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'The real deal': Boxing world reacts to 'sickening' Tim Tszyu KO

Tim Tszyu, pictured here after finishing Dennis Hogan in the fifth round.
Tim Tszyu finishes Dennis Hogan in the fifth round. Image: Getty

The boxing world is in a frenzy after Tim Tszyu extended his undefeated record to 18-0 on Wednesday night with a brutal win over Dennis Hogan in Newcastle.

Hogan's camp threw in the towel midway through the fifth round after the Irishman could no longer withstand a savage assault from Tszyu, the son of Aussie legend Kostya Tszyu.

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The victory extended the 26-year-old's undefeated record to 18 wins as he eyes a shot at the super welterweight world title.

Tszyu is the WBO's No.1-ranked challenger and is awaiting a crack at the winner of a likely battle between American Jermell Charlo and Argentina's Brian Castano.

Tszyu, the son of former world champion Kostya but now forging his own stellar career, was overjoyed with the win and said he was only just warming up when the fight was stopped.

"It's sink or swim. As I said, I was going to take him to the deeper rounds and let him sink," he said.

"I told you before: it's not tip-tap. We're not ballerinas here. I'm here to do damage.

"When I step into the ring, this is my kingdom."

Hogan was forced to quit after Tszyu launched an extraordinary barrage on the Irishman's body, a tactic boxing fans and pundits hadn't seen from the Aussie fighter before.

Main Event commentator Ben Damon said Hogan “looks sick when he takes those shots”, while Aussie legend Jeff Fenech said: “Body shots are killing him.”

Aussie star Billy Dib tweeted: “The body assault is clinical.”

Tim Tszyu, pictured here after winning the WBO Global Super Welterweight title against Dennis Hogan.
Tim Tszyu celebrates after winning the WBO Global Super Welterweight title against Dennis Hogan. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Irish commentator Kevin Byrne was highly impressed.

“Hogan had two decent rounds to begin with and Tszyu went back to the corner with a cut eye,” he tweeted.

“At that stage we just saw a different animal in Tszyu, looking to close the show and delighting in dishing out maximum violence.

“Could see Tszyu smiling as he walked forward and threw bombs. Dennis had a few moments in the second when he might have thought he was getting on top but think he was genuinely hurt to body in third and it sank from there.”

Irish reporter Niall McGrath wrote: “Tszyu’s body shots were sickening as the towel comes in from Hogan’s corner. Punishing stuff.”

While Australian boxing icon Barry Michael said: “They should call Tszyu the body snatcher from now on”.

Tim Tszyu eyes bigger prize after Hogan victory

Tszyu said after the fight: "I'm not satisfied.

"I want to be a global boxing star. That's my goal. It's always been my goal and I need those big guys.

"We're at that stage where I do believe I can compete with the big boys.

"Charlo got rid of Hogan in seven (rounds). I do it in five. So my pace was a bit more quicker than Charlo's.

"I want an international fight. I want to be recognised globally."

Tszyu said he was only just warming up when the fight was stopped.

"I thought it was going to last a bit longer. I thought I'm going to slow him down even more but he started slowing down from round three," Tszyu said.

"I just slowly started picking it up and it was a mixture of body and head (that caused the damage) because the head shot was what dropped him.

"He was feeling every shot and it was only going downhill (for him). I thought I was picking it up every minute and it was just a matter of time.

"He was getting worse and worse and I think his corner did a good job. When I'm in the ring, this is my kingdom."

with AAP

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