World champions Lani Daniels and Mea Motu have done their hometown proud, with impressive wins over dogged opponents at Whangārei's McKay Stadium - but the biggest hits of the night came on their undercard.
As the crowd filed into the gym and found their seats, local Northland rugby legend Matt Matich showed he has a future in the ring, when he finally hangs up his boots, turning out the lights on Kamo club stalwart Kurt Benney.
"Kurt's known as a big thug on the rugby field," said Matich, when the heavyweight match was made in October. "I have vivid memories of him taking people out illegally, often with a sly elbow, so I'm really looking forward to taking him on."
Matich, 32, wasted little time imposing his conditioning on his rival in the 'corporate' bout and rocked his world in the second round, when he caught Benney with a swinging left that put him on his back.
Given "one more chance" by the referee, Benney wobbled around the ring for a few more seconds, before the contest was mercilessly called.
In a super-flyweight bout, South Africa-born Zain Adams twice dropped Thai opponent Patthaphi Camton - once in each of the first two rounds of their six-round fight, but there was no coming back from the second, as Camton lay facedown on the canvas and was quickly put into the recovery position.
"Anyone can do it," said Adams. "If you set the punch up correctly, anything's possible.
"I think it's a dangerous sport and I don't think you should be doing it, if you're not going all the way to the top."
Another to promote his cause with an early stoppage was Jerome Pampellone, who needed less than a round to finish Mexican journeyman Rogelio Medina and move a step closer to a title fight.
