It was widely described as the "knockout of the year" but Brandon Grach's trainer reckoned it was worthy of "knockout of the decade".
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Grach, of Whitebridge, delivered a stunning blow to opponent Liam Talivaa just seconds into round two of their heavyweight fight on Wednesday to announce himself to not only Newcastle sports fans but Australian boxing at-large.
It was the former mine operator's second professional fight, and came little more than a year after he returned to boxing following a decade away from the sport he shone in as a teenager.
"We turned him pro and he beat a former Olympian, and now he's knocked-out - and knockout of the decade, not just the year - a 5-0 heavyweight that was probably one of the more feared heavyweights in the country," Grach's trainer Nathan Swadling, of BoxCamp gym in Gateshead, said.
"He's got it all."
There are now high hopes for 30-year-old Grach, who is keen to fight "any heavyweight in the country".
"He's got a wife, two little daughters and a son on the way. So he's got a why," Swadling said.
"When you've got a strong why like he does, he's going all the way. He wants to win world titles.
"And the big thing about him is, he's an absolute proud Novocastrian.
"Newcastle's always been a fighting city, but it's been a long time since we've had a heavyweight that the whole community can follow."
![Grach celebrates. Picture by Peter Lorimer Grach celebrates. Picture by Peter Lorimer](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/5f14cfe8-d560-4615-b9f7-6854c985d36c.JPG/r0_559_5472_3648_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Grach, who was previously in the Army, has worked cattle and has an architecture degree, is now dedicated to boxing full-time.
"As far as I can take it," he said of his aspirations.
"I'm no stranger to challenges. I haven't grown since I was 14, so I was always fighting bigger, stronger men.
"As long as I believe in myself, and I keep getting these great opportunities from No Limit ... than I believe I can take it as far as the sport goes."
Grach was knocked down himself in the opening round, but put his Sydney opponent, who was unbeaten in five fights before their bout, on the canvas as well before the end of the first three minutes.
Grach said had not been dropped before, in his amateur career or in sparring, and said it forced him to respond.
"It fired me off, my gloves had never touched the canvas before," Grach said.
"He got me with a few good shots that got me off balance, and fair enough it was a knockdown.
"But if you get me a couple of good ones, I'm going to finish you off."
BoxCamp's other fighters, Brent Walton and Amber Amelia, were beaten on points but put up strong battles.
Walton won a $5000 bonus for his efforts against Anthony Mundine's relative.