Boxing Results: Tszyu vs. Zerafa Ends in No Contest After Cut

Nikita Tszyu and Michael Zerafa fought to a no contest Friday night at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre when an accidental headbutt in the second round opened a gash above Zerafa’s left eye, ending the fight early with a no contest result.

The clash of heads occurred midway through round two. Head clashes are a built-in risk when orthodox and southpaw meet at close range, with lead feet crossing and heads drifting on the same line as punches are thrown.

When the round concluded, the ring doctor examined Zerafa and deemed him unable to continue after the fighter reported blurred vision. Zerafa appeared to tell the ref he was unable to see in the video replay.

The crowd responded by pelting the ring with cups and debris while booing loudly enough to shake the venue. Neither man had established control before the stoppage, leaving the fight’s central question, who is the better super welterweight, entirely unanswered.

Zerafa’s immediate post-fight comments contradicted the doctor’s decision. “I don’t know why everyone was booing me, I didn’t stop it, the doctor stopped it,” Zerafa said. “I said it was blurry but it’s all good, let’s go.” When pressed on whether he told the doctor he couldn’t see, he backtracked: “No, I’m ready to go. We are going to do it again, let’s run it back.”

The inconsistency speaks to the chaos of the moment. Either Zerafa genuinely reported impaired vision and now regrets being honest, or the doctor acted too quickly based on the visual severity of the cut. Neither scenario reflects well on how the situation was handled. A fighter’s safety must come first, but if Zerafa truly wanted to continue and the cut wasn’t structurally dangerous, the stoppage becomes harder to justify. Ring doctors have difficult jobs, but this one created more questions than answers.

Two Rounds Proved Nothing

The brief action revealed little about either fighter’s actual level. Tszyu looked composed and measured, working behind his jab as expected. Zerafa appeared aggressive and physical, which has always been his approach. Two rounds cannot determine who had the better game plan or conditioning, who would break first under sustained pressure, or whether Tszyu’s technical advantages would overcome Zerafa’s experience and toughness.

This was supposed to answer whether Tszyu belongs anywhere near serious domestic competition or if he has been carefully protected against diminished opponents. It was supposed to show whether Zerafa, at 32 with miles on the odometer, still had enough left to expose a younger fighter’s flaws. Instead, it answered nothing.

Rematch Becomes Necessary

The fight must happen again. Not because of promotional interests or ticket sales, but because both men and the Australian boxing public deserve a conclusive result. A no contest after an accidental butt is nobody’s fault, but it creates an obligation. If Zerafa was genuinely unable to see, he deserves the chance to prove he would have continued under different circumstances. If Tszyu was on his way to a clear victory, he deserves the chance to finish what he started.

The rematch should happen quickly, within three months, before momentum dissipates and the narrative becomes stale. Australian boxing doesn’t have deep enough talent pools to waste significant domestic fights on inconclusive outcomes. Tszyu needs legitimate tests to determine whether he can compete beyond carefully managed opposition. Zerafa needs meaningful fights to remain relevant as his career winds down.

What happens next depends entirely on Tszyu and Zerafa rescheduling immediately. Australian boxing cannot afford to let this rivalry dissolve into promotional disputes or delayed negotiations. The first fight ended badly through no one’s fault. The second must produce a clear winner.