Joseph Parker and Nikita Tszyu score finishes in Melbourne

Joseph Parker and Nikita Tszyu knew they were the A-sides in this morning’s Fox pay-per-view and acted appropriately, stopping their respective opponents in under a round apiece.

Parker (31-3, 21 KO) squared off with Australia’s Faiga Opelu (15-4-2, 11 KO), who went from getting stopped in seven by Lucas Browne two years back to derailing Hemi Ahio his next time out. This was a little closer to the former than the latter, as Parker stung Opelu with a pair of left hooks before swarming for an 86-second finish.

Tszyu (6-0, 5 KO) didn’t need much longer than that to dispose of fellow unbeaten Benjamin Bommber (5-1, 4 KO). A clubbing right uppercut kicked off a fight-ending flurry, complete with a hilariously awkward attempt by the ref to stop the fight, at just over two minutes.

In other action, Tom Bellchambers knocked out fellow AFL veteran Cameron Mooney, Max Reeves stopped Jayde Mitchell on a cut, and David Nyika picked up his third straight finish at Louis Marsters’ expense.