NIKITA TSZYU VS. DANILO CREATI RESULTS: WOBBLED BUT NOT WORRIED, THE BUTCHER CLAIMS ANOTHER WIN
Nikita Tszyu had a slightly hairy moment but did enough in the end to claim a comfortable unanimous decision (100-88, 100-89, 99-90) victory over Danilo Creati at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on Wednesday night.
The southpaw retained his Australian super welterweight title with a typically aggressive performance, hurting his tough Italian-born opponent on several occasions, including a brief knockdown in the second round.
A short right hand from Creati in the sixth round almost turned the bout on its head, seeing Tszyu wobbled and forced to hang on for the remainder of the round.
MORE: Tim Tszyu camp declares interest in Ryan Garcia superfight
Normal service resumed for the most part through the remaining rounds, with Tszyu chasing the finish, but Creati was experienced and tough enough to hang on to the final bell.
In the co-main event, Malik Zinad booked himself into the mandatory challenger spot for the IBF’s light heavyweight world title with a classy and composed performance in a back-and-forth war with Jerome Pampellone.
Zinad claimed a majority decision victory (117-111x2, 114-114) to hand Pampellone his first career loss.
Earlier in the night, Sydney-based super flyweight Linn Sandstrom fell short in her bid to become world champion, dropping a point decision to Argentina's WBA titleholder Clara Lescurat.
Here’s how it all played out:
Nikita Tszyu vs. Danilo Creati results and highlights
Nikita Tszyu defeats Danilo Creati in entertaining scrap
Round 10: Tszyu closes it out well, with more trademark aggression. Creati manages to see the final bell but this one has a clear winner.
SN unofficial scorecard: 99-90 Tszyu
Round 9: Tszyu doesn't need to but he's chasing the finish. Creati on the backfoot big time late in the round as Tszyu pours it on.
SN unofficial scorecard: 89-81 Tszyu
Round 8: Another clear Tszyu round. Creati is going to have to stop him but he won't do it if he doesn't throw any punches. Tszyu lands two hard left hands in quick succession through the middle of the round.
SN unofficial scorecard: 79-72 Tszyu
Round 7: Nice bounce back round for Tszyu as Creati looks to catch his breath after the success in the previous round. Tszyu doesn't appear to be too compromised and lands well.
SN unofficial scorecard: 69-63 Tszyu
Round 6: Big round for Creati! Just when it seemed like he was out for it, he lands a short right hand which wobbles Tszyu. The champion manages to hold on as Creati looks for the follow up shots.
SN unofficial scorecard: 59-54 Tszyu
Round 5: Creati's mouth is wide open now as Tszyu continues to press forward. There is the occasional offence coming back the other way but Tszyu's shots are far more frequent and telling.
SN unofficial scorecard: 50-44 Tszyu
Round 4: Tszyu is taking the fight out of Creati, turning his attention to the body in that round. Looks like he has the Italian hurt late in the round but can't find the big shot.
SN unofficial scorecard: 40-35 Tszyu
Round 3: Another easy Tszyu round. The southpaw starts strongly and has Creati on the ropes following an early flurry. Creati hanging in there but Tszyu looks like he could end it with one shot.
SN unofficial scorecard: 30-26 Tszyu
Round 2: Early knockdown for Tszyu courtesy of another left. Creati's glove only just touches the canvas but it's a knockdown nonetheless. Tszyu works the body well. Creati looks to do the same but Tszyu fires back with more upstairs and smiles. Tszyu lands a nice right hook late in the round.
SN unofficial scorecard: 20-17 Tszyu
Round 1: Creati starts fast with jabs to the body. Tszyu warned twice for shots to the back of the head. Tszyu lands three solid straight left hands which get Creati's attention. Decent round for Tszyu but Creati here to fight.
SN unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Tszyu
Malik Zinad books light heavyweight world title shot with win over Jerome Pampellone
Libya's first and only professional boxer, Malik Zinad, had his vocal supporters in raptures with an all-action unanimous points (114-114, 117-111x2) victory over Jerome Pampellone.
Zinad locked himself into the mandatory spot for the IBF light heavyweight title with a composed boxing performance in what was a thrilling back-and-forth clash.
Behind a stiff jab, Zinad controlled the majority of the fight, dealing with the powerful Pampellone's flurries to hand the Kiwi-based fighter his first loss.
Zinad, who had Pampellone hurt on several occasions, improves to 22-0 and will await the winner of the undisputed clash between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol in June.
