Nikita Tszyu makes incredible professional boxing debut with second round TKO over Aaron Stahl

After a six-year hiatus to study architecture, Nikita Tszyu swapped angles for brutal blows as he delivered a promising first glimpse of his pugilistic ability.

The Butcher has his first scalp.

Nikita Tszyu promised to make a statement and he backed up his words, launching his professional career in style with a second-round stoppage of Aaron Stahl (2-1-1) at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena on Thursday night.

After a six-year hiatus to study architecture, Nikita swapped angles for brutal blows as Tszyu 3.0 delivered a promising first glimpse of the pugilistic ability made famous by his father Kostya and older brother Tim.

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Nikita Tszyu dominated from the start against Aaron Stahl.

Nikita walked out to the thundering entrance song of his hero, WWE legend The Undertaker. It was an ominous warning. Within 35 seconds, he unleashed the feared Tszyu power, rocking Stahl with a thumping left hand.

With brother Tim shouting instructions from his corner, Nikita finished the job two minutes into the second round, dropping Stahl with a powerful left before a short right ended proceedings.

At 24, Tszyu 3.0 has many years to hone his skills. There were some technical flaws amid the nerves, but Nikita’s crunching left hand is a genuine weapon that can make him the “knockout artist” he hopes to become.

A stunned Stahl later told Tszyu’s trainer Glen Jennings: “F*** he can hit”.

“It’s more fun than being an architect,” Nikita said.

“The adrenaline was pumping in my veins. There were some nerves. I’ve never been in this environment.

Nikita Tszyu knocks Aaron Stahl to the canvas.

Nikita Tszyu made quite an impression in Brisbane.

“Punching someone in the face without headgear ... phew, it was fun.

“I loved it. I would give myself a B-plus. I can get better, but I’m just glad my first fight was successful.”

His world-title hopeful sibling was impressed with Nikita’s maiden hitout.

“A few little mistakes but he dominated him,” Tim said.

In the co-main event, Brisbane-based Irishman Dennis Hogan clinched a fourth shot at an elusive world title with a comprehensive defeat of Wade Ryan in their IBO eliminator.

Hogan was always in control, dominating Ryan to clinch a unanimous points decision (116-111, 117-110, 120-108). After the pain of his heartbreaking world-title loss to Jaime Munguia in Mexico in 2019, Hurricane has the chance to finally scale the summit at age 37.

Dennis Hogan gets the better of Wade Ryan in an earlier bout.

In earlier bouts, Queensland super featherweight Liam Wilson (10-1, 7KO) rocketed back into world-title contention with a stunning second-round knockout of world-ranked Filipino Joe Noynay (19-3-2, 8KO).

Wilson’s career was in tatters last July when he was clobbered by Noynay, but the 25-year-old exacted revenge, unleashing a savage left hook that sent the WBO No.6 to Dreamworld.

The 25-year-old clinched the WBO Asia Pacific title and will surge into the world rankings after disposing of Noynay, who had a dramatic build-up, exceeding the weight limit by 4kg.

“I wanted to put on a show for the fans and I did that,” an elated Wilson said.

“My loss to him last time was a wake-up call. I have worked my butt off for the past eight months to get revenge and I got it.

“I guess I’m back in contention now. He was world-ranked and I’ve got his ranking.”

Liam Wilson exacted some sweet revenge.

Meanwhile, Toowoomba’s Stevie Spark (13-2, 12KO) bounced back from his loss to Tim Tszyu with a sixth-round stoppage of an outclassed River Daz.

After jumping up two divisions to bravely face Tszyu, ‘The Viking’ was vicious back at super lightweight, dominating Daz from the outset with his power and workrate.

Tszyu 3.0 deadly serious about new career path

They call Tim Tszyu the Soul Taker. Now Nikita Tszyu has warned Australian boxing to brace for the arrival of The Butcher.

Tszyu 3.0 will be unleashed on Thursday night when the son of boxing legend Kostya, and younger brother of world-title hopeful Tim, makes his professional debut against Aaron Stahl at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena.

For the past six years, Nikita has been studying architecture, joking he has been hiding behind a computer screen.

Nikita Tszyu is ready to make his mark in the world of professional boxing.

Now he is on the big screen and the 24-year-old four-time amateur champion has promised to entertain fight fans with a ruthless style diametrically opposed to his brother Tim’s surgical precision.

“I would love to be a knockout artist,” said Nikita, who weighed in at 68.9kg for his six-round, super welterweight showdown with the unbeaten Stahl (2-0-1).

