Michael Zerafa sets up world title shot after downing Isaac Hardman

Michael Zerafa has had the last laugh, setting himself up for a world title shot with his second-round stoppage of Issac Hardman in their middleweight showdown at the Melbourne Convention Centre.

Zerafa sent Hardman crashing to the deck with a left hook and, while the Queenslander recovered, the referee stopped Wednesday night's fight soon after, with the 30-year-old landing a flurry of punches.

Zerafa did not even need a shower. He was dressed and out the door within 30 minutes to start his celebrations.

On the back of the victory, Zerafa becomes the world number two IBF contender and is set to fight Brazil's new number one-ranked contender Esquiva Falcão for the IBF belt in Melbourne later this year.

That opportunity came after unified world champion Gennady Golovkin opted to vacate the division and chase a third bout against Saul «Canelo» Álvarez.

Zerafa, whose stunning late withdrawal from last year's fight with Tim Tszyu earned him much ridicule, thanked the «haters» for spurring him on.

«To all the haters, thank you, thank you,» Zerafa said.

«I did this for you. I know you all doubted me and I wanted to come out here and show the world.

»I'm bringing a world title back to Melbourne.

«I've got a world title shot next and what's Timmy doing?»

Tszyu recently made his US debut, beating Terrell Gausha by unanimous decision.

Tim Tszyu's tendency to walk onto shots makes him vulnerable to the division's biggest stars, but his US debut handed him a valuable lesson just at the right time.

Zerafa said the fight had gone perfectly to plan, and he could see he had the early edge.

«I knew, with my experience, he was making mistakes in the first round and he landed a nice shot but I stayed composed.

»I clipped him with that left hook and I