That was round two, at the Roundhouse at the University of NSW. Two rounds later, he returned to his corner to complain that his left hand had "gone'' as well.

Alarm bells started ringing, well before the bell for round five.

"At first I didn't want to believe it ...and Anthony wasn't going to give up,'' said Matthews, who runs the popular Strongarm Gym at Caringbah.

"They were both going for it hammer and tongs, but Anthony was hurting. I only had time to tell Anthony to try and relax, to jab using his fingers and slap more with an open glove,

to try and protect his busted hands.''

While Matthews and his corner men had reason to fear for their fighter, the New Zealand born Brownlie affectionately known as the Wanganui Warrior told himself he would have

to ``live with the pain'' for the remaining four rounds.

"I'm a go-forward fighter, but I did relax for the first time, in my first eight-rounder,'' said Brownlie, who married an Australian girl two years ago 12 months before he turned

professional.

Brownlie managed to endure the pain and the big right hands from his much more experienced opponent, Ariel Omongos, beating him to the punch with a (very sore) left-hand lead.

After a brave battle, the judges awarded a unanimous points win to Brownlie (80-73, 79-73, 79-73).

"I was very proud of my effort and when the adrenalin wore off, the pain was agonising,'' Brownlie said, holding up his hands for the cameras and some of the juniors he helps train at Strongarm Gym.

"But it was that busted left hand which won me the fight. Now, the state title is just the start for me.''

Matthews believes that, despite just seven pro fights, Brownlie can ``go all the way''.

"He's got a fantastic future, but he'll be having a rest until the new year to ensure those hands heal properly,'' Matthews said.

* In the main event, Rockdale-based former Nigerian champ, King Davidson, clearly outscored Virgil Kaiakoda of Cape Town, South Africa, over 12 rounds to capture the WBA Africa

junior middleweight title.

Davidson, the Australian light middleweight champion, won 119-111, 119-107, 119-107.