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Australian boxer Michael Katsidis lost a dramatic interim world title fight after staggering and then knocking great Cuban lightweight Joel Casamayor into the first row of spectators.
The wily, 36-year-old Casamayor refused to give in after the sixth round knock down.
He crawled back into the ring, just beating the referee’s 10 count, and pulled off a stunning win against Katsidis, a 27-year-old from Toowoomba considered one of the brightest stars in boxing.
Casamayor ended tonight’s fight in the 10th round.
Just as Katsidis appeared set to knock Casamayor down again, the veteran found an opening and struck the Australian on the chin with a powerful left hand.
Katsidis hit the canvas and courageously stood up, but with his legs unable to hold steady the fight was called off.
The Queenslander was shattered by what was his first loss in 24 professional fights.
“It was one mistake,” said Katsidis, his right eye swollen and bleeding after the fight staged at the Morongo Casino, in the Californian desert about two hours east of Los Angeles.
“I got excited and got caught.”
The bout was for the World Boxing Organisation interim lightweight world-title. Ring Magazine also declared before the fight the winner would be anointed its lightweight champion.
Katsidis’ stock in the US would not be hurt by the loss, with today’s bout aired throughout North America live on the premier boxing TV channel, HBO.
US boxing commentators were calling the contest a contender for the fight of 2008 and compared Katsidis to 1950s champion Rocky Marciano and modern day brawler Arturo Gatti.
The bout almost began before both fighters were introduced to the crowd.
Katsidis, whose father was born in the village in Greece where the Ancient Greek warrior Achilles was born, wore a traditional steel helmet into the ring to honour his heritage.
Casamayor refused to be intimidated by the helmet and rushed at Katsidis, with the pair pulled apart by minders.
When the fight officially began, it appeared it would be an early night for Katsidis, with Casamayor knocking him down twice in the first minute of round one.
Katsidis survived and in the fourth round thundered Casamayor with a combination of punches that almost had the Cuban down.
In the sixth, Katsidis hit Casamayor with a body shot with so much power Casamayor buckled over and then tumbled through the ropes and into the spectators.
Katsidis was upset he did not finish his opponent off.
“They say age is wasted on the youth and I had that fight, but I went out there and I got stupid,” Katsidis said.
Casamayor, a cocky boxing gold medal winner at the 1992 Olympics for Cuba and considered one of the best lightweight boxers of the past decade, refused to concede it was Katsidis’ body shot that sent him through the ropes.
“I slipped and went out of the ring,” Casamayor said.
“I never got hurt.”
Katsidis went into the fight the overwhelming favourite with Las Vegas and Australian bookmakers, with Casamayor thought to be past his prime.
There was controversy earlier in the night when another promising Australian, Sydney featherweight Billy Dib, won a split decision over US-based Mexican Edgar Fabian Vargas in their 10 round clash.
Dib, 22, appeared to dominate every round, but one of the three judges gave the fight to Vargas.
Dib’s victory puts him on track for a world-title fight against Venezuela’s World Boxing Council champ Jorge Linares in Los Angeles in May.
Dib’s brother and manager, Emaid Dib, was planning to lodge a protest about the one judge’s dissenting decision.
“Billy won, but when judges make decisions like that it’s not good for boxing,” the manager said.
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