Former NRL star Paul Gallen showed his trademark resilience and heart but ultimately fell short of claiming the Australian and Australasian heavyweight titles as Kris Terzievski earned a unanimous decision victory.
All three judges scored the bout 97-92 in favour of Terzievski, who had a point deducted in the seventh for pushing.
"What a warrior man," Terzievski, who had a 14cm height advantage and was eight years younger than Gallen, said of his opponent.
Gallen refused to say whether he would retire from boxing, his second sporting career after 19 years in the NRL.
However, as the crowd chanted his name, he said he was pleased that people finally warmed to him in the ring.
"It took a little while to turn most of 'youse' around but hopefully I have now and we'll see what happens next," Gallen said.
"There's so many people from the boxing world come up to me tonight, before the fight, saying thank you for everything you've done for Australian boxing.
"That's something that I'm really proud of.
"[I'm] Happy to promote the sport and take it back to where it is at the moment and, fingers crossed, those guys can keep it going."
The pro-Gallen crowd had to wait to get behind their man, as Terzievski showed his class in the early rounds, using his superior boxing skills and hand speed to stay out of trouble.
Gallen looked increasingly sluggish as he was forced to chase the taller man around the ring, while Terzievski tenderised his body with a series of powerful left hooks.
However, as Gallen appeared to be slumping to a heavy defeat, the 40-year-old found some extra resilience, wobbling his tiring opponent with an overhand right in the ninth round.
The crowd sensed a stunning comeback, roaring Gallen on as both men hauled themselves back off their stools for the final three minutes.
However, Gallen ultimately fell short as Terzievski avoided any meaningful confrontation in the final round to see out the win.
It was Gallen's second professional defeat, leaving him with a career record of 12-2-1, while Terzievski moves to 11-1-1.
Harry Garside, Nikita Tszyu record stoppage wins
On the undercard Harry Garside (3-0) defended his Australian lightweight title against Layton McFerran (5-2) with a seventh round TKO.
Garside dominated the contest with a flashy performance filled with speed and accuracy, but still left experts ringside wanting for his lack of knockout power.
The lack of a final punch may be explained by yet another hand injury that left Garside with blood seeping through his wrapping at the end of the bout.
However, that issue is perhaps more concerning for his long term career prospects.
Also on the undercard, Nikita Tszyu (2-0) destroyed Mason Smith with a brutal first-round TKO that his older brother Tim proclaimed as a ten out of ten performance.
Tszyu unloaded his astonishing power on the previously undefeated Smith (5-1), who was knocked down thanks to a thunderous upper cut before the referee stepped in just before the end of the round.
Sam Goodman also secured victory, beating Fumiya Fuse to claim the IBF inter-continental and WBO Oriental super bantamweight titles.
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
Key events
Live updates
By Simon Smale
Thank you for being with us
Well, that was a really entertaining way to spend a Wednesday evening.
Thanks so much for being with us for it all.
We saw some great boxing tonight, as well as some great perseverance from Paul Gallen, who showed such tremendous heart in defeat.
There's some more top fights coming up in the next couple of months, including Kambosos-Haney and Opetaia-Breidis right here in Australia, so I hope you'll be with us for those fights too.
Thanks for all your kind words in the comments.
Have a good evening.
By Simon Smale
'That's something that I'm really proud of': Gallen
Paul Gallen is still speaking about the growth of boxing that he has helped.
"There's so many people from the boxing world come up to me tonight, before the fight, saying thank you for everything you've done for Australian boxing and that's something that I'm really proud of.
"I said that from day one, I'm really happy to promote this sport and promote these other boxers.
"I'm so happy for Harry [Garside] and Sam [Goodman], Has Hamden and the girls too ... and Nikita [Tszyu].
"Happy to promote the sport and take it back to where it is at the moment and fingers cross those guys can keep going.
"It took a little while to turn most of youse around but hopefully I have now and we'll see what happens next."
Audience comment by Han
Enjoyed your call as always Simon. I wish I had some of Gallens resilience and some of young Harry’s lightness on his feet. Not too sure about Nikita yet. I hope he can gain some maturity and humility to match his power hits. And the ladies did the sport proud as has Gallen and I wish him and you well.
By Simon Smale
You should be a judge Simon scoring identical to the real judges 😉
-DB
Enjoyed tonight mate and your points predictions are pretty impressive. Who do you like for the footy tips this week?
