Popular Australian trainer Tommy Mercuri has called for Michael Zerafa’s brother to be banned from national boxing for life after landing a “dog shot” in the ring.
Already dubbed the bad boy of Australian boxing, Zerafa and his team will be under intense scrutiny from the NSW Combat Authority and Australian promoter No Limit today following the chaotic events inside the ICC Theatre on Wednesday night.
The drama began after one round of fighting that saw Zerafa battle veteran Tommy Browne — trained by Mercuri — to earn a hard-fought showdown with Nikita Tszyu.
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Tszyu’s vicious attack ENDS Mazoudier | 02:33
However, the fight was called off after just one round, as Browne tore his bicep tendon from the bone.
An enraged Zerafa immediately threw his hands in the air upon hearing the announcement and shouted at Browne ‘you quit’ – referring to what the Sydney boxer accused him of doing in his recent KO defeat to WBA champion Erislandy Lara.
The sled prompted Browne’s trainer, Mercuri, to speak to Zerafa.
Moments later, Zerafa’s brother, also a corner guard, entered the ring and hit Mercuri.
“And that was a dog shot,” Mercuri told Fox Sports Australia afterwards.
“I didn’t even see it.
“Just felt it.
“But he can’t even beat his father. I’m as old as his father.
“But people like that shouldn’t be allowed in that corner.
“No one should be allowed to be in a corner with such emotions.
“They’re clowns, man.”
Asked what punishment he expected to see, Mercuri continued: “Brother Zerafa must be banned.
“Banned everywhere in Australia.
“That’s ridiculous.”
Zerafa v Browne: Full Fight Highlights | 05:50
When asked if anyone had apologized, he continued: “No, and I will not accept it.
“They are clowns.
“That person (Zerafa) doesn’t respect anyone.
“At the end of the first lap, the doctor was there and had a look at Tommy – that’s what he said – and then I asked him how he felt and he said ‘there’s a hole there’.
“The next thing Zerafa did was come calling him a dog, saying he had quit.
“Then I started talking to him… then his brother came and shot me.
“Who are these people?
“This is sport, man.
“You didn’t do that.”
Speaking after the incident, No Limit boss Matt Rose stressed the matter would be followed up and sanctions imposed.
But he added that the chaotic scenes would not affect Zerafa’s three fights with No Limit.
“We don’t accept that kind of behavior,” Rose said. “Sometimes people get caught in situations they shouldn’t be in and this is one of them.
“He has left the building now.
“Ultimately, we want both fighters to fight, not anyone else.
“Tommy (Browne) is fine and everyone seems to be calming down now.”
Tszyu v Mazoudier: Full Fight Highlights | 06:58
Rose added that Zerafa’s contract remains safe.
“Michael did nothing wrong there,” he said. “Obviously his brother will be punished in some way.”
When asked about Browne’s injury, Rose added: “It’s a tear from the bone.
“You can see it.
“There were some good exchanges in the first half, Zerafa came out with some good exchanges and then Tommy went home.
“I’m looking forward to a good fight.
“We can only see what happens in the next game.”
Mercuri said afterwards he had never been involved in such an incident in all his years as a coach.
“I’ve been involved in boxing my whole life,” he continued. “I’ve been a trainer for 28 years.
“And I’ve never been involved in anything like that.
“I sparred with Zerafa, but no one could ever beat me.
“He called Tommy Browne a dog, a loser… You don’t do that.
“He was really hurt.”
Three years after surprisingly avoiding a fight with Australian star Tim Tszyu, Zerafa now looks set to fight his younger brother.
Zerafa is confident he can beat the younger Tszyu later this year and then catapult himself straight into a major Australian showdown with his older brother – who will face reigning IBF champion Bakhram Murtazaliev in October.
Fox Sports Australia understands Team Tszyu is very comfortable with the 26-year-old Nikita who will next face the man who famously stopped Jeff Horn in 2019 and also beat British superstar Kell Brook over 12 rounds.
Heading into Wednesday night, there were inevitable questions about where the controversial Melbourne fighter would fit in given he had fought just twice in more than two years – an unimpressive win over Italian Danilo Creati and a brutal knockout loss to WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara.
But Zerafa immediately exploded and threw punches at Browne, who was known to have injured his left arm late in the first round, while attacking with jabs.
He wrapped the injured limb in a sling backstage afterwards and admitted he would need surgery.
Meanwhile, Zerafa seems ready to fight with ‘The Butcher’.
Although his comeback from world title defeat lasted just three minutes, there is no doubt that the Melbourne athlete (31-5) is now easily the biggest test of The Butcher’s career.
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