Live: Paul Gallen vs John Hopoate

Paul Gallen emerged victorious in the battle of NRL players with a vicious KO of John Hopoate.

Paul Gallen made light work of former NRL star John Hopoate as he ended the main event bout halfway through the second round.

The fight didn’t exactly live up to the billing, but the sheer brutality of the knockout was enough to make it worth it.

Boxing fans didn’t go home too unhappy with a host of big fights on the undercard more than delivering.

10.20pm

Gallen turns Hopoate’s lights out

Paul Gallen predicted he would end the fight early and he delivered on his promise by delivering a brutal knockout to his rival John Hopoate.

After a less than impressive opening round, Gallen got on top in the second round when he had Hopoate in the corner and landed a huge left hook that stunned the former NRL star.

After the devastating punch found it’s place onto his chin, Gallen delivered three more hellacious hooks to a defenseless Hopoate before the ref stepped in.

As the ref waved the fight off, Hopoate went down like a tree in the woods and hit the canvas face first. Gallen was quick to check in on his opponent before celebrating the victory.

Timberrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Hopoate hits the deck. #GallenHopoate — Wide World of Sports (@wwos) February 8, 2019

Gallen knocks out Hopoate in the 2nd round — Jamie Pandaram (@JamiePandaram) February 8, 2019

After having his hand raised, Gallen spoke and was asked what’s next in the ring and he decided to call out Sonny Bill Williams.

“When I knew I had him I looked at the ref to stop punching, I had to do what I had to do,” Gallen said.

“I feel like I’m getting better, I’m looking forward to getting back to the footy, I’ll maybe have one more fight at the end of the year.

“Hoppa is known as a bad guy but I know the bloke, he’s made mistakes but he’s only ever been a gentleman to me.

“The last couple of weeks have got personal but I’m happy to shake his hand now, I’ve only got respect for him.”

Gallen just called out @SonnyBWilliams again! Will they eventually meet each other in the ring? #GallenHopoate — Wide World of Sports (@wwos) February 8, 2019

Despite the bad blood between the duo in the lead up to the fight, culminating in Gallen putthing his hand around Hopoate’s throat at the weigh-in.

The two men showed their respect for one another with Gallen entering his opponents dressing rooms following the fight and congratulating him on his career.

Nice touch from John Hopoate, came into Paul Gallen’s dressing room just now, congratulated him and told him he respects him and wishes him well. Gallen equally respectful and gracious pic.twitter.com/mQMivx4dh7 — Jamie Pandaram (@JamiePandaram) February 8, 2019

9.50pm

Tszyu decimates opponent

Like father, like son. Tim Tszyu wasn’t messing around when the bell rang and he quickly got on top of Denton Vassell and never took his foot off the gas.

His right hand continually found its home on the chin of Vassell and in the second round he landed the telling blow that sent his rival to the canvas.

Vassell got back to his feet, but Tszyu smelt the blood in the water and moved in for the kill. Landing huge shots and forcing his opponent onto the ropes before the referee stepped in and called a stop to the bout in the second round.

The win lands Tszyu the interim WBA Oceania super-welterweight title and gives him a 12-0 professional record.

Really good performance from Tim Tszyu. That right hand landed whenever he wanted. — Nick Campton (@campo37) February 8, 2019

9.30pm

Justin Hodges’ boxing debut shredded

It wasn’t pretty, by any stretch of the imagination, but Justin Hodges has won the first fight of his boxing career.

The fight only lasted one round as Hodges emerged victorious.

— read more here.

9.15pm

Tapia steals Copland’s candy

Cesar Mateo Tapia got on top of his opponent Adam ‘Candyman’ Copland early and never looked in any trouble as he earned the unanimous decision victory over the Aussie.

Copland was sent to the canvas in the second round after Tapia tagged him with a big right hand, but the gallant Aussie got back to his feet and held off over the final two minutes of the round.

He began to level proceedings in the middle stages of the fight, but he wasn’t able to inflict the damage Tapia had done early.

Some late wild swings couldn’t find a home and Tapia emerged victorious and the win takes him to 9-0 in his career.

Whoa candyman is down #GallenHopoate — Snowy ❌ (@raymondsnow8) February 8, 2019

8.30pm

Fight of the Night (so far)

Rocky Jerkic and Mark Lucas traded blows throughout their eight round bout and even the judges had a tough time splitting the duo.

Jerkic was given the nod and had his hand raised after earning the victory via split decision. Both fighters landed telling blows, but it was Jerkic who got the better of his opponent.

As the final round got underway both knew the fight was up for grabs and game out firing, Jerkic landed a huge left hand that almost floored Lucas.

But Jerkic began to celebrate and turned his back on his rival and can count himself lucky Lucas had also stopped as he had a free lane to land the knockout blow.

The loss is the first of Lucas’ boxing career and gives Jerkic his 16th victory.

7.50pm

KO in less than a minute

Issac Hardman taught Pouono Lopeti a brutal lesson in his debut fight by delivering several hellacious blows to turn the debutants lights off in the opening minute.

The ruthlessness got started when Hardman landed a right hand uppercut before he unleashed a flurry of devastating punches before Lopeti fell backwards to the canvas and saw the fight waved off.

“It has been a long time since we’ve seen a controlled explosion like that,” Andy Raymond said.

Wholly crap another 1st rnd ko by @IssacHardman on #GallenHopoate Main Event boxing card in Sydney — Adrian Pang (@adrianpangmma) February 8, 2019

7.40pm

Blonde Bombers dream debut

Ebanie Bridges stepped into the ring for her first professional fight and emerged victorious despite an early knockdown.

Bridges fell to the canvas when her opponent Mahiecka Pareno caught her in the opening round, but she bounced back to claim the majority decision victory.

Known as the ‘blonde bomber’, Bridges opens her career in style.

6.30pm

Bizarre stoppage in first bout

Blood is a part of boxing, but Danilo Creati wouldn’t have expected to have won the opening bout of the night in this fashion.

A brutal right hand uppercut from Creati landed flush on the nose of his opponent Shiva Mishra and the blood started to flow.

Shortly after the blow Mishra had his nose looked at by the trainer, but shortly after the fight restarted the referee waved it off due to the excessive bloodflow.

“Even the other corner in the blue side (Creati’s corner) they’re happy they’ve had the win but they’re scratching their heads a little bit,” Fox commentator Andy Raymond said.

“I don’t think I’ve seen a fight stopped from a broken or bloody nose.”

Referee just stopped the 1st fight because the fighter had a blood nose. Never seen that before, ever... #ozboxing #boxing #GallenHopoate — Adam Auld (@Adam_Auld) February 8, 2019

5.30pm

Full fight card

Main Card

Paul Gallen (9-0) defeats John Hopoate (12-6) via KO

Tim Tszyu (12-0) defeats Denton Vassell (25-6) via TKO

Justin Hodges (1-0) defeats Rob Baron (0-1) via TKO

Cesar Mateo Tapia defeats Adam Copland via unanimous decision

Rocky Jerkic (16-1) defeats Mark Lucas (9-1) via split decision

Issac Hardman (3-0) defeats Pouono Lopeti (0-1) via TKO

Ebanie Bridges (1-0) defeats Mahiecka Pareno (2-2) via majority decision

Undercard from 6pm (AEDT) on Fox Sports 506

Darragh Foley defeats Wellem Reyk via unanimous decision

Ben Saava (9-1) defeats Luke Travers (4-12) via unanimous decision

Danilo Creati (3-0) defeats Shiva Mishra (1-2) via stoppage in round 4