Tom Bellchambers flattens Cam Mooney in stunning knockout
Tom Bellchambers has taken out the battle of former AFL stars with a savage knockout in the last round as Joseph Parker made a big statement to the world of boxing.
Boxing/MMA
Don't miss out on the headlines from Boxing/MMA. Followed categories will be added to My News.
With Tyson Fury watching on from ringside, Tom Bellchambers sensationally scored a third round knockout win over Cam Mooney in their heavyweight showdown.
Bellchambers, who had a significant height, reach, weight and age advantage, sent Mooney reeling into the ropes with a right hand in the final round of the three round bout. Still on wobbly legs, a second right hand sent Mooney to the mat for good.
The result sees Bellchambers set up a potential fight with former Carlton and Brisbane midfielder Mitch Robinson, or NRL star Latrell Mitchell. Robinson and Mitchell have both said they’re willing to fight the winner.
After watching the knockout, Robinson says he denies wanting to fight the winner, citing a 35kg weight difference between himself and Bellchambers.
“I’d rather fight my mother than fight him,” he joked. “Maybe if he drops to 85kg, we could.”
Despite wanting to have a few more fights, Bellchambers was non-committal on any future opponents, let alone Mitchell.
“Yeah, I don’t know. I’m not sure,” he said, when asked about fighting the South Sydney superstar. “I’ve only been in the gym for three weeks. I’ll get back in the gym and we’ll see how it goes.”
The bout wasn’t polished, but it was willing, with both men aiming to live up to Fury’s demands to “put on some f***ing fireworks.”
A straight right sent Mooney to the canvas in the first round, with the Cats great beating the count and resuming.
Mitch Robinson reacts to Bellchambers flooring Mooney. Robinson says he’d fight the winner. #ParkerOpelupic.twitter.com/ks0UwDkZzu
— Brendan Bradford (@1bbradfo) May 24, 2023
Mooney landed a few nice jabs, but Bellchambers’ height and reach advantage was telling throughout the three two minute rounds.
Mooney was floored again in the second round, but it was ruled a push, and the 43-year-old ended the frame connecting with a heavy one-two to Bellchambers’ chin.
The third round was pure mayhem.
Mooney had some good moments, rattling Bellchambers momentarily, before the former Essendon ruckman scored the knockout.
“It was a whirlwind. He actually caught me with some good ones right before I stopped him,” Bellchambers said.
“I just kept my feet and landed one and it counted.”
Mooney has had plenty of sparring experience from his footy playing days, but admitted the age difference between the 33-year-old Bellchambers was telling.
“I’m 43 years old, and I’ve ticked it off the bucket list,” Mooney said. “I’ve wanted to get in the ring for a long time and I finally did it. Probably at the wrong age, but I had a great time.”
SCROLL DOWN TO FOLLOW ALL THE ACTION AS IT HAPPENED FROM MARGARET COURT ARENA
10:00PM: JOSEPH PARKER MAKES BIG STATEMENT IN MAIN EVEN KNOCKOUT WIN
Joseph Parker has sent a message to the boxing world, knocking out Faiga ‘Django’ Opelu just 70 seconds into their heavyweight grudge match in Melbourne.
Parker buzzed the former Australian champion with a series of left hooks in the first 45 seconds.
But it was a vicious overhand right which landed to the side of Opelu’s chin that caused the knockout.
Django slumped to the canvas, and by the time he’d regained his feet, the referee had waved the bout off.
It’s Parker’s first knockout win in three years and six fights, since a pre-Covid era fifth round TKO victory over Shawndell Winters.
Parker has been supported all week by WBC world champion Tyson Fury, with the Gypsy King walking to the ring with his great mate. Fury rushed into the ring after the stoppage and celebrated with Parker’s team.
“I thought it was a great performance and shows how hard Joseph has been working,” Fury said.
“I’ve said there’s levels, and Joe’s a former heavyweight world champion and
“I’d like to see the rematch with Andy Ruiz, Joe Joyce, Dillian Whyte or even AJ (Anthony Joshua). F**k ‘em all, Joseph Parker is back!”
9:30PM: NIKITA TSZYU MAKES BEN BOMMBER PAY
Nikita Tszyu said it was personal, and he laid on a merciless beating of Ben Bommber, stopping the Melbournian in the first round of their super welterweight grudge match.
Tszyu had promised to make Bommber pay for missing weight on Tuesday, and wasted little time in making good on his pledge.
A barrage of angry punches saw Bommber fall backwards into the ropes, and it was the beginning of the end.
Tszyu landed a big uppercut to Bommber’s chin, which saw the referee step in and stop the action. Before he could though, The Butcher landed two more punches, and Bommber and the referee both collapsed to the canvas.
“I landed an uppercut which buckled him a bit,” Tszyu said of the finish. “I saw the victim and the Hunter instinct in me went into kill mode.
“If I see someone wounded I want to hurt them. It’s just instincts.”
There was no love lost between the pair during fight week. Bommber had been vocal in calling Tszyu out over the past year and a half before missing weight.
