Mark Schleibs got the Nikita Tszyu vs Dylan Biggs undercard off to an explosive start with an incredible finish that has been dubbed the knockout of the year.
Schleibs, looking to break a four-year drought without a win, ended that miserable run in emphatic fashion on Wednesday, with a thunderous left hook to end Shamal Ram Anuj’s night in Newcastle.
“He’s already celebrating, that’s a brutal shot that ended this fight and Mark Schleibs is back,” Dan Ginnane said on the main event.
Former world champion Billy Dib was impressed by the huge knockout.
“Wow, he’s sleeping,” he said.
Brandon Grach also produced a stunning knockout on the undercard of the big fight
‘Wow, what a statement.’
Barry Michael added: “What a knockout. One of the best knockouts I’ve seen in a while. Incredible knockout.”
Dib replied: ‘Is that the knockout of the year? That has to be the knockout of the year. That has to be the knockout of the year.’
Schleibs had lost his previous two fights against Brock Jarvis and Rocky Ogden, but has rediscovered his mojo after returning to bantamweight.
The Melbournian’s record now stands at 13-2 with two knockouts.
But his effort was in danger of being overshadowed by Brandon Grach, who sent his rival, Liam Talivaa, to the shadows with a brutal left hook that left him sprawled on the canvas.
The referee didn’t think it was necessary to give the big heavyweight the ten count.