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Australian ‘KO King’ Brandon Grach has been warned “brother, you’re no man” – and told he is going to be punched unrecognisable – by the same rival he knocked cold just over a year ago. Despite being only three fights into his heavyweight career, Grach is readying to confirm himself the nation’s most brutal finisher when he rematches Liam Talivaa in the co-main of Tim Tszyu’s comeback headliner at Newcastle Entertainment Centre this Sunday. Back in 2023, the two Australian punchers engaged in a war as brutal as it was brief – with Grach recovering after being dropped in the first round to eventually land a brutal left hook that earned him No Limit’s Knockout of the Year.
Tszyu vs Spencer | SUN 6 APRIL 11AM AEDT | Tim Tszyu makes his highly anticipated return to the ring as he looks to push himself back into world title contention against Joey Spencer.| Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. While both men have fought, and won, once each since, a heap of bad blood still exists, as evidenced when they squared off – and traded insults -- in a fiery Main Event ‘Face Off’ on Monday.
Late in proceedings, it was Talivaa who suggested nobody would even know Grach was it not for his own reputation -- as being avoided, and on an undefeated tear of five straight wins -- when stopped in their first encounter. There was also plenty of animosity between the pair when Grach was asked about being knocked down midway through round one, before then dropping his rival with a big right hand late in the first himself, before finishing in the second with that left hook. But as for Talivaa getting him first? “It was a bit of a shock, a surprise,” Grach conceded.
“He worked hard for his shot, so good, he got it. “Caught me off balance. “I was trying to turn out of the way, though ‘s***, I’ve got no choice but to touch the canvas .
..’ At which point Talivaa interjected.
MORE TSZYU VS SPENCER NEWS ‘NOT A SMALL ISSUE’: New opponent twist in explosive Tszyu judging saga ULTIMATE GUIDE: Tszyu’s make-or-break fight as Aussie takes on highly-rated US contender “You didn’t get caught off balance, brother,” he said. “You did not get caught off balance.” Grach: “Yeah, you caught me with some good shots before, then caught me off balance and down I went.
” Talivaa: “Exactly”. Grach: “I didn’t like it and thought ‘f*** there is only one way this is going, I’m going to put you out and it’s going to be now’.” And from there? “Brother I made this guy,” Talivaa fired soon after.
“I made this man right here. “Without me, without that fight, he wouldn’t be who he is right now. “If you put that (most recent) fight between him and John Maila before me, he still wouldn’t be known.
“He’s only known right now because of me.” At which point Grach was asked if he agreed? “No,” the 32-year-old started before his rival cut in. “Be real brother, be real,” Talivaa said.
“Be a man ...
” Tszyu vs Spencer | SUN 6 APRIL 11AM AEDT | Tim Tszyu makes his highly anticipated return to the ring as he looks to push himself back into world title contention against Joey Spencer.| Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Grach: “You know what’s real? All the things that you’ve said so far, I’ve already known you were going to say.
“I’ve seen it all. “I’ve seen you say these things, this is just normal. “So, no, he didn’t make me.
“And I’m just going to continue doing what I’m doing in the ring and put someone else to sleep.” None of which Talivaa had any time for. “I thought you were a sick c***, bro,” he replied.
“I thought ‘this guy actually is a real man’. “You’re a father, and I respected you because you are a father. “But brother, you’re no man.
“You can’t even face your own f***ing losses, bro. “You can’t be real. “You can’t say ‘yeah, I found the canvas because Liam dropped me there’.
“You can’t even say that. “You can’t even say ‘that fight made me’ ..
.” Grach: “Interesting there is nothing on your social media about that fight at all. Are you trying to forget something? Completely”.
Talivaa: “Bro, there’s nothing there ...
” Grach: “So what are you talking about?” Talivaa: “What are you talking about? You not f***ing owning up to your s***”. Grach: “What, that you knocked me down?” Talivaa: “Yeah. That I knocked you down.
” Grach: “And?” Talivaa: “And I made you bro ...
” Earlier in the interview, Talivaa rejected suggestions he had got ahead of himself after landing the first knockdown, and explained his reasons for smiling broadly after then being dropped himself late in the first. “When you get hit with a surprise shot that’s what you do, you smile,” he said. “It was a surprising shot.
“And going in there so carelessly, it was very surprising. “I got up and next thing you know ‘how the f*** did I get down here’. “(But) I definitely wasn’t ahead of myself .
..” And as for how Talivaa sees this one finishing? “With his face dismantled, bro,” he said.
“He won’t be able to recognize who he is. “It’s going to be eight rounds of punishment.” To which Grach says what? Tszyu vs Spencer | SUN 6 APRIL 11AM AEDT | Tim Tszyu makes his highly anticipated return to the ring as he looks to push himself back into world title contention against Joey Spencer.
| Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. “He said in our press conference before the last fight that he wanted to go the distance and that was six rounds,” the undefeated Novocastrian replied. “Then he came out swinging.
“So who knows? “But, man, whether it goes one round, two or eight, when I’ve seen enough I’m going to pull the trigger and it’s goodnight.” And as for his memories of the left hook that ended things first time around? “It was surreal,” he recounted. “I remember landing the hook and there being no resistance in his head -- bang, it felt like I went right through him.
“And obviously down he goes, and it was all over. “Amazing. “And I’m f***ing ready to do even worse this time.
”.
