Tszyu at home in enemy territory
RESIDING on the Gold Coast, a cool and calm Tim Tszyu said he wasn’t worried about his or his opponent Jeff Horn’s preparation, as they gear up for their super welterweight fight on August 26 in Townsville.
Just under a month out from the fight, the Sydneysider made the dash across the border due to the COVID-19 outbreaks in NSW, moving his camp to the Gold Coast on Sunday.
Talking to the media at the Rhapsody Resort – where the undefeated boxer will call home for at least the next two weeks – Tszyu said he has been training for the fight since January and moving base doesn’t worry him.
“It’s the sunshine state, I have a gym here, I have a place to stay here, everything remains the same for myself,” said Tszyu, the son of Australian boxing legend Kostya Tszyu.
“The focus is my training, my life is not changing at all.
“Everything I was doing at home is incorporated here.”
The 25-year-old will be training at Sanctum Forge Boxing Gym in Burleigh Heads, where he said his sole attention will be on Horn. However, what the former
WBO welterweight champion is doing to prepare for the fight is not on Tszyu’s mind.
“I couldn’t care less what he’s doing,” Tszyu said.
“If he’s eating junk food, if he’s training or not training, I just want the best Jeff Horn on the night.
“I hope he’s taking it serious because I’m taking it very serious.”
Horn (20-2-1, 13KO) has been training at his home in Brisbane and Tszyu (15-0, 11KO) has moved into enemy territory with his transfer to the sunshine state but said he’s very happy on the Coast.
“Waking up to the ocean and the sun, it’s not a bad start to the day,” Tszyu said.
“I like to get out of my comfort zone, that’s where you excel as an athlete and as an individual.
“Walking around people are supporting me, they don’t see me as an outsider.
“I’m Aussie born, so I get great support from all around Australia including on the Gold Coast.”
Tszyu ($1.45) finds himself as the surprise favourite for the fight with bookmakers categorising Horn as a shock $2.62 underdog.
The favourite tag hasn’t concerned Tszyu, who is taking the label in his stride.
“I train hard and I fight hard, I’ll let the results speak for themselves,” Tszyu said.
If all goes to plan the fight could have more than 16,000 attending the Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.
“Hopefully we get a crowd but at the end of the day it doesn’t bother me,” Tszyu said. “I’m here to do one job and that’s to beat Jeff Horn.”
I HOPE HE’S TAKING IT SERIOUS BECAUSE I’M TAKING IT VERY SERIOUS TIM TSZYU