Nikita Tszyu returned to the ring in style with a first-round stoppage victory over Lulzim Ismaili in front of his hometown crowd at the ICC Sydney Theatre on Wednesday.
Having spent a year out of the ring due to a hand injury, there were question marks over the southpaw’s main weapon, but it didn’t take him long to answer them, dropping Ismaili with a left hand less than 90 seconds in.
He very nearly repeated the dose moments later but Ismaili managed to keep his feet and see out the round.
That was all the visitor would see out, though, as he failed to answer the bell for the second round, reportedly nursing a busted rib, leaving the crowd somewhat unsatisfied.
“It wasn’t much of a concern,” Tszyu said of his hand after the win.
“It was more just it would be annoying if it re-flared up.
“I thought [the fight] would be harder. I thought it would have gone into the mid rounds. I knew that he had power in his hands.
“I was nice and patient at first and, yeah, I saw the openings and went for them.
“I’m back. I’m back after a year.”
As for what might be next, co-main event winner Michael Zerafa also claimed a first-round stoppage victory to set up that potential bout, although Tszyu wouldn’t name names when asked.
“Line ‘em up,” he said.
“I don’t care, I’ll take whoever on.”
The 27-year-old moves to 11-0 as a professional and remains ranked in the top 15 with two of the four major sanctioning bodies.
In the chief support, Zerafa made the lightest of work of Mikey Dahlman, blasting the American knockout artist out of there in just over two minutes.
Curiously, referee Les Fear ruled a knockdown against Zerafa as the Victorian put the pressure on after rocking Dahlman, eventually slipping over his foot.
It wouldn't matter, as Zerafa forced his opponent back to a corner and pounded away until the bout was waved off.
Earlier, Brock Jarvis bounced back from his KO defeat to Keith Thurman with a stoppage win of his own, putting Sam Beck down with an left hook in the fourth round from which he never recovered.
Also on the undercard, rising Sydneysider Ahmad Reda claimed the biggest victory of his career with a unanimous decision win over the credentialed Bruno Tarimo, earning him the Australian super lightweight crown.
To kick off the pay-per-view, Jasmine Parr moved to 8-1 with a final-seconds stoppage of the previously undefeated Singaporean Efasha Kamarudin.
Here's how it all went down:
Nikita Tszyu vs. Lulzim Ismaili results
- Nikita Tszyu def. Lulzim Ismaili via TKO1; super welterweight
- Michael Zerafa def. Mikey Dahlman via TKO1; middleweight
- Brock Jarvis def. Sam Beck via TKO4; 71kg catchweight
- Ahmad Reda def. Bruno Tarimo via (99-91, 98-92, 97-3); super lightweight
- Jasmine Parr def. Efasha Kamarudin via TKO5; super flyweightEfasha Kamarudin; super flyweight
- Isaias Sette def. Jacob Clenshaw via UD5 (49-45 x2, 48-46); welterweight
- Ashleigh Heal def. Shannon Rose via SD4 (39-36 x2, 37-38); 75kg catchweight
- Blair Geraghty def. Naki Saguba TKO3; super lightweight
- Brandon Grach def. Bensyn Pauga via TKO1; heavyweight
Nikita Tszyu vs. Lulzim Ismaili results, highlights from 2025 boxing card
Nikita Tszyu vs. Lulzim Ismaili - TSZYU WINS VIA ROUND 1 TKO
Round 1: A dominant opening round for the Aussie, who drops Ismaili with a left hand mid-way through it and very nearly repeated the dose shortly after but Ismaili managed to keep his feet, just.
AND THAT'S IT! ISMAILI DOESN'T COME OUT FOR THE SECOND ROUND.
SN unofficial scorecard: Tszyu 10-8
Michael Zerafa vs. Mikey Dahlman - ZERAFA WINS BY ROUND 1 TKO
Complete dominance from Zerafa for as long as it lasted, even if a slip was ruled a knockdown by referee Les Fear.
