Wood's corner retired their man at the end of the sixth round, by which time their game-but-outclassed fighter had been down three times. 

Geale took away Wood's WBA Pan African middleweight title and won the vacant IBF Pan Pacific belt in their fight at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion. 

For all the prefight talk about Wood's perceived penchant for rough tactics, it was Geale who was the only man penalised by referee Charlie Lucas. 

He was deducted a point after the second of two low blows about a minute apart in the second round. 

While Wood was cautioned for punching after the break and punching to the back of the head, he was unable to disturb Geale, who in the fourth round shoved his opponent to the floor. Geale controlled the fight with his speed, skill and accurate punching. 

Geale (30-2, 16 KOs) dropped Wood (12-4-1, eight KOs) in the first and again late in the fifth, after the underdog was having one of his better spells. 

He finished the round all over Wood, but the bell saved him. 

It was a similar situation again in the sixth, as Wood was again dropped late in the round and finished it by sliding across the ring into the ropes. 

His corner called the fight off a few seconds later.