-Yikes
Thank you, but I promise you do not want me to do your tipping...
Audience comment by Maaa
Great call Simon and glad Gallen hung in there until the end- impressive mental and physical toughness!!!
Audience comment by Andrew
All told , a great effort from Gallen . He will look back on this one day with pride
By Simon Smale
Paul Gallen says he got old, no decision on retirement
Paul Gallen is speaking.
"I felt a little bit tired in the middle rounds," he says, before being interrupted by Terzievski, who had forgotten to thank his fiance.
"I guess there's an old saying, age in undefeated and it caught up with me a little bit," he says.
"In boxing you don't grow old between fights, you grow old between rounds."
He says he wont make any decisions on retirement yet.
"I dunno. I'm not going to make any decisions now, obviously."
By Simon Smale
Kris Terzievski had to go to 'deep dark places' to get the win
Kris Terzievski is speaking.
"That was an amazing crowd to perform in front of," he says, saying the Newcastle crowd were "savage".
He is full of praise for Paul Gallen.
"What a warrior man. I'm still stuffed.
"I just had to be disciplined.
"I'm even proud of myself to have the legs to carry myself [on four weeks notice].
"You have to go to some deep dark places to get over the line in that fight."
He says that he will target the new bridgerweight division and thinks he will be a "big player" in that division
By Simon Smale
Kris Terzievski beats Paul Gallen by unanimous decision
All three judges scored it 97-92.
By Simon Smale
Gallen vs Terzievski, verdict
Despite that brilliant final couple of rounds from Gallen, I scored it 97-92 in favour of Terzievski.
Terzievski was just too clinical and precise.
But that ninth round just made us think that something incredible might happen...
Let's see how the judges scored it.
By Simon Smale
Gallen vs Terzievski, Round 10
This could be so epic. Can Gallen pull off a miracle?
Or will Terzievski recover in time?
Gallen comes forward, Terzievski is running as fast as he can around the ring.
Now they engage.
Gallen stalks forward and Terzievski is getting booed as he runs from Gallen.
Good body shot from Terzievski, who is keeping well out of range at the moment.
Terzievski punches and runs now, begging for the final bell.
The crowd are booing madly as the referee steps in to tidy up the tape again.
Gallen continues to chase but can't get close.
NOW HE CAN! Gallen lands with a right but Terzievski evades nicely.
Terzievski moves again, narrowly missing an overhand right from Gallen.
Terzievski left hooks and then runs.
Terzievski gets off his bike long enough to celebrate as the bell rings and Gallen turns away in disappointment.
By Simon Smale
Gallen vs Terzievski, Round 9
Gallen comes forward and swings and misses with a looping right.
Terzievski with a one-two but Gallen walks through it and lands a right of his own.
Gallen is panting and grimacing as he tries to get his hands free in the clinch.
Terzievski is bouncing on his toes and throws a jab and a lethal upper cut.
Gallen works really hard in the corner, landing once, twice to the head in tight.
Terzievski with some wild shots, missing with an upper cut and landing with a left to the body.
Gallen is landing with rights, the crowd are up on their feet and roaring Paul Gallen on here!
Gallen with a brilliant overhand right, and another, Terzievski is being forced back.
Terzievski is wobbled! Gallen with a right! And a left! Brilliant heart from Gallen!
Gallen and Terzievski grapple, there's tape flying everywhere and Terzievski can barely stand up!
Is there hope for a final round stunner!?
Audience comment by DB
Gallen's lack of skill is propped up by a big motor
By Simon Smale
Gallen vs Terzievski, Round 8
Gallen marches and forces Terzievski back.
Terzievski is retreating but still lands a decent left to the body.
Gallen with a left to the body, he misses with an overhand right.
Gallen is warned for punching the back of the head.
Gallen lands a right, and another! Terzievski just misses with an uppercut.
Terzievski misses with an uppercut as they clinch.
Gallen lands a big right but Terzievski lands with a good right of his own.
Terzievski threw a couple of big shots and Gallen might be hanging on here!
Gallen still comes forward, his man is 40 years old and has an engine like nobody else. Incredible.
One-two from Terzievski to the body.
Terzievski just misses with a big left and now he charges Gallen into the corner.
Gallen lands an overhand right on the bell that Terzievski mostly covered with his guard, but both men are now exhausted.
