Tszyu on Top Down Under

The Russian-born Australian Kostyszyua Tszyu confirmed his status as one of the world's outstanding boxers by stopping the American veteran Jesse James Leija in front of a crowd of 30,000 in an open-air fight yesterday in Melbourne.

Tszyu holds the three major championship belts in the 10st light-welterweight division where Britain's Ricky Hatton, who has the lightly regarded World Boxing Union title, could emerge as a challenger to the dominant Tszyu.

But, as Tszyu came through his 14th world title fight to earn the acclaim of his Aussie fans, stopping Leija after six rounds, it seemed Hatton would be prudent to stay well clear in the immediate future. At the age of 33 the Australian, a former world amateur champion, remains a formidable performer.

Leija, 36, is best known for four fights against the outstanding Ghanaian Azumah Nelson, having won two, drawn one and lost one. But it was soon clear Leija's best days are behind him, despite making a bright start to the contest which had him ahead on all three judges' cards after three rounds. But Tszyu had the greater power, and wore down the former world super featherweight champion with a series of bruising attacks which left Leija with a nasty cut in the corner of his right eye and a damaged ear drum.

Leija, by then facing an inevitable defeat, failed to answer the bell for the seventh, leaving Tszyu to contemplate his next title defence which will probably be against the popular Canadian Arturo Gatti, whose two contests with Mickey Ward were among the outstanding fights last year.

Manchester's Anthony Farnell retained his WBU middleweight title at the Preston Guild Hall, stopping the Russian Nikolay Talalakin after ten rounds in a fight which lacked nothing in excitement even if skill levels were not top class.

Farnell, 24, is a fit and rugged performer who trades on determination rather than any pretence of illusive boxing. Talalakin was flawed by two hooks to the stomach in the ninth and was wisely pulled out by his own corner men.

"I know my defence was not good enough," said Farnell. "But he was a tough kid and I'm still learning."

Farnell knows he will need a better effort if he gets a hoped-for grudge match against London's Wayne Alexander, who won a routine six-rounder on the undercard.