Paul Gallen was nothing short of amazing Wednesday night when he took on heavyweight Kris Terzievski.
The 40-year-old Australian legend weathered a brutal assault from the 32-year-old before mounting a comeback and desperately chasing a knockout victory that would have been nothing short of sensational.
After a fantastic ninth round, which saw him display his signature toughness, Gallen lost in a unanimous decision to an exhausted Terzievski, with all three judges scoring the bout 97-92 in favor of Terzievski.
The first few rounds were dominated by the experienced Gallen but the momentum changed when Terzieveski got a point for pushing after being repeatedly warned by the referee.
In the final few minutes of the ninth round, both fighters looked tired with Gallen continuously trying to land a knockout.
“Toughest bloke I’ve ever hit in my life. Literally, probably the toughest man in Australia,” said Terzievski after the match.
“He bought the dog out in me, which I’m highly respectful and grateful for. I’m rooted,” he added.