Double-header leads Townsville fightback
A SPORTING double-header will help launch Townsville out of the pandemic lockdown.
The highly anticipated Jeff Horn-tim Tszyu fight – dubbed Rumble on the Reef – is expected to attract 16,000 fans to Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
Tickets went on sale on Monday for the event, which is expected to attract at least 8000 visitors to the region.
The fight will take place on Wednesday, August 26, with the drawcard bout at 9.30pm.
Following the boxing showdown, the V8 Supercars will race on August 29-30.
Townsville MP Scott Stewart said the events would provide “a huge shot in the arm” for the Townsville economy, which has been limping since the pandemic gripped the region in March.
“The tourism and events industries have endured an incredibly tough time due to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, but Queenslanders have done an incredible job flattening the curve and allowing us to reach this point sooner than we had all expected,” Mr Stewart said.
“Initial projections were that this event would drive around 8500 visitors into Townsville, generating about 24,000 bed stays, and we’ll see around $5.5 million back into our economy.
“This is going to be phenomenal … our people are struggling.
“Our hospitality industries, coffee shops, restaurants, even though we’ve got those easing of restrictions, they are still struggling.
“Anything we keep these jobs can do moving, to to keep the economy moving, this is a great step.”
Townsville City mayor Jenny Hill has guaranteed the winner of the fight a hot lap around the V8 Supercars track.
With Queensland opening up, she has called on the state to support the fight.
“Boxing is a big part of the Townsville community, it’s a sport that many young men and women now participate in, and so to have a fight of this calibre in our city helps promote a sport that is not just about young men anymore, but is also about young ladies,” Hill said.
“We want the airlines to get on board with our tourism operators to make sure this event fills our city.
“We haven’t had a case of COVID here since Jesus played fullback for Jerusalem – this is one of the safest places to come in Australia.”
TAKING on Jeff Horn has gone past being an opportunity for Tim Tszyu – it has become an obsession.
The coronavirus lockdown only fuelled that. Hours upon hours were spent in his home gym refining his craft as the constant vision of knocking down the former WBO welterweight champion played on a loop in his head.
But for the undefeated 25year-old there is never too much thinking, there is never too much obsessing.
This has been burning on his mind since the fight was announced, and he will not be going down if he has anything to say about it.
“It became obsessive, I became very obsessed,” Tszyu said. “It was a good time to reflect on things and be able to put things into perspective with where I want to be in life and in my career.
“Nothing in my life matters besides boxing and when you put that in perspective, 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 (Kostya) 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.
“I actually became obsessed – it’s a sickness – and I’m going to win.”
At Queensland Country Bank Stadium on Monday, Horn said he used the COVID-19 shutdown to maintain himself and his physique.
This was child’s play for Tszyu – he did not maintain, he said, he became better, and that would be the difference on fight night.
The two have very contrasting views and philosophies on life and boxing.
For Horn it is a balance. His family is priority number one and brings out the best in his performances.
All Tszyu wants is victory. When Horn suggested the only way Tszyu got this fight was because of his surname, his expression never changed.
He has heard it all before; “his dad was a legend, so he gets an opportunity as well”.
It does not faze him, he is immovable in his desire to win and make the name Tim Tszyu synonymous with its own success – not his father’s.
While his record has already begun to suggest that, this fight on August 26 will go a long way towards silencing his critics.
“Nothing excites me more than the fight,” Tszyu said. “It doesn’t matter the occasion anymore, it doesn’t matter how big the stadium is.
“I’m truly motivated in victory and all I want in my life is victory.
“It doesn’t matter where it is, who it’s against, I intend to do the same thing over and over again.
“I always look beyond, that’s how you keep chasing your goals. I see a lot of things, but especially in this fight.
“This is a big one, it’s a good opportunity for me and I’m quite excited. I became obsessed to become better and I can’t wait to show it.”