Tszyu-Zerafa Bout Ends in No Contest After Head Clash

A boxing match between unbeaten prospect Nikita Tszyu and veteran Michael Zerafa ended in a controversial no contest Friday night at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Australia, after an accidental head clash in the second round left Zerafa with a cut above his left eye that impaired his vision.

The bout, contested at a 157-pound catchweight for the vacant WBO International middleweight title, featured Tszyu, the 27-year-old younger brother of former world champion Tim Tszyu and son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, against the 33-year-old Zerafa, a seasoned Australian fighter with a record of 34-5 and prior world title experience. Both weighed in without issue, with Tszyu at 155.6 pounds and Zerafa at 156.9 pounds, and exchanged confident words ahead of the fight. "There's no more talking," Tszyu said at the weigh-in. "You're gonna witness one of the best showdowns and domestic bouts." Zerafa called it "a huge moment" and "what Australia needs, the two best going head to head."

The fight began competitively, with Zerafa, an orthodox fighter, pressing forward aggressively in the opening round but struggling to land clean power shots against the southpaw Tszyu. Tszyu, in his...