Tzsyu's days as a tribute act long behind him

That statement's been made before, but it's never been more true when you consider the shot of adrenaline he's given Aussie boxing.

For the rusted-ons who once watched Kostya demolish all rivals in the same cold methodical fashion his son dispatched Hogan, he's a welcome walk down memory lane.

He dealt with something knew when he was cut in round two, the result of a headbutt ruled accidental, but went about his business in the same way; making the difficult look easy.

It was relentless, using the same menacing economy of movement to literally rip Hogan's will from his body with a ruthless body attack that prompted the Irishman's corner to throw in the towel at the end of round five.

As Tszyu noted post-fight, he took two less rounds to do it than world WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo - whom Hogan fought a weight-class above what he did Tsyzu.

It came after Hogan was left on the canvas earlier in round five after a body shot and follow up uppercut that would have left most fighters there. It was delaying the inevitable, with Tszyu taking his record to 18-0.

"I said I was going to take him into the deeper rounds and let him sink," Tsyzu said.

"It was, what, round five? I was only warming up, I could go another seven rounds at this pace. I told you, it's sink or swim. I get my opponents into deep water and let them sink.

"I told you before: it's not tip-tap. We're not ballerinas here. I'm here to do damage. When I step into the ring, this is my kindgom."

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Tzysu doesn't need it, he's outgrown Australia, just like he's outgrown claims of being Kostya 2.0. That fact was apparent on Wednesday night.

If you were lucky enough to see it up close, you realised many of the fans who packed the Newcastle Entertainment Centre weren't there to see a tribute act. On sheer demographics alone, half the crowd would never have seen his father fight

Believe it or not, there were some who wouldn't even know who he is. If some of them saw Kostya across the room they might even say "gee that bloke looks like Tim Tszyu."

It's certainly not to suggest he's outstripped his father's achievements, or that he's even part the way way there. It just illustrates that he's a superstar for what he does, not for who he is.

They're probably the same people who wondered who the two older guys blazing away mid-card were, not realising Sakio Bika and Sam Soliman are two of our all-time greats - genuine world champions.

Soliman beat Felix Sturm for the IBF middleweight title in Germany. Twice. Bika was a WBC super-middleweight champion that undefeated Welsh great Joe Calzaghe claims gave him his toughest fight.

If the Tim Tszyu effect continues to work its magic, the next generation of world champions won't have to achieve such feats in the same obscurity those two warriors did.

There's no chance of that fate for the man himself. Australia conquered, the world awaits.