Despite the bad blood, Tszyu was light-hearted during his walkout, strutting to the ring to the Village People’s YMCA.
“I’ve gotta thank Glen (manager, Glen Jennings) for that,” Tszyu explained of his offbeat song choice. “He said I’m a quirky kid, so he had a quirky song for me.”
Tszyu’s older brother Tim, was ringside and was one of the first to jump into the ring in ecstatic celebration.
“I’m a proud brother and Nikita did a tremendous job,” Tim said. “I’m over the moon, he’s the man. He got hit with one shot, but other than that, a 10/10 performance.
“My dad fought in the Telstra Dome in Melbourne in 2004, so almost 20 years ago. For Nikita to fight in Melbourne, it’s an honour to continue the legacy.
“I’m sure one day I’ll be back too.”
Proving his quirky nature, Nikita joked about who he wanted to fight next.
“There’s one person in this arena I’ve had my eye on,” he said. “The Gypsy King, Tyson Fury, you’re next.
“I don’t care if you’re a heavyweight, I’m taking your WBC title. I’m kidding, don’t kill me.”
For the record, Fury looked slightly less than impressed when shown on the big screen.
Tszyu might already have his next opponent lined up though, with Ben Horn – younger brother of Jeff – calling for a rematch after Nikita won their first fight by decision last year.
“I got off the couch and fought Nikita in three weeks,” he said. “I nearly got the upset.
“Maybe we could get the rematch.”
8:45PM: HORN CAUSES MASSIVE UPSET
Ben Horn is following in his older brother’s footsteps, digging deep to claim a hard fought decision win over Joel Taylor.
With older brother Jeff – who famously won the welterweight WBO world title in a bloody battle with Manny Pacquiao – in his corner, Horn dropped Taylor with a massive overhand left in the first round.
While Taylor collected his senses, the usually reserved Horn found a TV camera in the corner and made a throat-slitting action down the lens.
With Tyson Fury and UFC stars Israel Adesanya and Alex Volkanovski watching from ringside, the 9-0 Taylor got up swinging and had ‘The Hunter’ hurt at various points in the next five rounds.
Horn was awarded a unanimous decision, and called out Nikita Tszyu, who fights Ben Bommber in the co-main event.
Horn dropped a one-sided, but punishing decision to Tszyu last year.
“I got off the couch and fought Nikita in three weeks,” he said. “I nearly got the upset.
“Maybe we could get the rematch.”
7:45PM: CHUCK TAYLOR-WEARING CULT HERO WINS BLOODY BATTLE
Chuck Taylor-wearing cult favourite Isaias Sette has scored a bloody, brutal TKO win over Campbell Somerville.
After copping some intense punishment, Somerville’s corner was eventually forced to throw in the towel to save their fighter in the fourth round.
Somerville’s face was covered in blood and he had significant swelling around his eyes.
The 20-year-old Sette has grown a cult following amoung fight fans for wearing Chuck Taylor high-tops while fighting.
Speaking to News Corp backstage, he even had a few extra pairs in a kit bag.
“These are my sparring ones, those are my every day ones,” he said. “I used to buy boxing shoes, but every six months the grip would go and I’d have to buy new ones.
“I just chucked on my Chuck Taylors one day, and they’re flat like boxing shoes and they worked.
“I competed in a bunch of amateur fights and it became a thing.
“With my JD Sport staffing discount, they’re $80. Ain’t spending $400 on boxing boots.”
7:00PM: UNDERCARD CONTROVERSY AFTER TKO RULING DUE TO GRUESOME HEAD CLASH
Jayde Mitchell says he will contest a controversial TKO ruling in his catchweight bout with Max Reeves on the Joseph Parker vs Faiga Opelu undercard.
The bout was stopped after a brutal second round head clash caused a gruesome cut on Mitchell’s forehead above his right eye.
It was the second head clash of the fight, with the first also causing a small cut on Mitchell’s eye.
Mitchell attempted to continue, but the referee paused the action and the ringside doctor assessed the cut.
Controversy erupted when Reeves was announced the winner via second round TKO.
The officials ruled one of the cuts was caused by a left hook. That cut, they said, was enough to end the bout.
“It wasn’t. There were two head clashes,” Mitchell told News Corp afterwards. “He did hit me with a left hook, but it was nothing.
“The cut on my forehead, that’s the one that was bleeding into my eye and causing an issue, not the smaller one.
“We’re going to contest it, and hopefully have it overruled. Then I want the rematch.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Tom Bellchambers flattens Cam Mooney in stunning knockout
Freak hurricane threatens Tim Tszyu world title fight
Tim Tszyu’s team will hold urgent talks with American boxing authorities over his world title fight – which has been plunged into uncertainty over a ‘potentially catastrophic’ hurricane.
‘Finally’: 11-year Tszyu first looms at world title showdown after selfless Nikita act
Kostya Tszyu is readying to reunite with his sons for the first time in 11 years - with plans underway to have the Australian boxing legend ringside for Tim’s world title blockbuster.