The roar of the crowd at Portman Road was drowned only by the thunder in Nelson Hysa’s fists on Saturday night, as the towering Albanian steamrolled Patrick Korte in under six minutes to maintain his unbeaten record and retain the WBO European heavyweight title.

The 40-year-old powerhouse improved to a pristine 23-0 (21 KOs) with a clinical dismantling of Germany’s Patrick Korte (22-5-1) on the undercard of Fabio Wardley vs Justis Huni. Hysa wasted no time asserting dominance, using his reach and ring command to punish Korte early and often, setting the tone from the opening bell.

Korte, a seasoned veteran, found himself overwhelmed by Hysa’s surprising blend of size and agility. A looping right hand in the first round caught him flush enough to force a delayed knockdown, signalling that this wouldn’t be a drawn-out affair. Though Korte beat the count and gamely made it to the end of the round, the writing was already on the wall.

The second round brought more of the same — controlled aggression, precision timing, and heavy artillery from “The Albanian Eagle.” A stiff jab followed by a clean overhand right put Korte back in retreat. A blistering combination moments later dropped the German again, and though he rose at the count of nine, he was in no shape to continue. The referee wisely waved it off, sparing him further punishment.

Hysa’s emphatic victory has intensified calls for a step-up in opposition. Ringside whispers linked his name with rising prospect Moses Itauma, who watched the bout with interest. Hysa didn’t miss the chance to send a message, gesturing toward Itauma after the fight in what felt like an open challenge.

At 40, Hysa knows time is short — but his actions are speaking louder than any clock. With an 91% knockout ratio and momentum now firmly behind him, Hysa is forcing his way into the wider heavyweight conversation. Bigger nights and sterner tests surely await.

Boxing fans may not have seen Hysa in the early chapters of his career, but they’re getting front-row seats to what could be a very explosive final act.