Nikita Tszyu powers to dominant win

Nikita Tszyu needed only three rounds to defeat Darkon Dryden in the co-main event at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre.

The 24-year-old came out firing and piled on the pain from the get-go, hammering Dryden with countless brutal left hooks.

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Dryden managed to land a couple of blows to Tszyu’s body but he copped a battering and was out on his feet at the end of the third round.

The referee waved off the fight after going to Dryden’s corner, handing Tszyu the stoppage victory.

“He’s broken down his opponent with the most mature performance we’ve seen from him to date,” Main Event commentator Ben Damon said.

“He produced the full kit of punches. He boxed, but it was brutal. The butcher with another win, and he is absolutely loving it here in Tszyucastle.”

It was the most complete performance of Tszyu’s fledging career and moves his professional record to 4-0.

Older brother Tim was cheering on every jab ringside and Nikita was jubilant after claiming victory, jumping on the ropes and egging on the crowd.

It was a welcome return to form for Tszyu, who was surprisingly challenged in his last against Ben Horn that went the distance.

Hogan springs upset to win world title

Dennis Hogan has caused a major upset, claiming victory via majority decision over Sam Eggington to win the IBO Super Welterweight world title.

It was a hard-fought and extremely close fight but Hogan didn’t give an inch and just got the edge on the judges’ scorecards (116-12 x 2, 114-114).

It’s the sweetest of victories for the 37-year-old, who can finally call himself a world champion after contesting four world title fights across several divisions.

The Irishman is now based in Brisbane, meaning Australia can lay claim to having another world boxing champion after Jai Opetatia won the IBF cruiserweight title earlier this year.

World title fight rocked by ‘bulls***’ gloves drama

The IBO Super Welterweight world title fight between Sam Eggington and challenger Dennis Hogan has been rocked by some major drama minutes before the pair were due to step in the ring for the main event fight.

Hogan’s camp was furious after boxing officials remarkably allowed Eggington to wear Hogan’s second pair of gloves.

Both fighters presented two pairs of gloves to officials on Friday but Eggington wanted to wear his opponent’s gloves.

It’s understood he wants to wear Hogan’s green gloves to they match his green shorts — a bizarre choice considering Eggington was ironically fighting an Irishman.

Hogan’s trainer Stephen Edwards was fuming at the turn of events, which he described as “bulls***” and “highly unusual”.

“Yesterday we had a whole process in front of the commission, the supervisors, the referee of selecting the gloves for this fight,” Edwards told Main Event.

“It’s why you do it the day before so you don’t have these sorts of dramas on the night. Every team has two sets of gloves, your No. 1 set and your No. 2 set. Both teams went through all the gloves and selected their No. 1 set, got OK’d by everyone, the commission, the opponent. “Everyone approved the No. 1 set and everyone marked the No. 2 set. They’re signed off so you don’t have this sort of dramas on the night.

“We’ve turned up tonight, the commission has given us our No. 1 set. I’ve asked where is our No.2 set? And they said, ‘We gave it to your opponent. He’s wearing them. I said, ‘What’s this all about? We’ve already approved the sets from yesterday’.

“Anyway, we’re trying to sort this out because these gloves have got Dennis’ name on them and their in his colours!

“To be honest this is bulls***. This is why you do it the day before so you’re not doing this sort of stuff on the night of the fight and have the public going, ‘Why the hell wasn’t this sorted out the day before?’

“We’ll get to the bottom of this but it’s highly unusual and you’d at least like to be consulted before a decision’s made behind your back.”

Crisis was averted and Hogan and Eggington emerged to contest their bout, with both fighters appearing to be wearing Hogan’s dark green Everlast gloves in the ring.

Blood everywhere in ‘gruesome’ undercard fight

There was blood everywhere during the final fight on the undercard between Jayde Mitchell and Mark Lucas.

Both fighters came out firing and were swinging aggressively and came together in a brutal accidental head clash in the third round.

Blood immediately started pouring out of a cut on top of Lucas’ head, while Mitchell also had a deep and nasty cut above his left eye.

“There’s a big cut on the top of the head of Mark Lucas,” Main Event commentator Ben Damon said.

“Mitchell just came out and charged, he’s cut too over the eye. Big cut on the top of the head and that is a really nasty cut on Mitchell as well.

“That is a gruesome cut. That is huge. That goes right down the length there and it’s pretty deep as well.”

“There was urgency from the start of the round from Mitchell and that’s what caused the damage and now we’re going to have a bloody war between these two boxers.”

“Plenty of stitches called after this one for both of them.”

Australian boxing legend Jeff Fenech quipped: “It was a bloody good round.”

The two fighters were patched up with glue and while Lucas’ cut miraculously stopped bleeding, blood continued to stream from Mitchell and leak into his eye, affecting his vision.

The bout went the full six rounds and Mitchell prevailed via majority decision (59-55, 58-56, 57-57).

There was a hilarious moment when the judges’ scores were being read out.

Lucas mistakenly thought he had won, raising his arms in victory when he heard the boxer “figthing out of the blue corner” had won.

He quickly realised the mix up, smiling and pointing to Lucas to acknowledge his opponent had in fact won.

How to watch the Super Saturday Boxing Festival

The boxing extravaganza will be shown on Fox Sports, Main Event and Kayo Sports.

You can watch the undercard fights on Fox Sports from 4pm.

The pay-per-view main card, which can be purchased for $59.95 to watch via Main Event or Kayo, still start from 7pm.

What time does it start?

The undercard starts at 4pm, with the main card to begin at 7pm.

It’s hard to know when the likes of Tszyu vs Dryden and Hogan vs Eggington will step in the ring, but it’s likely to be from around 9pm.

FULL FIGHT CARD

Sam Eggington vs Dennis Hogan for IBO Super Welterweight World Title

Nikita Tszyu def. Darkon Dryden via stoppage

Sam Goodman def. Jason Cooper via unanimous decision

Cody Beeken def. Lachie Higgins via split decision.

Darragh Foley def. Blake Minto via unanimous decision

Ayisha Abied def. Shanell Dargan via split decision

PRELIMS

Jayde Mitchell def. Mark Lucas via majority decision

Ella Boot def. Zoe Putorak via unanimous decision

Amber Amelia def. Danni Mace via TKO

Louis Marsters def. Richie Fa’aoso via TKO

Tywarna Campbell def. Jessica Adams via unanimous decision

Antonia Talivaa def. George Peterson via split decision

Sarah Watt def. Ash Sims via unanimous decision

EARLY PRELIMS

David Light def. Vikas Singh via KO

Bailey Mannix def. Dan Murray via decision

Jason Fawcett def. Jayden Riddle via decision

Brianna Harrison def. Tylisha Turner via decision

Bryce Jones def. Hector Tapueluelu via TKO

Jack Tressider def. Dan Harwood via decision