Junior middleweight prospect Nikita ‘The Butcher’ Tszyu (8-0, 7 KOs) survived an early scare to keep his unbeaten record intact with a fifth-round knockout of Australian champion Dylan Biggs (10-1, 7KOs) at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia on Wednesday night.

The fight was billed as Tszyu’s toughest test to date and early on it proved to be exactly that when Biggs floored the 25-year-old Sydney southpaw with a right hand less than a minute into the contest. Tszyu seemed clear-headed after the mandatory eight count from referee John Cauchi and even let fly with some sharp flurries late in the frame.

“Deep waters at the very start, he caught me with a shot that I just didn’t see. He rocked me,” Tszyu said. “That kind of punch was something to fear and something to watch out for.

“He was dangerous from the very start. As soon as I got up I was like ‘s__t, that was a good shot’.”

The second round was a much stronger one for Tszyu, who upped his work rate and kept the pressure on Biggs, 21, who hails from the rural town of Beaudesert in South East Queensland. In the third stanza Biggs shifted his attack to the body and seemed to get the better of the exchanges, doubling up with his punches and switching effortlessly between blows to the body and the head.

Not to be outdone, Tszyu roared to life in the fourth, raining down haymakers from all angles that suddenly had Biggs fighting to survive. Biggs made it out of the round, but the real question was whether he would recover sufficiently between rounds to rally back.

The answer was no. Tszyu swarmed him again and although he wasn’t as reckless as in the previous round, he was able to keep Biggs backing up until a body shot crumpled the champion to the canvas, forcing referee Cauchi to wave off the bout.

“I’m a slow starter. I don’t know why everyone thinks I’m a fast starter,” Tszyu said after the win. “It feels good to be over to jump over that (Biggs). I’m ready to start another chapter.”

Tszyu is growing increasingly comfortable in the spotlight as his team earmarks him for success on the world stage, following in the footsteps of his famous father Kostya and, more recently, his older brother Tim.

“This is my second (domestic) pay-per-view,” Tszyu said. “I’m so glad it was in Newcastle. You guys are the best crowd in Australia… you guys have a place in my heart, no matter what.”

In the main supporting bout, middleweight Issac ‘The Headsplitter’ Hardman (15-2, 13KOs) stopped England’s Troy ‘The Hawk’ Coleman (12-3, 5KOs) in the fifth round of their scheduled 10-round contest.

It was Hardman’s third fight this year and second knockout win in a row following his split decision loss to fellow Queenslander Rohan Murdock (27-2, 19KOs) back in March.

The win over Britain’s Coleman, 28, has only whetted the appetite of Hardman for more international opposition.

“I made a statement,” the 27-year-old Brisbane product said after the victory. “I’m getting better every time. Let’s get someone else now… maybe an American. We’ll steamroll those guys.”

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