Linn Sandstrom falls short in world title bid
Sydney-based Linn Sandstrom has failed in her bid to dethrone WBA super flyweight champion Clara Lescurat.
The Argentine titleholder was the far busier of the pair, stringing combinations together while Sandstrom struggled to get her offence going.
Lescurat improves to 11-0, while Sandstrom's record now stands at 8-3-2.
Mateo Tapia outlasts Keiber Gonzalez
Mateo Tapia's No Limit debut was a winning one, claiming an exciting unanimous decision (98-92x2, 97-92) win over Keiber Gonzalez.
In the battle of two undefeated fighters, the Aussie just edged his talented Venezuelan opponent.
Gonzalez was perhaps unlucky to have a knockdown ruled a slip in the second round but Tapia scored with the more damaging shots throughout the bout and was a deserved winner.
Benjamin Hussain stops Mason Smith in the final round
He left it late, but the Hype Beast scored a 10th round stoppage win over a game Mason Smith.
In an entertaining bout, Hussain gradually wore down the defence of Smith, wobbling him at the end of the ninth before dropping him early in the tenth and eventually forcing referee Brad Vocale to wave it off shortly after.
Hussain had a point taken after several low blows in the fourth but bounced back strongly to improve to 11-2 as a professional.
The lifelong Bulldogs fan revealed after the fight that his trunks hadn't arrived in time for the ringwalk he had planned, seeing him reach out to the NRL club who showed out for one of their own.
7:13pm: The pay-per-view is underway and it kicks off in style as many of the Bulldogs NRL stars, including Reed Mahoney, Matt Burton, Max King, Josh Curran, Bronson Xerri, Jaeman Salmon, Jacob Preston and Blake Taaffe, accompany lifelong-fan Benjamin Hussain to the ring for his bout with Mason Smith.
6:45pm: Jasmine Parr maintains her unbeaten record with a fifth-round stoppage of Sarah Watt. The daughter of combat sports legend John Wayne Parr dropped Watt with a right hand in the second round and kept the pressure on, forcing the stoppage mid-way through the fifth.
6:25pm: Charlie Kazzi records a comfortable unanimous decision (50-45 x2, 49-46) win over Joe Kara
5:55pm: Shanell Dargan eeks out a majority decision (58-56 x2, 57-57) win over Christine Gillespie to improve to 3-1-2.
5:04pm: In the first fight of the evening, a non-televised bout, Andrei Mikhailovich stopped Les Sherrington in the first round with a brutal body shot.
What time is Nikita Tszyu vs. Danilo Creati?
Tszyu vs. Creati takes place on Wednesday, April 24, the day before the Anzac Day public holiday in Australia.
The first fight of the evening is expected to begin at 5:30pm AEST, before the pay-per-view portion of the evening begins at 7pm.
While Tszyu and Creati are likely to step into the ring around 10pm, depending on the length of the earlier bouts.
How to watch Nikita Tszyu vs. Danilo Creati?
The Tszyu vs. Creati fight card will be available live on Fox Sports, Main Event, and Kayo.
Foxtel subscribers can purchase the pay-per-view portion of the night through Main Event, with Kayo users able to purchase Tszyu vs. Creati through the app.
| TV Channel | Fox Sports 3 (Ch. 503) Main Event |
| Streaming |
Nikita Tszyu vs. Danilo Creati price: How much does the fight cost?
Tszyu vs. Creati will cost an additional $59.95 on Main Event via Kayo Sports or Foxtel.
You do not need a Kayo Sports subscription to buy the pay-per-view.
WATCH: Nikita Tszyu vs. Danilo Creati, live on Kayo
Nikita Tszyu vs. Danilo Creati fight card
Bouts and order subject to change
- Nikita Tszyu vs. Danilo Creati; super welterweight
- Jerome Pampellone vs. Malik Zinad; light heavyweight
- Clara Lescurat (c) vs. Linn Sandstrom for the WBA super flyweight title
- Mateo Tapia vs. Keiber Gonzalez; middleweight
- Benjamin Hussain vs. Mason Smith; super welterweight
- Jasmine Parr vs. Sarah Watt; super flyweight
- Charlie Kazzi vs. Joe Kara; lightweight
- Shanell Dargan vs. Christine Gillespie; super bantamweight
- Andrei Mikhailovich vs. Les Sherrington; light heavyweight