Fight for the ages, over in a moment
Just like that, it was over. Danny Green retained the IBO cruiserweight titles and possibly sent arguably one of the best pound-for-pound fighters of the last decade in Roy Jones Jr into retirement with a stunning first-round knockout.
The clash was billed as a fight for the ages and it was the underdog Green who stunned Jones, knocking him down early with two left jabs and a pile-driving right. Wisely, English referee Howard Foster had little option other than to stop the bout, officially stopped two minutes and two seconds into the opening round.
"I didn't surprise myself, I didn't surprise us, I said I was going to knock him out," Green said.
He also had a message to those who doubted he could beat Jones Jr:
"Stick it up your bottom. You don't know shit. I've had so many ups. Some pretty horrific lows I'm just glad you fans are back, thank you. This is the greatest victory of my entire life."
Green dedicated the victory to his late niece, Sophie.
He also had some kind words for his opponent.
"I want to recognise one of the greatest fighters of all time. Thank you, a pro I look up to inside and outside the ring, a bloody legend, Roy Jones Jr "Green said.
But it wasn't the full house the promoters had hoped for in this clash of the titans.
The quality of the five-bout undercard lacked sparkle and drama but it was more than offset by the main bill. Green had threatened to mutate into an animal before the first punch was thrown in anger.
Yet he was totally relaxed, even taking a phone call from his two-year-old son Archie in the dressing room less than 40 minutes before he was to step into the ring against Jones. This was a softer side to the fighter who is a loving, caring dad that was reassuring his youngster that things would be okay.
Most critics who made the trip to Homebush were of the opinion they gathered to witness Green's wake. Their vision was still fixed of Green beaten to a pulp by Anthony Mundine three-and-half years ago. Everyone thought all it would take was for Jones to slip through the ropes, dance a little, let go his punches that could stop a runaway Mack truck and hope Green would just fade to black.
How mistaken they were.
In the hype leading up to the bout, all kinds of claims had been made about the historical significance of the contest. On the one hand Angelo Hyder from the Green camp had asserted it was the biggest fight ever seen in this country and that Jones was the best to have graced the ring.
Jones's record before last night of 54-5 record, including 40 by knockout, certainly brought the right sort of credentials to the slugfest.
Green on the other hand had won world titles in three different divisions, having followed in the large shadow cast by Jeff Fenech, his one-time trainer.