It was a bloody Battle of Brisbane that left two battered boxers in hospital following a world-title war rated the most brutal fight on Australian soil in 25 years.
Brisbane brawler Floyd Masson is eyeing an Australian super bout with Jai Opetaia after producing the fight of his life on Saturday night to stave off Italian rival Fabio Turchi and become a world champion.
The Eatons Hill Hotel on Brisbane’s northside turned into a boxing battlefield as Masson and Turchi went to war in a 12-round, 36-minute slugfest that saw both men leave the venue in separate ambulances.
Brisbane-based Masson won a unanimous points decision to clinch the IBO cruiserweight world title, but not before the 31-year-old Kiwi and the tough-as-nails Turchi bashed each other from pillar to post.
Masson and Turchi were admitted to Brisbane’s Mater Hospital after both were urinating blood several hours after the fight.
Veteran boxing caller Andy Raymond rated it the best fight he had covered in Australia in his 25 years as a commentator.
Masson’s promoter Angelo Di Carlo was left stunned by the bravery of both men, who were covered in blood and bruises and could barely stand when the final bell sounded.
“I’ve been a promoter for more than two decades and I can’t recall seeing anything like that,” Di Carlo said.
“We had to call two ambulances after the fight to take Floyd and Fabio to hospital.
“They were both p***ing blood on Sunday morning and we’ve taken every precaution to make sure they are being monitored in hospital.
“It was an unbelievable fight and I’m so proud of Floyd winning a world title.
“I said before the fight I thought his hunger would be the difference and that’s how it turned out.
“Floyd just refused to go down.”
With Australia’s IBF world champion Opetaia watching on as a co-commentator, Turchi (21-3, 15KO) dominated the early rounds, rocking Masson (13-0, 7KO) with some savage left hooks.
But as the fight reached the halfway point, Turchi began to tire and Masson upped the ante, using his footwork and better boxing skills at range to claw his way back into the contest.
Turchi looked out of gas by the eighth round, but somehow hung on until the end, despite huge swelling closing his right eye, as both men went blow for blow in a desperate search for the knockout punch.
All three judges scored in favour of Masson (117-110, 115-112, 115-112), who clinched his 13th straight win and is eventually chasing a trans-Tasman world-title blockbuster with Opetaia.
“Words can’t describe how I feel,” Masson said. “I have to thank Fabio, he was a warrior, it was a bloody tough fight.
“This is a dream come true. It was a brutal fight … I just did whatever it took to win.”