Leapai Jr sends opponent through ropes for brutal KO
Alex Leapai Jnr has punched his hapless heavyweight rival out of the ring to register a devastating stoppage in his third professional fight.
The 18-year-old son of former heavyweight world title challenger Alex Leapai Sr produced the early highlight before David Nyika comfortably disposed of Tommy Karpency inside three rounds in Auckland's main event on Saturday.
The 124kg Brisbane beast's swift three-punch combination busted Manusiu Fe'ao nose and sent the local hope through the ropes early in the second round of their four-round slug at the Viaduct Events Centre.
The first blow was a straight right jab that shunted Fe'ao backwards, Leapai following with two quick rights that sent him tumbling out of the ring altogether.
Leapai's trainer Noel Thornberry's shirt, the canvas and ropes were splattered in Fe'ao's blood.
"He's punched him out of the window, that's how you make a statement," Leapai Sr told AAP.
A beaming Leapai Jr struggled to find the words for his highlight-reel moment after a cagey first round in which both boxers landed blows.
"I was like, 'Yes, let's go'," he said.
"He wasn't touching the floor, so I had to finish it.
"Dad's done his part, but it's my turn now and just like the Tim Tszyu way, I'll let everyone know my name.
"The days went fast last week, but coming into the fight everything was slowing down.
"I tried to sleep today, but couldn't.
"I love being punched in the face, you can see, it didn't faze me."
The teenager's team is convinced the prodigy is not just a potential world champion, but a boxing superstar in the making.
On Friday Leapai Sr told AAP his son could be the next George Foreman or Mike Tyson.
"I actually had (Samoa's former middleweight world champion) Maselino Masoe just tell me Alex reminds him of a young Foreman, the way he found his range and lined him up and finished it," Thornberry said after the fight.
"But Alex is bigger than Foreman was."
The fight was officially Fe'ao's professional debut, but the 24-year-old had 15 kick-boxing appearances and 15 unregistered bouts to his name before becoming Leapai's latest victim.
"Brutal, violent," Thornberry said of the performance.
"I'd like to get him back in the ring in six weeks.
"The more active he stays, the harder he'll be to beat. We'll sit down tomorrow with (promoter) Duco and we'll make a plan."