WAR OF WORDS
A BULKED up Jeff Horn has taken aim at Tim Tszyu’s lack of size, declaring he will throw the son of Kostya around “like a rag doll” in Wednesday night’s blockbuster in Townsville.
The size differential between the two foes was noticeable as Horn and Tszyu came as close to each other as possible in this COVID-19 era for their official press conference ahead of the super welterweight bout at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
Horn walked into the room looking more robust at 72.1kg, almost two kilograms heavier than Tszyu, who at 70.5kg barely filled out the flash dark suit that masks a physique he claims is ready for “war”.
Both fighters have weight to lose ahead of the 69.85kg limit at Tuesday’s weigh-in, but even as they stood 1.5 metres apart, it is clear Horn has the bulk and muscle to bully Tszyu and inflict the first loss of his 15-fight pro career.
Tszyu has the brooding intensity and cold-blooded, Russian-crafted stare that made his father Kostya a world champion, but Horn licked his lips as he stared down his rival’s slim frame.
Asked about Tszyu happily disclosing his current fighting weight onstage, Horn said: “I think it’s silly, actually.
“I don’t know if he is lying but telling me he is only 70.5kg is very light, I will be throwing him around like a rag doll if he’s that weight.
“I will be somewhere around 75kg come fight time.
“That is a massive size difference. Maybe he is trying to give me overconfidence saying what weight he is. It doesn’t make me say, ‘Whoa, he is nearly on weight … it makes me think how crazy he is to be only 70.5kg when it’s a 69.85kg fight.”
Tszyu hit back, claiming he will enter the ring several kilograms heavier and infused with the powerful right fist inherited from Kostya as he vowed to hand ‘The Hornet’ his third loss in 24 fights.
“I will be bigger, don’t be surprised,” he said. “You will see it at the weigh-in. I will be even heavier than 75kg.
“For him to say he will rag doll me, of course, he’s not going to be patting my head, it’s boxing.’’
Horn believes the crackle of a stadium fight suits him. He famously beat Manny Pacquiao before 50,000 fans at Suncorp Stadium in 2017 and says Tszyu could be spooked by a sellout at the flash new $293 million home of NRL side the Cowboys.