A Head Clash Left Tszyu and Zerafa Without a Winner
Nikita Tszyu and Michael Zerafa’s grudge fight ended in a no contest on January 16, 2026, at Brisbane Entertainment Centre. An accidental head clash opened a cut above Zerafa’s left eye in the second round, and a medical assessment ended the bout as the third began.
Two competitive rounds preceded the abrupt conclusion
The fighters had promised an intense ten-round contest and began with neither willing to concede ground. Their early exchanges created the prospect of a sustained domestic rivalry finally being settled.
The accidental collision changed that trajectory late in the second. Zerafa’s cut and subsequent complaints about blurred vision required the ringside doctor to assess whether he could continue.
The referee followed medical advice before four rounds were completed
Referee Chris Condon stopped the fight after the consultation. Because the injury came from an accidental clash and the contest ended before four completed rounds, the result was a no contest.
Neither fighter received a victory or a defeat from the brief meeting. Zerafa said afterward that the doctor had made the decision, while Tszyu expressed disappointment at the unresolved ending.
The supporting card had produced several decisive results
Nelson Asofa-Solomona knocked out Jeremy Latimore in his professional debut, and Liam Wilson stopped Rodex Piala in the fourth. Demsey McKean defeated Toese Vousiutu by seventh-round technical knockout.
Stevan Ivic retained the Australian heavyweight title through a majority decision over Liam Talivaa. Those completed outcomes contrasted with a main event whose injury stoppage left the central rivalry unsettled.
Sources
- No Limit Boxing: January 16 Brisbane card and official outcomes
- ESPN: head clash, medical consultation and no-contest ruling
- ABC: live event report and supporting results
