AFL champion brutally knocked out by former Essendon star

Former Geelong Cats star Cameron Mooney has been brutally knocked out in a heavyweight boxing match against retired Essendon Bombers ruckman Tom Bellchambers.

The two footy players made their professional boxing debut in a three-round contest on Wednesday night but it was the former Essendon star who came out on top.

Mooney was on the back foot from the beginning of the fight as his opponent had superior reach standing 15 centimetres taller, weighing 24 kilograms heavier and being 10 years younger.

Bellchambers made use of his physical advantages and ended the fight with a killer right hand midway through the third round.

Despite their physical differences Mooney took authority early landing a straight right hand on the nose which rocked his opponent in the first round but Bellchambers hit back with a right of his own that resulted in the first knockdown of the fight.

The Essendon alumni had been loading up on his right hand effectively in the first round but went away from the tactic in the second.

Mooney hit the canvas again in the second round as Bellchmbers advanced but it was not ruled a knockdown and as fatigue set in the haymakers came out.

Heading into the third round Mooney did his best to land a few final shots and was successful with a right hand on the end of a combination.

Bellchambers went back to his powerful right hand in the final round and the change proved the difference as he made use of his size picking off shots while keeping his distance.

With one minute 30 seconds left in the fight Bellchambers landed a powerful right hook that had Mooney stumbling backwards and into the ropes.

Bellchambers seized his opportunity and nailed one more right on Mooney which sent him staggering to the canvas and putting an end to the bout.

Following the fight Bellchambers was overjoyed by the experience and full of respect for Mooney who had rocked him more than once during the bout.

“It was as fun as I thought it was going to be, to be honest with ya it was a bit of a whirlwind he actually caught me with a couple of good ones just before I got him there,” he said.

“That was everything I thought it was going to be and more.

“He caught me with a good one in the first and then he caught me with a couple of good ones in the last there as well so yeah I kept my feet and landed the one that counted.”

NRL superstar Latrell Mitchell had earlier claimed he would take on the winner in their next fight while another AFL star, Mitch Robinson, threw his hat in the ring but Bellchambers said he wasn’t sure whether he’d fight again.

“Not sure yet mate I’ve been in the gym for three weeks I’ll get back in the gym and we’ll look to see what’s next,” he said.