‘Embarrassed to be in your corner’: Forgotten reality before Zerafa’s ‘stupid’ act as boxing greats react

The Australian boxing scene was left reeling on Friday night after Michael Zerafa’s controversial clash with Nikita Tszyu – and it didn’t take long for the pros to wade in.

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The blockbuster grudge match ended in a bitter anticlimax at Brisbane’s Entertainment Centre when referee Chris Condon waved the bout off at the start of the third round on the advice of the ringside doctor.

What was meant to be a statement night descended into chaos after Zerafa declared he couldn’t see after suffering a cut above his eye, prompting officials to pull the plug.

In the moments after the stoppage, Zerafa claimed he had told the doctor his vision was blurry but insisted he wanted to continue fighting.

Footage of the exchange, however, appeared to tell a different story, showing Zerafa twice saying, “I can’t see.”

Ringside doctor Dr Alan Saunders confirmed on Saturday that Zerafa had indeed told him he couldn’t see – on two separate occasions.

The fallout has been swift.

Over the weekend, former fighters have weighed in on the contentious finish and what the controversy means for ‘Pretty Boy’s’ future in the sport.

On Sunday, former world champion Barry Michael said it was a tough night for the sport Down Under and added that the forgotten element in it all was that Zerafa had actually started well.

“Very unfortunate for boxing, the whole thing,” he told fight reporter Jai McAllister.

“I thought Zerafa landed some good shots in the first round but Nikita wore them well and was working Zerafa out…

“The issue with the headclash, there was very little blood and unfortunately for Michael he did say that he couldn’t see and then he denied it five minutes later.”

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When asked about Zerafa’s actions in the ring, Michael didn’t hold back.

“It makes him look bloody stupid, to be honest,” he said.

“It’s very unfortunate. Maybe he was confused in the situation…

“The doctor had no choice but to stop it. It’s just a terrible blow for boxing.

“What does Michael Zerafa do from here? Who would promote him? What promoter would want to promote him?”

Michael, who was at the event, described the scenes afterwards as almost chaotic.

“I don’t think people would go to a rematch, to be honest,” he said.

“Who is going to want to see a rematch?”

The Aussie boxing icon also said he was concerned about Zerafa’s mental health in the wake of the incident.

Fellow former world champion Danny Green said he was disappointed by the scenes in Queensland.

“It takes a split second to quit, but it’s a decision he’ll have to live with for the rest of his life,” Green told Code Sports.

“When you say you’re prepared to go out on your shield, and you simply do not do that, you’ve gotta live with it.

“It’s a hard one for me, because more than anything, I prided myself on being tough.

“So when I see that, it upsets me.

“It shits me if I’m being honest.”

Kickboxing and boxing legend John Wayne Parr, who has had more than 346 stitches in his head across his career, was equally unimpressed.

“After watching the main event tonight, [I’m] not sure what happened to our fighting Aussie spirit,” he posted on X.

“Quitting was once frowned upon and your trainers [would be] embarrassed to be in your corner.

“When I would get cut I would beg the referee to let me keep fighting. Giving up wasn’t an option.

“Funny part tonight, after everyone had spent their money to watch Michael Zerafa fight, he didn’t understand why they were booing him after he gave up.”

Former champ Billy Dib also weighed in.

“What a joke,” he posted on X.

“Anyone who gives Zerafa another chance to rob the public is kidding themselves.”

Meanwhile, Zerafa claimed on Saturday morning he had suffered a shattered eye socket and damaged retina during the bout.

He posted a video to Instagram showing his swollen eye and said he spent the night in hospital – but has yet to provide further details on the injury.

Tszyu, meanwhile, broke his silence on social media on Sunday, thanking his supporters and apologising that the grudge match ended in disappointment rather than fireworks.