Since defeating Brazilian Samir Barbosa in October 2009, Geale’s career has reached such heights as New York’s famed Madison Square Gardens, but the 35-year-old father-of-four admitted this week he is never happier than returning to the city of his birth.

Since three high-profile fights in the US, Geale has had more than a year away from the ring and returned having gone up a weight division to super middleweight (76.2 kilograms).

Just 48 hours after hosting a thrilling netball Test match between the planet’s top two ranked nations, Australia and New Zealand, the versatile venue in Prospect was transformed for a different international sporting contest.

The IBO world title bout attracted a healthy Tasmanian audience for Geale’s fourth home-state professional appearance with punters kept entertained for four hours courtesy of an extensive undercard.

Boxers from around Tasmania, the mainland and overseas filled the bill including Latrobe’s former Commonwealth Games representative Luke Woods making his professional welterweight debut.

The evening even witnessed a junior North-West Coast affair as 16-year-olds Erika Creely, of Ulverstone, and Latrobe's Maddy Holland contested a 60 kilogram bout.