Leutele and Toese Vousiutu. Both fighters demonstrated an eagerness to “swing for the fences,” contributing to an action-packed contest. Leutele faced a knockdown but showed remarkable resilience, turning the tide and forcing Vousiutu into uncharted territory beyond the second round. With intermittent explosions of force, both fighters remained competitive until the final bell, at which point Leutele grabbed a split decision victory, leaving Vousiutu’s corner in a state of palpable astonishment.
In another bout filled with history and expectation, Luke Jackson sought and achieved revenge against Tyson Lantry. Aiming to erase the memory of a past loss to Lantry, Jackson offered a mature, controlled performance, utilising his experience to dodge Lantry’s advances while delivering calculated shots. The unanimous decision win could very well mark the closing chapter in Jackson’s illustrious career.
Tension reached a boiling point in a clash between Ben Hussain and Koen Mazoudier, two fighters with a contentious history. From the get-go, the match unfolded as a brawl. Hussain exerted his dominance by landing over 50 body shots within the first three rounds, a strategy that seemed to drain Mazoudier’s reserves. Nevertheless, the 27-year-old found a second wind in the latter stages, creating space and landing heavy shots. Despite this late surge, Hussain’s early aggressiveness paid off, as he secured a majority decision win.
The card also featured Ralph Etienne’s swift TKO over Amaeze Enyi. Etienne, emboldened by a strong debut two weeks prior, found himself momentarily humbled by Enyi’s robust combinations in the first round. However, he regained his footing in the second, cornering Enyi and launching a barrage that earned him a TKO.
Kicking off the evening were Amber Amelia and Erini Ramirez in a super bantamweight contest. Both fighters engaged in a slugfest from the onset. Amelia, focusing her attack on the body with persistent left hooks, found herself matched by Ramirez’s power and tenacity, which resulted in a cut above Amelia’s left eyebrow. Ultimately, Amelia prevailed, clinching a unanimous decision victory to mark her third professional win.
