Rugby league legend Paul Gallen suffered only his second professional loss in the boxing ring on Wednesday night, upset by a more youthful Kris Terzievski at Newcastle Entertainment Centre.
Thirty-two-year-old Terzievski, eight years Gallen's junior, won on points in a unanimous 97-92 result from the three judges.
The 10-round Australian heavyweight title fight lived up to the hype but ended without a bang as Terzievski danced around the ring in the final round, largely avoiding Gallen after appearing rattled the round prior.
Both fighters wobbled in the ninth but Gallen clearly rocked Terzievski for arguably the first time in the fight and looked to have a chance to end it in that round.
It set up a huge final three minutes with the Novocastrian crowd well and truly involved, and somewhat surprisingly, backing Gallen.
But Terzievski, of Melbourne, played it safe in the final exchanges.
The referee was also forced to stop the fight a few times to adjust Terzievski's trunks, having done so earlier on multiple occasions to address unravelling tape on his gloves.
The fight began hard and fast in the opening two rounds, but Terzievski outboxed Gallen through the middle of the bout.
Southpaw Terzievski used his jab well and landed some decent body shots throughout.
Entering the fifth, Gallen looked tired but by the end of it he looked battered after Terzievski landed some strong lefts directly on his face.
Terzievski then landed a flush uppercut about a minute into the sixth and followed it up with a few more strikes to Gallen's head.
Gallen looked stronger at times in the seventh and at one point he appeared to have Terzievski leaning on the ropes, but it was not to be.
Gallen, 40, said after the fight that age might be catching up with him.
Now boasting a record of 12 wins, two losses and one draw, he was undecided about whether he would fight on.
Terzievski moved to a record of 11 wins, one loss and one draw.
In fight prior, Nikita Tszyu scored an emphatic victory in his second professional appearance, dropping opponent Mason Smith very early before claiming the contest via TKO later in the first round.
The 24-year-old son of Kostya and brother of Tim was a class above Smith, 27, landing some savage blows before the referee stepped in.
Tszyu played up to the crowd post-fight, lapping up fighting in the city where his brother has had two fights in recent years and his father fought in the 1990s.
Earlier, an emotional Harry Garside dedicated his third professional victory to his mum, who was diagnosed with breast cancer less than a fortnight ago.
Garside, who retained his Australian lightweight title and now has three wins from as many fights, defeated Layton McFerran via a referee's stoppage in the seventh round.
The 24-year-old, who turned professional after claiming a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics last year, had the upper hand against McFerran (5-2-0) majority of the fight and always looked likely.
But 30-year-old McFerran, of Launceston, stood his ground and pressed forward throughout the contest.
Garside sensed an opportunity in the sixth and lifted his output, unleashing a barrage of punches on the Tasmanian before the stoppage in the following round.
"Nine days ago my mum told me she got diagnosed with breast cancer ... this one is for her," Garside said after the fight.
The Johnny Lewis-trained fighter credited McFerran as a "bloody tough" opponent and said he hoped to have two or three more fights this year.
But that will likely depend on how his hands held up. Garside said they were "f---ed" following the fight and he required scans.
Entering the ring to Men at Work's famous Land Down Under, Garside instantly drew the support of the Newcastle crowd and said he hoped to fight in the city again.
In an early undercard fight, Central Coast boxer Amber Amelia, who trains out of Gateshead, lost her second professional fight in a tight battle with Sydney-based Sara Jalonen (2-1).
Amelia (1-1) was beaten in a split decision 48-47, 47-48, 47-48.
She was unlucky not to claim victory in front of a vocal home crowd.
The 25-year-old drew a supportive reception upon entry and started the bout with plenty of energy.
With Jalonen back against the ropes early in the second round, she let go with a flurry of punches but Jalonen worked out of it.
She pressed again in the third while a "let's go Amber, let's go" chant briefly emerged from the crowd, but both fighters gave as as good as they got through the round.
Amber was on the front foot for most of the fight but Jalonen, an experienced amateur, threw some quality counter-punches that likely proved the difference.
