Local hero boxer Paulo Aukuso is eyeing a new contract after laying his opponent flat on his back with a thunderous 10th-round knockout on the Tim Tszyu-Errol Spence Jr undercard.
After spending most of the light-heavyweight bout fused to the ropes, the western Sydney boxer spectacularly shattered the undefeated record of Dominican Luis Tejeda (12-1-1, 9 KOs) with two deadly left-hand shots on Sunday.
Few saw Aukuso's deadly strikes coming as Tejeda crashed to the canvas and lay prone for several minutes, needing attention from the referee.
Tejeda had been stalking his opponent around the ring in search for seemingly his own finishing shot at Sydney's Afterpay Arena.
"I fell asleep at the beginning, but as soon as I heard the crowd in the last round, I thought I had to turn it on," Aokuso (11-0, 6 KOs) said while proudly sporting the IBF Intercontinental belt.
The undefeated Tokyo Olympian now wants to take his career to the next level.
"I'm ready, just send me the contract," he declared to rapturous applause from home fans.
Australian young gun Callum Peters (8-0, 7 KOs) called out Nikita Tszyu after extending his own undefeated record against Argentinian Ivan Actis (13-1-1, 9 KOs).
A crushing right upper cut from the rising star brought the referee in between the pair to declare the technical knockout midway through round seven.
"I can't wait for the next one, it's maybe Nikita," the 23-year-old said.
Boxing promoter George Rose added: "(These guys) should be two or three levels above him, but he's putting on performances like that.
"He's a guy with so much talent that the way he's progressing he could fight for a world title in 12 months ... I'd love to see that happen.
"This guy's a future star."
Veteran Paul Fleming (28-1-12, 18 KOs) will say goodbye to his mullet after falling to Ahmad Reda (9-0, 6 KOs) in a gruelling, blood-spattered duel that went the 10-round distance.
The feature undercard boxers had wagered their haircuts two days before, at Fleming's urging.
"We went to war, especially round 10," Reda said after winning the judges' verdict 99-91, 97-93, 96-94.
"That mullet's coming off. Tune in backstage, it's coming off."
The livewire 38-year-old Fleming egged his young opponent on from the ropes as the bout wore on, daring him to punch harder screaming "come on, come on."
The ploy gave the battered elder boxer the psychological edge as he dragged an impatient Reda around the ring, absorbing increasingly frenzied blows with a wry grin.
But Reda landed more shots to earn the victory.
Australian Associated Press
