It was 2 April 1982, at the iconic Sydney Opera House, in Sydney, Australia. The Macedonian-born Alex Temelko was a solid 14-5-1 pro, and held the Australian Junior Middleweight championship. He was challenged by the undefeated Liverpool-born Ken Salisbury, who, despite an 18-0-1 record, was receiving his first real test (that draw draw earned when he unsuccessfully challenged for the New South Wales State Junior Middleweight title_.

Mother Teresa was born in Macedonia, The Beatles in Liverpool. There was not a lot of love in the air however.

In Round 8 the 12 round title fight, the champion Temelko, in red, was exchanging with challenger, in green, when he threw two illegal rabbit punches, and was pulled off by the referee.

Then one of Salisbury’s cornermen attempted to flip Temelko over backwards, by pulling his hair. This in turn got one of Temelko’s cornermen into it.

A Temelko cornerman next executed a text book flying side kick (Yoko-tobi-geri) only to get his crotch caught on the ring ropes.The ref then pull off Temelko’s cornerman, and inadvertently directs him right into the Salisbury.

Temelko’s cornerman tookhis as a sign to GET IT ON and proceeded to throw punches at Salisbury.

The referee, Charkey Ramon, who was himself a former fighter separates the two, and does some of the best boxing/hockey fighting of the evening, dropping Temelko’s cornerman briefly. As the ref gets the better of the fighter, he is joined by the hair pulling cornerman.

Then everyone yells at everyone.

Eventually Temelko is DQed, and we have a new champion! Salisbury raises his arms in wild triumph.

Salisbury would continue on with a successful career which saw him losing just once in 32, fights, and claiming the Commonwealth title, before retiring in 1985. Temelkov fought on for until 1990, but failed to win a notable title or beat an opponent of note.

The Sydney Opera House never again hosted a boxing match.