“A friend at our gym said I was like a butcher. I think it’s funny. I like that description.

“I do things in a messy way. I’m not as clean as Tim. My brother is a perfectionist and does things with absolute skill.

“When we play basketball, Tim nails all the three-pointers and clutch shots, then there’s me - running around like crazy, stealing the ball, overwhelming Tim to win.

“That’s the difference between us.”

The 24-year-old is set to face Aaron Stahl on Thursday night.

There is a view Nikita is only returning to boxing because he is jealous of Tim’s surge up the world rankings and craves a piece of the limelight.

But the youngest Tszyu insists dipping his toe in the professional-boxing waters is not a summer fling, saying he is ready for the painstaking journey he watched his father undertake in his quest to be the best.

“I definitely want to go all the way,” Nikita said.

“I don’t want to do things half-hearted or temporarily.

“My amateur career gives me confidence that I can handle myself in situations where there is adversity in the ring.

“When I studied architecture, I did it with the intention that it would be my career. But the last two or three years, it got too boring for me.

Nikita Tszyu preparing for his big fight on Thursday night.

“I was sitting in front of the computer all day looking at a computer screen and I had this energy inside of me that was hating it. As soon as I started boxing again, that will and determination started again. It just felt right.

“This is a big decision I have made and it’s going to be part of my life for the next 10 to 15 years.

“I don’t do things to be second best. I’m ready.”

Australian super featherweight champion Liam Wilson has sparred Nikita in the lead-up and says Tszyu 3.0 is the real deal.

“Nikita is a good fighter,” Wilson said.

“For someone who has had so many years off, he impressed me in sparring.

“When we sparred, he was precise and you could tell he had ring intelligence. He is a smart boxer. I think he will be a superstar. He will live up to the expectations.

“He has the talent ... it’s in his blood.”

Weight debacle: Aussie puts everything on the line

Aussie super featherweight champion Liam Wilson is taking the biggest risk of his career after agreeing to fight a world-ranked rival who weighed-in almost 10 pounds over the limit.

Wilson’s camp has slammed Filipino opponent Joe Noynay as an “embarrassment” after the ‘Jaw Breaker’, ranked No.6 by the WBO, tipped the scales at 62.92kg - blowing the 58.85kg limit by more than 4kg.

The spicy re-match between Wilson and Noynay will feature on the undercard of Nikita Tszyu’s professional debut on Thursday night in Brisbane and promoters No Limit were plunged into urgent talks with the Filipino camp.

Liam Wilson is deperate to make amends against Joe Noynay.

Wilson (9-1, 6KO) cannot afford to give Noynay (19-2-2, 8KO) any advantage after their last bout eight months ago, when the Jaw Breaker destroyed him with a fifth-round stoppage that inflicted the first loss of the Queenslander’s career.

No Limit bosses discussed cancelling the fight, but Wilson sensationally demanded the bout proceed in a risky move that could make-or-break his career against the dangerous Filipino southpaw.

The WBO Asia Pacific super featherweight title is on the line but because of Noynay’s weight debacle, the 26-year-old is ineligible to win the belt.

“I’m not worried at all,” Wilson said.

“I am surprised he came in so heavy. He knows the rules of boxing. He knows the guidelines he has to follow, so for Noynay to be so heavy is unprofessional.

“I know I’m taking a risk, but I couldn’t walk away from this fight knowing I can win it.

“Losing to him last time was disappointing. I don’t care what weight Noynay is. I have prepared for this guy for eight months.

“I have lost many nights’ sleep thinking about this guy and that loss and I want to get rid of it.”

Wilson’s manager Steve Scanlan blasted Noynay for failing to make weight.

“It’s pretty embarrassing to be honest,” he said.

Wilson sufefred his first pro defeat when knocked out by Noynay last year.

“I’m extremely disappointed. Liam has trained hard for the past eight months looking for revenge and he is the ultimate professional.

“He has worked hard for this and Noynay comes in 4kg over the limit. It’s nearly 10 per cent of his body weight and he is world-ranked. It’s unheard of in boxing.

“You can tell he is embarrassed and Filipino people are very proud about their boxing heritage. He has let a lot of people down, but credit to Liam for taking the fight.

“I wanted the fight to be cancelled, but Liam said I’ll fight him even if he’s 75kg.

“That shows his courage.

“This is a massive fight for Liam. He can’t afford another loss, he is putting it all on the line.

“It’s a must-win fight, but I truly believe Liam will win and put himself back in contention for a world title.”