Boxing: Paul Gallen beats Mark Hunt in brutal fight, Tim Tszyu overpowers Bowyn Morgan with quick knockout

They talked the talk, and boy did they walk down the road.

Paul Gallen and Mark Hunt combined for an incredible fight that lived up to its blockbuster billing on the biggest night on the Australian boxing calendar this year.

Both men delivered some very strong punches in a fight that lasted the full six rounds, despite the fact that Gallen looked on several occasions that he was going to lose his feet.

The NRL legend was the most active fighter and showed tremendous heart to come out with a unanimous points victory (58-56 x 2, 59-55).

This was far from the gimmick some cynics might have hoped for, especially considering that Hunt last fought in the UFC in 2018. Each round was action packed as the momentum shifted, but somehow Gallen survived even when it seemed like he was. he had gone after taking some huge blows from a man over 24kg heavier.

Hunt landed a huge right hand in the first round when an existing cut under Gallen’s right eye threatened to split open. The former Sharks captain staggered heavily after eating a clean hook from his 46-year-old opponent in the second and was rocked by another left hand, but he held one valiantly.

Gallen came out with a purpose in third and was the most active fighter, getting busy while concentrating on closing the distance between himself and Hunt. He worked the MMA icon against the ropes and landed a series of body shots and uppercuts, displaying tremendous courage and stamina to ignore his previous punches.

It was a similar story in the fourth with Gallen winning every time he got close range, but Hunt took a chance every time they arrived and once again looked like he was going to put his opponent to sleep with another huge left hook that tripped him. to Gallen. Unstable on his feet, the soccer legend looked like he was going to fall at any minute, but he rallied to land some significant shots of his own late in the round.

The absorbing war continued in the fifth as both men released their right hands. Gallen struck Hunt and then Hunt responded with a monstrous blow of his own as Gallen took another painful blow. But the story of the night was Gallen’s endurance, who continued to walk forward no matter how much punishment he received and they exchanged blows until the very end when Gallen raised his hands in triumph when the bell rang.

Later, at the other co-feature event, there was much less action when rising Australian star Tim Tszyu knocked out Kiwi Bowyn Morgan with a first-round knockout.

Tszyu took just two minutes to claim victory and defend his IBO Australasian super welterweight title and the WBO super welterweight world title.

This is how the action played out in all the fights on the card.