America’s Tony Harrison has offered to return Down Under and challenge either Tim or Nikita Tszyu in 2026 – while also taking a crack at how poorly the career of the man once dubbed ‘Soul Taker’ has been handled.
Almost three years since being comprehensively outclassed by the older Tszyu sibling, 35-year-old Harrison has offered to reignite his famed rivalry with Australia’s No.1 fight family – who he lovingly dubs the Ta-zoos.
Tszyu vs Velazquez | Wednesday 17 Dec from 7pm AEDT | Tim Tszyu looks for redemption as “The Phoenix” takes on undefeated American Anthony Velazquez in an attempt to reignite his career. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
“And I wouldn’t think twice,” the former world champion told Main Event this week, when quizzed about a rematch with the man who stopped him in nine rounds to earn the interim WBO gold.
“I owe Tim an ass whoopin’.
“And if I get the opportunity again, I know exactly what I have to change.
“Know exactly where I fell off.
“With him coming off losses too, he’s not as confident as the Tim Tazoo I fought.
“He’s taken a couple of devastating losses. And while the guy can still fight, confidence is key.
“And Australia needs to know if they still got that same confident Tim.”
Asked what message he would give Tszyu on the eve of next Wednesday’s comeback in Sydney, the man who once beat Jermell Charlo for WBC gold continued down the camera: “I’m only here on Skype for one reason.
“I ain’t your friend.
“I wish you all the best, all health to you and your counterpart.
“But like I said, I ain’t here to be your friend and you ain’t here to be my friend.
“I’ll f*** with you just a little bit.
“Just a little bit.
“But if I ever get that opportunity again my dawg, understand I’m here.
“And trust me, it will never happen twice.
“I now exactly what I did wrong, my dawg.
“And I thank you for that.
“Because I needed it.
“And if No Limit call me, I’ll answer on the first ring and tell them to send that contract so I can sign it right there.
“Because I owe you.”
While Tim Tszyu is now only days away from what is being dubbed a career resurrection – taking on undefeated American Anthony Velazquez next Wednesday in Sydney – Harrison will himself also fight in Detroit three days later.
And should the former world champion get up against Argentina’s Brian Chaves, he then plans to call out both Tszyu and his Australian promoter, No Limit.
Yet if Nikita Tszyu beats Michael Zerafa next January, what chance he could also potentially be next for Harrison?
“Isn’t he like 12,” Harrison laughed of the younger brother.
“No, what is he? 10-and-0 or something like that?”
Told Nikita had gone 11 fights without loss, and would definitely be looking to level up with a win over Zerafa, Harrison grinned: “Listen to me, I’m not gunna keep losing to the Tszyus.
“That s*** dead.
“So the Tszyus need to go back to the zoo.
“I won’t keep losing to them.
“But you’re calling me to fight [Nikita], who is still kinda wet behind the ears.
“But I watched him fight and think he’s technically sound, we just haven’t heard of him yet.
“So keep doing your thing.
“And if No Limit were to call me, man, I’ll make an exception for him.
“I’ll take that trip.”
Elsewhere, Harrison also described he and Tim Tszyu as being in something like a marriage, where both fighters remain good for each other.
“And this marriage is until death do us part, baby,” he said.
“I ain’t signing no paperwork to get out of it.
“And I hope you ain’t signing no paperwork to get out of it.
“Because No Limit is going to send me something.
“I know they are.
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“So hopefully [his upcoming Detroit fight] is the audition to say ‘let’s get this boy back over to Australia’.
“In this day and age, you don’t get too many chances for a rematch, to heal a wound after it’s been cut.
“So if No Limit would do me the favour and send me out there again, I wouldn’t think twice.
“Give me the pen over the phone, over zoom, I’d love to do it.
“And honestly, it makes sense seeing where Tim’s career is and the downfall he’s had.
“It makes sense for us to do it again.”
Asked what had gone wrong with Tszyu’s career, Harrison said: “Well, like I told No Limit when I was over there, they needed to hire me as a consultant for the group.
“Because I would’ve never put Tim in the ring with [Sebastian] Fundora that first time, after Keith Thurman got injured.
“Fundora, you need six months to prepare for that dude. He’s a freak of nature.
“I would’ve done things a lot different.
“But Tim is for sure a goer who isn’t afraid of anything. But for the people of Australia, for him to quit on the stool … I actually thought the round he quit in, second fight, he was doing good.
“But when you’re fighting someone as stiff as Fundora, I get that.
“And now we could meet again.
“Even though the fight didn’t go my way, I think the clash of personalities was TV worthy.”
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Harrison also revealed he actually used Tszyu’s latest opponent, the undefeated Velasquez, as a sparring partner as he prepared to face Tszyu at Qudos Bank Arena in 2023.
That night, the Sydneysider finished his rival in nine rounds to claim the interim WBO super welterweight title.
“He was actually quicker than I thought he was,” Harrison said when asked where Tszyu had surprised him. “The punches were snappier, quicker, come out cleaner than TV described it.
“He’s a gamer, man.”
Harrison said if granted a rematch, he would spend at least a month in Australia acclimatising, and spar against local fighters.
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