Australian Tim Tszyu has lost his world title fight with Bakhram Murtazaliev via TKO after the Russian knocked him down four times in the second and third rounds of their bout in Orlando.
It marks Tszyu's second straight defeat after his blood-soaked loss in March to Sebastian Fundora, during which questions were raised as to whether his team or the referee should have stopped the fight earlier.
"Every time I step in that ring I'm prepared to die in there," Tszyu said after the loss to Murtazaliev.
"The better man won tonight. He was better. … You live and learn."
The battle for Murtazaliev's IBF junior middleweight belt did not go beyond three rounds after Tszyu was knocked down three times in the second, saved by the bell to end the round.
After being battered to the canvas for the fourth time early in the third, Tszyu made it through a standing eight count but was warned by the referee that the fight would be stopped the next time he hit the floor.
Murtazaliev did everything but knock him down again when the fight resumed, taking away Tszyu's legs with a monster right hook and sending him sprawling into the ropes with a combination to follow.
Tszyu's corner — including his father and former world champion Kostya, who surprised his son when he arrived in Florida just days before the fight — was forced to throw in the towel.
Tzsyu reiterated the classic boxing idiom that everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face, which he did a lot, with concerns after the first round that he may have already been cut.
"After the first shot, things didn't go to plan," he said.
"That's boxing, you get hit, things didn't go to plan.
"He's the man."
Murtazaliev invited Tszyu to come train with him and credited the Australian for staying in the fight as long as he did.
"When I landed that first shot I knew how hard it was," he said.
"Nobody can doubt his heart."
Look back at how the brief bout unfolded in our live blog.
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