Morgan leaves the fighting talk to others
It’s been a common pattern for most of emerging Australian boxing star Tim Tszyu’s 16 opponents.
Talk a big game in the leadup and then disappear just as quickly as their mouths moved, once they are cast aside by the unbeaten son of Hall of Famer and former world champion Kostya Tszyu.
Kiwi fighter Bowyn Morgan, 21-1, is hoping to break that mould on both fronts.
As is so often the case in the fight game, Morgan admits he’s been encouraged to add a bit of spice to Sydney’s first stadium fight since 2006 by running his mouth off but he’s happy to leave those antics to Mark Hunt and Paul Gallen who fight in the comain event tonight.
Morgan is proud of the fact his gloves do his talking.
‘‘That’s not me, I don’t have to do that,’’ he said of being encouraged to engage in a war of words pre-fight.
‘‘I’m not interested in being paid to be someone that I’m not.
‘‘I didn’t get into this sport to try and pretend to be someone else.’’
In what has been a respectful buildup to the biggest fight of Morgan’s life, neither he nor the second generation Tszyu have engaged in any trash talk ahead of the blockbuster card in Sydney.
As expected, there was none of it from Tszyu or Morgan at the weigh-in yesterday, but Hunt did attack Gallen with the pair twice being separated. ‘‘Tim’s not like that and neither am I,’’ Morgan said.
Tszyu, who carries a sizeable reach and slight height advantage into the fight, tipped the scales at 69.46kg with Morgan weighing in at 69.32kg. Morgan and longtime trainer Phil Shatford have hatched a plan to deal with the accurate, quick and calculated Tszyu, who is almost six years younger than Morgan, who turns 32 shortly after leaving his 14-day managed isolation on his return to New Zealand.
That plan will remain under wraps until the fight is resulted, win, lose or draw but it’s safe to say it involves trying to finish the fight inside the 10 rounds.
Morgan predicts the fight won’t go the distance with either himself or Tszyu getting stopped. ‘‘I’ll have to destroy Tim in every round for 10 rounds to get the decision,’’ Morgan said. ‘‘I know that.’’