Undeterred, Zerafa got straight back to work, backing the outgunned Dahlman into the corner and unloading a barrage of unanswered punches, giving the official no choice but to step in, just two minutes into the opening round.
Brock Jarvis vs. Sam Beck - JARVIS WINS VIA ROUND 4 TKO
Brock Jarvis gets back in the winners' circle with an emphatic fourth-round TKO victory over the previously undefeated Sam Beck.
Coming off his own KO defeat to Keith Thurman, Jarvis landed a left hook on the end of a combination to put Beck down late in the round.
Beck climbed to his feet but referee Leanne Reid wasn't satisfied he could continue and waved it off.
Ahmad Reda vs. Bruno Tarimo - REDA WINS VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION
Just seven fights into his professional career, the undefeated Ahmad Reda claimed the significant scalp of Bruno Tarimo, and the Australian super lightweight title in the process.
In an all-action scrap, Reda managed to handle the pressure of Tarimo for the most part, remaining in control, despite his mullet coming loose from its shackles before the halfway point.
After an even opening few rounds, Reda appeared to grow in confidence and did enough to take the win on all three cards (99-91, 98-92, 97-3).
Jasmine Parr vs. Efasha Kamarudin - PARR WINS VIA ROUND 5 TKO
With 10 seconds on the clock, Parr handed Kamarudin the first defeat of her 10-fight pro career.
The Singaporean fighter find herself on the canvas in the second round, not from a punch, but having been lifted up and dumped on her back by Parr following a messy clinch.
Parr's relentless volume was story of the fight, although Kamarudin deserved to see the final bell.
Jacob Clenshaw vs. Isaias Sette - SETTE WINS VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION
A hugely entertaining five-rounder goes to the cards and it's Sette who emerges victorious via unanimous decision (49-45 x2, 48-46).
Clenshaw maintained a hot pace all fight and landed some hard left hooks in the second round but Sette showed off a full offensive arsenal.
As the pair traded in close in the dying seconds, Sette landed a bomb of a right hand to put Clenshaw down and an exclamation point on the fight.
Ashleigh Heal vs. Shannon Rose - HEAL WINS VIA SPLIT DECISION
Ashleigh Heal, the daughter of basketball legend Shane, made her professional debut a winning one via hard-fought split decision (39-36 x2, 37-38).
Heal landed two big right hands in the second round, the latter of which dropped Rose, who fought on gamely but couldn't do enough to get the victory.
Blair Geraghty vs. Naki Saguba - GERAGHTY WINS VIA ROUND 3 TKO
On professional debut at just 19, Geraghty impressed with a third-round stoppage of his tough Papua New Guinean opponent.
The credentialed amateur boxer and Muay Thai fighter was relentless in his assault on Saguba's body and he didn't miss the chance to capitalise when his man's defences dropped.
Brandon Grach vs. Bensyn Pauga - GRACH WINS VIA ROUND 1 TKO
After a delay of around 10 minutes while organisers scrambled to find a groin guard for Pauga, we finally got underway.
Grach clearly had all the advantages and made them count when a right hand-left hook landed at the end of a long combo to drop his man.
A left hook shortly after the restart put Pauga down and ended the bout in the opening round.
What time is Nikita Tszyu vs. Lulzim Ismaili?
Tszyu and Ismaili goes down on Wednesday, August 20 at the ICC Sydney Theatre.
The first bout of the evening is due to begin at 5pm AEST, with the pay-per-view action to kick off at 7pm AEST.
Expect the main event fighters to step into the ring some time around 10pm, depending on the length of the earlier fights.
How to watch Tszyu vs. Ismaili: TV channel, live stream
Tszyu vs. Ismaili is a pay-per-view event and can be purchased for $59.95 through Foxtel's main event, or through streaming platform Kayo.
| TV channel | Live stream | |
| Prelims (from 5:30pm) | Fox Sports 3 (Ch. 503) | Kayo |
| Main card (from 7pm) | Main Event | Kayo PPV |