A flurry of heavy punches has seen Paul Gallen remain undefeated as a professional boxer with a brutal fourth round knockout of Queenslander Ryan Carr-Ketu.
In the main event at the Rumble at Southern Cross Group Stadium, Gallen withstood some early pressure from his opponent before dominating the third round and finishing the fight at the beginning of the next.
Carr-Ketu had no answer to the punching power of Gallen, who had suffered a head cut and had some swelling under his left eye, due to a what had appeared to be a series of deliberate head butts.
The fight finished with Carr-Ketu prone in the ring surface, unable to answer the count with the referee immediately calling a halt to the bout.
With the impressive victory Gallen goes to 7-0 as a professional boxer, with his attention now set to turn back to rugby league and the Sharks defense of their NRL title.
The main event capped an exciting evening of boxing action, watched by a noisy crowd of around 2,000 fans.
In the co-main event Cronulla’s own Ryan ‘Lights out’ Waters also proved too good, with his opponent Aswin Cabuy failing to come out for the third round.
The night was also about the amateurs and the Junior League Footy Challenge, where the fights may have lacked finesse but the boys making up for it with enthusiasm.
In the end it was the trio from the Kurnell Club, Kane Baker, Ian Finkerstrand and Jake Bridge getting the points and the $5,000 cash bonus with a win over Cronulla Caringbah.
On their way to the final, Kurnell beat teams from Engadine and St Josephs.
De La Salle and St Josephs were beaten in the second round after scoring first up victories.
In the earlier bouts, local boxer Jake Brubaker enhanced his professional record and reputation with a second round stoppage of Thai fighter Chatri Charoensin.
After Brubaker had knocked his opponent to the canvas three times in the second round the referee had no choice but to call an end to the fight.
Brubaker’s record goes to 12-1-1 with the victory.
Southpaw Jai Opetai was also impressive, knocking out his opponent Isileli Fa with a brutal left hand shot in the third round.
Opetai is undefeated in his eight fight professional career, five of those wins coming by knockout.
Prior to that Kerry Foley beat Walter Papua in a light heavy weight bout, winning with a first round TKO.
Three amateur fights kicked off the night, the second of which featured Renee Gartner of Footy Show fame in a three round exhibition against Anna Evans.
Rumble at Southern Cross Group Stadium – Fight results
Professional Fights
Paul Gallen beat Ryan Carr Ketu – fourth round knock out
Ryan Waters beat Aswin Cabuy – failed to answer the bell in the third
Jack Brubaker beat Chatri Charoensin – second round TKO
Jai Opetai beat Isileli Fa – Third Round knockout
Kerry Foley beat Walter Papua – First Round TKO
Finals Footy Fights
Kurnell beat Cronulla Caringbah
Semi Finals Footy Fights
Kurnell beat St Josephs
Cronulla Caringbah beat De La Salle
De La Salle beat Como Jannali
Cronulla Caringbah beat Gymea
St Josephs beat Aquinas
Kurnell beat Engadine
Amateur fights
Shane McCarthy beat Noel McEan – decision
Anna Evans v Renee Gartner – unanimous draw
Beau Payne beat Joel Grove – split decision
