Former rugby league star Justin Hodges was left with an empty feeling after he won his second professional boxing bout even quicker than his first.
Heavyweight Hodges ,who took 75 seconds to beat Rob Baron on his debut back in February, needed just 23 to stop unheralded late replacement and New Zealander Troy McMahon in Sydney on Wednesday evening.
The former Queensland and Kangaroos centre who weighed in 12 kilos heavier, staggered debutant McMahon with his first serious punch to the head.
A follow up combination put McMahon down, prompting veteran referee Gary Dean to stop the fight without issuing a count, generating boos from some of the crowd at The Star.
"I don't care about the crowd, the crowd doesn't bother me. I've spent 18 years playing the game of rugby league," Hodges said.
"They are the one booing, but they should get in the ring and have a go themselves."
"It is gut wrenching, and an empty feeling, you train hard and you want to have a good fight.
"I didn't have any bad feelings towards him, he took the fight at late notice when a few guys pulled out and he could have been like everyone else too."
Hodges, who is an assistant coach to Queensland State of Origin rugby league coach Kevin Walters, said he planned to concentrate on the upcoming series and wasn't likely to fight again until November.
The highlight of the undercard to the Joel Camilleri-Tim Tszyu fight was a breathtaking all-action ten-round draw for the vacant WBA Oceania welterweight title between Jack Brubaker and Ty Telford.
Earlier, world ranked cruiserweight Jai Opetaia improved his unbeaten professional record to 17-0 with 14 KOs after an eight-round stoppage of tough New Zealander Navosa Ioata.
Slick southpaw, Opetaia, who is rated No.8 by the WBO and 11 by the IBF, wore down his opponent, who took a standing count in the seventh.
Opetaia added the WBA interim cruiserweight title to the IBF and WBO regional titles he already owned.
Former UFC fighter Ross Pearson made a successful boxing debut at super middleweight with a second round stoppage of Iranian Salar King.
