BLOW TO THE EGO
Former world champion’s early shot at rising boxing star
IF it was not for Tim Tszyu’s surname, former world champion Jeff Horn says he would never have taken this fight.
Had the undefeated 25year-old’s father, Kostya, not have been the calibre of fighter he was, the former WBO welterweight world champion would have targeted “bigger and better things”.
But now the stage has been set and he has some business to take care of – win.
At the official announcement of the fight to take place on August 26 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville, the diversity of the two fighters was highlighted in the dress code. For Horn it was a suit and tie, for Tszyu a tracksuit. This riled up the 32-yearold Queenslander, who believed Monday’s event should have been synonymous with professionalism – beginning with their attire and the way they presented themselves. However, now all the focus is on the fight and Horn said Tszyu needed to be reminded of where he stood in Australian boxing. “They’re very serious and very cocky in the way they think they’re going to win this fight nice and easy,” he said. “But Tim has never fought the opposition I have, he’s got relatively little experience in that manner and the only reason made is Tszyu. why is because this fight his last is name being “If he was Tim Smith or whatever, he wasn’t going to be getting this fight because I’d be looking at bigger and better things. But the Tszyu name is red hot, his father was an absolute legend and that’s exactly why this fight is happening.” It does not faze Tszyu. He is immovable in his desire to win and make the name Tim Tszyu synonymous with its own success – not that of his father’s. While his record has already begun to suggest that, this fight – which has become an obsession for Tszyu – will go a long way to silencing his critics. He’s spent hours in his home gym refining his craft, with the constant vision of knocking the former WBO welterweight champion down playing on a loop. “It was a good time to reflect on things and be able to put things into perspective with and in where my career,” I want Tszyu to be in said. life “Nothing in my life matters besides boxing, and … that means training three or four times a day … I was able to stick in my garage for hours and hours. I’ve become so obsessive with my boxing, and I remember back in the days growing up with my dad and how he was. “I’ve taken that turn, this is who I am, this is my sport and this is what I’m going to do now.”