Fight stopped amid claims of serious injury
Australian boxer Michael Zerafa is facing the possibility of a lifetime ban and the termination of his contract with No Limit Boxing after a dramatic and controversial clash with Nikita Tszyu in Brisbane. The fight was halted in the second round following an accidental head clash, with Zerafa telling the ringside doctor that he could not see out of his left eye. The bout was later ruled a no contest.
Zerafa, 33, later said he had suffered a fractured eye socket and retinal damage, posting a video on social media showing his badly swollen eye and claiming he spent the night in hospital. Ringside doctor Alan Saunders explained that the decision to stop the fight was unavoidable after Zerafa twice insisted he had lost his vision when tested in the ring.
Crowd fury and fallout inside the ring
The abrupt ending sparked an angry reaction from fans, with objects thrown toward the ring as commentators described the scenes as unprecedented in Australian boxing. Further controversy followed when Zerafa’s cut man played down the severity of the injury, saying the cut was minimal and sharing a photo of a lightly bloodied swab.
Tensions escalated when Tim Tszyu confronted Zerafa in the ring, accusing him of quitting and drawing comparisons to his own willingness to fight through severe injuries in the past. Nikita Tszyu echoed those sentiments afterward, saying he felt Zerafa took the quickest way out when the fight became uncomfortable.
An uncertain future for a polarising fighter
Backstage, Zerafa launched into an emotional rant, hinting he may walk away from boxing altogether while insisting he never quit. He said years of sacrifice in the sport had gone unrecognised and described the backlash as unfair. His opponents, however, remained unconvinced, with both Tszyu brothers openly questioning his resolve.
No Limit Boxing CEO George Rose admitted the situation had left him furious, citing the time, money, and effort invested in staging the event. With Zerafa’s reputation damaged and officials reportedly weighing severe disciplinary action, his future in the sport now appears to be out of his control.
