By Carlos Boogs

Former middleweight world champion Daniel Geale (31-5, 16 KOs) is unsure of his next move, after suffering a very unexpected knockout loss on Friday night to countryman Renold Quinlan (11-1, 7KOs) in Launceston.

Geale, who was having issues with making the middleweight limit, had jumped up to 168-pounds to face Quinlan, 27, for the vacant IBO championship.

Instead of a big win to start a new career path, Geale was knocked out in two rounds. It was Geale's first fight since getting knocked out by Miguel Cotto last June in New York City - and it was Geale's fourth loss in his last six fights.

Geale, 35-years-old, was outhustled in the first round, and then dropped hard in the second. He got up to beat the count, but he was fully out on his feet and the fight was waved off.  

“Obviously I’m very disappointed,” Geale said. “I want to thank everybody from Tasmania and especially Launceston that came out. You are absolute legends.

“You are awesome. I love coming back to Tasmania, it’s the best place in the world. I got caught, that happens in boxing. I’ve been in the ring with some of the toughest fighters in the world and I’m still here and looking forward to whatever comes next.”

Quinlan, on the other hand, is looking to secure the biggest fights possible. His only defeat was a very close ten round decision in 2014 to Jake Carr, who himself suffered his first career defeat last month in his American debut in Washington.

“Now that I have a version of the world title I’m ready to take on anyone at super middleweight, or I’ll even fight the big names at middleweight. Let boxers like Felix Sturm and Badou Jack know I’m ready, or I’ll happily take on GGG. I’m putting the world on notice. I’m ready to be Australia’s next boxing star. I’m in a place where no man will get in my way,” Quinlan said.