Tim Tszyu’s international boxing career lay in tatters following a savage world title challenge loss to Bakhram Murtazaliev in Florida.
Tszyu’s corner threw the towel in almost two minutes into the third round when the undefeated Russian sent the Australian crashing to the canvas for a fourth time.
Murtazaliev had dropped Tszyu three times in the second round alone with some ferocious punching, before the official doctor intervened after the referee refused to stop the fight.
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The doctor allowed Tszyu to fight on until Team Tszyu sent the white towel into the ring when their charge went crashing down again.
Tszyu had been hoping to restore order seven months after handing over his WBO strap in a bloody, controversial split-decision loss to Sebastian Fundora in Las Vegas.
Instead an early head clash left Tszyu checking to see if the collision had reopened the ghastly cut that effectively cruelled his chances against Fundora.
But worse was to follow in the second round.
First Murtazaliev dropped him with a devastating left hook, then he had Tszyu struggling to regain his senses after a heavy combination.
A full-blown onslaught had Tszyu on the canvas for a third time and the fight appeared over.
But there was no coming back when the Chechen champion delivered another massive left hook one minute, 55 seconds into the third round.
Tszyu’s brother Nikita was the first to throw in the towel, before his trainer Uncle Igor tossed in a second.
“Things didn’t go to plan. The better man won tonight, no excuses right there,” Tszyu said.
“Yeah, no excuses. I tried my best and these things happen.
“Boxing’s not meant to be perfect. So you live and you learn, right?”
Tszyu had been bidding to join his Hall of Famer dad Kostya as only the second father-son to win at least two world titles each.
Instead the 29-year-old will return to Australia with his future uncertain after enduring a second straight defeat, after opening his career with 23 wins.
The reaction to the fight has been immense after fans and pundits were blown away by the result.
“Holy moly. Tim Tszyu has gone down multiple times in the second round. Three times. He tried fighting back and traded heavy blows with Murtazaliev. Insane,” combat sports expert Daniel Yanofsky said.
American boxer Shawn Porter added: “That is serious power coming from Bakhram, Go back and watch the fight and analyse the body language, the body language of Tszyu was very arrogant, was very I’m coming after you and there’s nothing you can do about it.
“What happens when you’re like that and you’re standing upright, you don’t have your shots and you don’t have anything that can kind of stabilise you from the punches.
“That to me was a clear sign of how the night could have gone. That’s a recipe for disaster from any fighter.”