Daniel Geale will set his sights on the million-dollar paydays in the US and Europe after retaining his IBF middleweight world title with a unanimous points decision over Ghanaian Osumanu Adama in Hobart.
The Real Deal proved he’s just that, triumphing in a tactical game of cat and mouse to successfully defend the title he first won from Sebastian Sylvester in Germany last year for a second time.
The 31-year-old had vowed to silence the bluster from his US-based opponent and answered it with a 117-111, 115-113, 118-110 victory.
Earlier, fellow Australian Billy Dib retained his IBF featherweight world title, with Mexican challenger Eduardo Escobedo calling off the fight after the sixth round.
Geale gradually gained the ascendancy over an impressive challenger who showed speed and agility, but it was the Tasmanian who launched the more incisive attacks.
Adama went down briefly in the 11th round as Geale added a verbal barrage to his punches and the Australian finished strongly to the delight of his home crowd.
The Tasmanian’s victory means he has almost certainly fought in Australia for the last time in the foreseeable future.
Geale had already delivered himself a pay cut by staging the fight in his home state and bringing Dib on board for an historic double-header at the Derwent Entertainment Centre.
It was arguably the biggest fight night ever staged in Australia, but Geale’s eyes are now on bigger stages as his record improved to an impressive 27-1.
Backed by colourful American boxing powerbroker Gary Shaw, the victory means a chance of fights against the likes of German WBA champion Felix Sturm, former undisputed champion Jermain Taylor, WBO titleholder Dmitry Pirog and Argentine Sergio Martinez.
Earlier, Dib relentlessly attacked Escobedo, unleashing a flurry of punches in the fifth and sixth rounds before the smaller Mexican’s camp signalled the fight was over.
The 26-year-old known as Billy the Kid notched a 14th straight win in his second defence of the title he first won last year against Mexican Jorge Lacierva.
The Sydneysider’s record now stands at 34-1.
His management is eyeing a showdown with the winner of this weekend’s WBO title re-match between Puerto Rico’s Juan Manuel Lopez and Mexico’s Orlando Salido.
Veteran Australian Kali Meehan lost his IBF pan-Pacific heavyweight title, his corner throwing in the towel in the sixth round of his bout with American Travis Walker.