Nikita Tszyu overcame Koen Mazoudier in a rugged battle at the ICC Sydney Theatre, moving to 10-0 after stopping Mazoudier with a barrage of punches in the ninth round. The fight was a rollercoaster, starting off competitive with both fighters exchanging momentum, but Tszyu’s relentless power and a decisive left hand in the ninth sealed the deal. Despite the brutal exchanges and a near-knockdown, Tszyu dug deep, refusing to give in even when pushed to his limits, ultimately showcasing his toughness and determination in a dramatic victory.
After a boring first round, the fight kicked off in the second round with Tszyu landing a straight left that nearly sent Mazoudier packing early. But no, Mazoudier hung in there, taking shots and firing back like the ending of a Rocky movie.
By the fourth, they were just standing mid-ring, trading blows like a couple of street fighters, Tszyu seeming to edge it out. Come the sixth, though, Tszyu looked like he was running on fumes, yet Mazoudier couldn’t capitalize, despite some solid shots.
The seventh round? Pure drama. Mazoudier landed enough to make Tszyu wobble, but “The Butcher” wasn’t about to get chopped, firing back with everything he had. The eighth saw Mazoudier press the action, only to be met with a barrage from Tszyu who apparently found a hidden energy reserve.
And that fabled ninth round—Tszyu digs deep, lands a monster left, and follows up with a volley until the ref steps in. Drama, exhaustion, victory. Tszyu summed it up with a gritty reflection on his inner pep talk, “I just kept saying, ‘don’t be a bitch, don’t be a p***, keep fighting.’”
Meanwhile, the undercard turned into a sideshow. Michael Zerafa’s bout with Tommy Browne ended in a farce when Browne couldn’t continue due to a bicep injury. What followed was a circus—Zerafa’s brother channeled his inner Rocky and delivered a knockout punch, not to a fighter, but to Browne’s cornerman. Talk about family loyalty.
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