Morgan v Tszyu: Kiwi battler prepares for fight of his life
It’s the kind of boxing fairytale they make films out of.
In the blue corner: The unbeaten Tim Tszyu. A household name across Australia who was born into greatness as the son of Hall of Famer and boxing legend Kostya Tszyu.
On the opposite side of the ring at Bankwest – hosting Sydney’s first stadium fight since 2006 – stands Bowynmorgan.
A former freezing worker and the son of a coalminer, who started boxing in a shed in the tiny settlement of Runanga, just north of Greymouth, on the South Island’s West Coast, at 15.
The difference between Morgan’s story being movie-worthy or another notch on the second generation Tszyu’s belt? A monumental upset.
An upset that would rival the magnitude of James ‘Buster’ Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson, or maybe even better it.
‘‘A win is 100 per cent lifechanging,’’ Morgan tells Stuff in the final days of his training camp.
Should Morgan shock the boxing world, as he believes he can, a rematch clause from Team Tszyu for the WBO Global and IBF Australasian super welterweight titles, means the Christchurch personal trainer would be back in Sydney doing it all again in 2021.
A lucrative sequel against one of the fastest rising stars in Australian sport searching for redemption would generate 10 times the interest as the first fight, if not more, securing the financial future of Morgan’s young family for many years to come.
But right now, that’s neither here nor there. Morgan, who landed in Sydney yesterday, knows that talk is irrelevant unless he can hand Tszyu, 16-0, his first loss, in the main event on December 16.
Tszyu is paying $1.06 against Morgan at $9 with the New Zealand TAB. With Australian bookies, you can almost write your own price if you’re willing to back Morgan for the boilover.
A former Commonwealth Games representative who now holds a 21-1 record in the professional ranks, Morgan is not worried about being written off in Australia.
‘‘They can think whatever they want to think,’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t look at what people are saying or whatever, I just don’t get into that.
‘‘I’m just so focussed on what I’m doing and where I’m at.’’
So what are the chances of upsetting the unbeaten prodigy who hopes to emulate the success of his famous father?
As one respected Kiwi boxing brain told Stuff ahead of the blockbuster card that also features Mark Hunt against league hardman turned pugilist Paul Gallen: ‘‘Boxing has a long history of upsets that most
‘‘I’m there to win, not be a part of it.’’
Bowyn Morgan
people never thought possible, but they do happen, and they become the most famous nights in the sport.’’
When Morgan walks out to a crowd, expected to be the biggest any individual Kiwi sportsman will perform in front of in 2020, he’s adamant he won’t be a deer caught in the headlights, despite it being easily the biggest stage of his career.
‘‘I’m not going to stop and take it all in ... why?
‘‘My job is to get in there and inflict pain on Tim Tszyu ... not to soak in all the atmosphere. I’m there to win, not be a part of it.’’
Regardless of what is happening outside the ring, there’s only himself, Tszyu and a referee in there, he said.
Morgan’s not overly fussed with all the hype and hoopla – the sooner the fight comes around the better and the quicker he can get home to daughters Phoenix, Esmay and Aaliyah and partner Ruby, who he won’t see for almost a month due to an isolation voucher hiccup.
Morgan’s army of supporters are backing him to win but the two people who believe the most, are in his eyes, the most important.
Himself and long-time trainer Phil Shatford.
‘‘We’ve been through a lot together, me and Phil,’’ Morgan said.
‘‘We’ve travelled the world together as amateurs, and he was right beside me through all of that and now we’re here, facing our biggest test together.’’
The pair have spent countless hours grafting, grinding, studying and perfecting technique in a humble concrete block gym in the far west corner of Addington Raceway.
It’s not much bigger than the average living room and a world away from the glitzy Team Tszyu 2.0 gym that belongs to Morgan’s opponent in Rockdale on the southern outskirts of Sydney.
It’s not his usual go but Morgan reluctantly admits his mind has wandered off on those early morning road runs, thinking about what the vision, smell and taste of a victory over Tszyu might be like.
‘‘The whole journey, what it looks like to have my hand raised and even just going into isolation as the winner.
‘‘How satisfying would that be?’’