Tim Tszyu ended Stevie Spark within three rounds as Aussie boxing's golden boy demolished the challenger with a relentless barrage of brutal body shots.
It was an intriguing fight as Tszyu had everything to lose while Spark could only enhance his reputation by putting up any sort of resistance.
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Bravely stepping into the ring with just a week's notice after Michael Zerafa pulled out of the clash, Spark moved up two weight divisions to take on Tszyu and he was clearly outmatched.
Despite leaving a rare mark under the eye of Australian boxing's golden boy, Tszyu was never majorly troubled by Spark, who more than won over the crowd just be stepping into the ring.
While Spark started strong, Tszyu settled into his work and controlled him from the outset.
At the start of the third round, Spark's corner earned him a little more time when an ice bucket was knocked over in the middle of the ring, but it only delayed the inevitable.
Tszyu went up a gear with a minute left in the third, dropping Spark with a brutal body shot.
It was all but over then and there as Tszyu dropped his rival again seconds later to end the fight.
"The first one put him down but the second absolutely destroyed him," Commentator Ben Damon said on Main Event.
Tim Tszyu stands over his latest victim
Tim Tszyu left Stevie Spark in a crumpled mess.
Tszyu moves to 19-0 with a 15th KO,.
"Every fight, I try to bring something new, try to break my opponent down, picking my shots," he said.
"If you see the body shot, it went straight through his stomach. I put this pressure where I was just tapping him and just touching him up and distracting him for those shots where you really put it on."
"For myself, I've got one objective in my mind and that's take whoever is in front of me out," Tszyu said in the ring.
"All respect to Stevie Spark for coming in, he's got a big career in front of him but again, this my ring, this is my division.
"Liam Smith, (Magomed) Kurbanov and Danny Garcia, they're the guys I'm going for. If you're watching boy, I'm coming for you."
Tim Tszyu adds to his trophy cabinet. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)
With the fight being shown around the world after a deal with broadcaster ESPN, the calls are already on for a big name on the global stage for Tszyu's next fight.
Spark said he'll drop back down to super lightweight but added that "the hype is real", having shared the ring with Tszyu.
"I'm glad that my name gets to go down on his resume," Spark said. "He's a future world champion that bloke and I'm glad I got to share the ring with him."
like his father, Tim Tszyu is a KILLER. no wasted movement or energy. 19-0 with 15 KO’s. time to come across the pond and get in there with the Top 10 guys at 154 and show everyone what he’s made of. #boxing#TszyuSpark#TszyuCrewForLife
— The Sicilian Shooter (Saifullah) (@vinnie_paz) July 7, 2021
Well Tszyu made that a training run. Hats off to Spark on a weeks notice who tried to make a fight of it but fell short. Those body shots suck #TszyuSpark
Tim Tszyu defeated Stevie Spark via TKO (Round 3), retained WBO Global and won vacant Commonwealth super welterweight titles
Joe Noymay defeated Liam Wilson via KO (Round 6), retained WBO Asia-Pacific super featherweight title
Wade Ryan defeated Troy O’Meley via TKO (Round 6), retained IBO international super welterweight title
Sam ah See defeated Czar Amonsot via TKO (Round 1)
Linn Sanstrom drew with Natalie Gonzales Hills, (58-56, 56-58, 57-all) for the vacant ANBF Australasian super flyweight title
Miles Zalewski defeated Le Fook via TKO (Round 5)
Updates
Round 3 – Spark's corner "accidentally" tipped over a bucket of ice before the round which gave both fighters some extra rest but it looked to just delay the inevitable. Spark was dropped with a body shot with a minute left in the round but while he got up, it was all she wrote as another body shot dropped him again. Tszyu wins by 3rd round TKO!
