Tszyu victim suffers horrific fight injury

Dennis Hogan faces a lengthy stint on the sidelines after the Brisbane based Irishman was transported to hospital after the loss to Tim Tszyu.

Hogan had to seek treatment in a Newcastle hospital with a horrific injury to his tongue following the late barrage from Tszyu in round five.

While commentators highlighted Tszyu's assault on the body, it appears the uppercut that floored Hogan in the fifth round did the damage.

Such was the force of the blow from Tszyu it nearly sliced the Irishman's tongue in half.

Hogan faces surgery and won't be able to consume solid food for a while following the injury. Remarkably he still was on his feet when the fight was called. After the bout, it was clear something was amiss with the Irish fighter, as he was led away from the ring back to the dressing room without conducting an interview.

While trainer Stephen Edwards questioned his decision to throw in the towel after the fight, the call was praised when it was discovered Hogan had a huge gash from the front of his tongue to the back.

Tszyu was unapologetic about the punishment inflicted upon Hogan, having sent another impressive message to the boxing world.

"Once I started breaking him down to the body, I could see his face change, his eyes change, his sound when he was breathing inside – I wasn't letting him off at all," Tszyu told News Corp.

"I was in his face the whole night. You can suck the life out of anyone doing that. People say 'You had a bad day', it's not because he's having a bad day, it's because I'm making him have a bad day.

"I had a little scratch on my face [the cut above the left eye], but this guy was getting hunted. I was in killer mode."