Nikita Tszyu vs Ben Mahoney: Controversial Draw Sparks Outrage

No Limit Boxing boss Matt Rose has moved to steady the ship after a wild night in Newcastle left his company, his judges and his star attraction all under fire.

What began as a gripping IBF super welterweight world-title eliminator between two unbeaten Australians ended in a mess of boos, split scorecards and accusations of bias.

A thriller, then chaos

For 12 rounds, Nikita Tszyu and Ben Mahoney tore into each other. Tszyu, the heavily backed favourite and No Limit’s headline act, poured on the pressure through the middle of the fight. Mahoney, the local hope, absorbed it, bit down and surged late, finishing with Tszyu’s face bloodied and the crowd roaring him home.

Then came the scores.

Veteran judge Phillip Holliday, a former world champion who once beat Jeff Fenech, saw it almost entirely Tszyu’s way: 117-111. Nine rounds to three for the favourite.

At the other end of the spectrum, Sabrina Kerr had it 115-113 to Mahoney. The third judge, Carl Zappia, split the difference and called it 114-114.

A split draw. Three cards that barely seemed to describe the same fight.

The Mahoney-heavy crowd let fly, jeering the result as their man stood centre ring, exhausted and emotional after a camp that overlapped with the first months of his baby’s life.

Tempers flare in the ring

The tension spilled over instantly.

In the ring, Tszyu stunned many by admitting Mahoney had been the better boxer on the night, a rare concession from a fighter whose brand is built on ruthlessness. That humility did little to calm things.

No Limit frontman George Rose, stung by comments coming from Mahoney’s corner, snapped. He barked that he wanted to “slap the s*** out of someone” and invited anyone booing to meet him “out front” to “sort it out.”

It was raw, unfiltered and very public.

Later, Tszyu wound back his in-ring assessment at the press conference, explaining he’d spoken out of frustration at his own performance rather than out of any belief he’d actually lost the fight. He felt he should have been more clinical, more decisive. He hadn’t been.

By then, the controversy had already moved on to the judges.

Mahoney camp demands answers

Mahoney’s promoter, Mick Francis, who also handles Jai Opetaia and Justis Huni, made it clear he wasn’t prepared to let Holliday’s card slide.

“Phil Holliday, I don’t know what he was watching … those scores were way wide and I'm going to make an official inquiry about it because that's not right,” he said.

For Mahoney, it was a painful sense of déjà vu. His last outing on a No Limit show had also ended in a controversial draw. Another camp, another cloud.

This time, he hinted he’d had enough.

“We’re going to have to look at our [rematch] options; I'm open to it but it sure as hell isn't going to be on another No Limit card,” he said, careful not to directly attack the officials but clearly seething at the system.

“I don't want to throw any officials or judges under the bus. But athletes put their lives on the line for this. I just had a baby and have been in the gym for eight weeks of 14 weeks of her life.”

A fighter’s sacrifice, a murky verdict, and a promoter promising a formal review. It was combustible.

Matt Rose hits back

George Rose skipped the press conference, leaving his brother and No Limit co-founder Matt Rose, along with Tszyu’s long-time manager Glen Jennings, to front the questions.

Matt Rose acknowledged that “a couple of comments made in the ring” had set George off, but he did not back away from the result or from Holliday’s right to his view of the fight.

In fact, he welcomed scrutiny.

“I’d be happy for them to challenge because I don't think the scorecard of 115-113 was right at all,” Rose said.

“And that would mean Nikita wins the fight.

“But we'll accept the draw. At the end of the day, I'm not going to complain about the 115-113. That's the decision they made and that's how they saw it.”

For Rose, the issue wasn’t the review. It was the implication that No Limit’s influence extended to the judges’ cards.

His patience snapped when told Mahoney had vowed never to fight on a No Limit card again.

“What, it's going to be on a Tasman card in front of 200 people?” he shot back.

“Who would stage it then?

“Please don't try to diminish what we do in the sport. The shows we put on are the best in the country.

“If people are going to be critical of judging, it has nothing to do with us whatsoever.”

It was a clear line in the sand from a promoter whose company holds exclusive broadcast rights with Fox Sports and Main Event and effectively controls the biggest stages in Australian boxing.

Rematch, but on whose terms?

Somewhere inside the noise, one thing remains obvious: Tszyu–Mahoney delivered as a fight. It was brutal, compelling and unfinished.

Mahoney wants justice. Tszyu wants to prove he can do more than edge a razor-thin contest. Francis wants an inquiry. Rose wants his company’s name cleared.

Everyone, on some level, wants a rematch.

The question now is not whether it happens, but where – and under whose banner – the next chapter of this rivalry gets written.