Round 2 – Tim Tszyu has some swelling under his eye but round 2 was all Tszyu. While Spark tried to get in, the relentlessness of Tszyu just dominated as he picked his moments. 20-18 Tszyu
Round 1 – It was a round dominated by clinches with the referee having his work cut out for him but Stevie Spark got a few good few good combinations in. But Tszyu landed a couple flush and appeared to hurt Spark. 10-9 Tszyu
Wade Ryan, a man famous for dropping Tim Tszyu in a decision defeat earlier in his career, retained his IBO international crown with his second win over Troy O'Meley.
Ryan edged O'Meley by split decision last year and got the chocolates again tonight after the fight was called off after the sixth round.
"We had a tough fight last time, we had another tough fight tonight," Ryan said. "But we can't keep having tough fights, the score is settled now."
Wade Ryan had the final say in with Troy O'Meley.
Barty and Sanders lose second set
Sam Ah See has spent six years out of the ring but it was like he never left as he delivered a freakish first round TKO.
Ah See was a highly regarded boxer but ended up in the wilderness after his last fight in 2015 against Arnel Tinampay.
He showed he hasn't missed a beat, with an uppercut ending Czar Amonsot in the first round of his comeback.
Sam Ah See is back.
While the fight continued for a few more blows, the referee had no choice but to end the fight inside the opening round.
Amonsot is no mug either with a 35-6-3 record but was outclassed from the bell. "It's been a long journey, it's been six years in the making," Ah See said. "I've had a few fights scheduled, fights that have fell through."
And who does he want next? "Kyron Dryden, Jack Brubaker, Andrew Hunt, Stevie Spark – line them up."
Before the coverage of the Tszyu-Spark fight night began, there was a fight that wasn't televised, but it ended in a brutal KO.
Miles Zalewski moved to 9-1 with a devastating KO against Lee Fook.
After nothing had happened for the first four rounds, Zalewski finished with a brutal left hook that even made boxing legend Jeff Fenech sit up and take notice.
"A sickening left hook that left his opponent out there for a good minute," Fenech said.
As Tim Tszyu and Stevie Spark prepare for their clash in Newcastle, both men have predicted a juicy finish.
The betting has the KO the favourite for both men as Tszyu is at $1.15 to leave Spark on his back.
While Tszyu is just $1.02 on TAB ahead of the fight, a decision to Tszyu is at $6, while Spark's best chance is a KO at $15, while a decision to Spark is $31.
"I've heard in an interview that he said it's going to go three rounds – that's if it goes three rounds," Tszyu told Main Event's Ben Damon with a smile.
Spark said the fight isn't going the distance, no matter who ends up on top.
"I can punch and I believe in myself," Spark said. "I have a self belief like no other and Tim knows that. He's looked in my eyes, he knows that.
"Either he's getting knocked out or I'm getting knocked out. It's either him or me. I've got nothing to lose and, to me, it's a win at all costs."
No Limit Boxing's Matt Rose told foxsports.com.au that Tszyu would soon be fighting for a world title, and Spark, who's 12-1 record with 11KOs is a perfect competitor to show that the 26-year-old is ready for the bright lights.
Michael Zerafa chose not to be in Newcastle tonight but he couldn't resist attempting to impose himself on proceedings.
Zerafa has copped a brunt of the trash talk from Tszyu and Stevie Spark but the Melbournian has hit back on the eve of the fight.
Tszyu appeared to dismiss Zerafa as "Michael who" during the presser during the week while Spark was happy to take some shots of his own.
Zerafa had a mixed preparation for the fight, hospitalised early in the piece before he pulled out citing problems with Covid precautions for the fight, and reportedly looking to postpone it until after the NSW Covid outbreak was over.
Tszyu, who is firming as a potential world title challenger after July 18's (AEST) unification bout between Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano, reportedly wanted to make sure he could be free for the first defence for the winner.
But Zerafa hit out on Instagram, posting: "Tonight you got away and let the public think it was me. Mark my word when we fight you will pay for trying to make me and my team look weak and hiding the truth."
Zerafa's socially distanced gatecrash promises more fireworks with Tim Tszyu.
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