Nikita Tszyu has been warned to make weight or have his latest Australian headliner canned after unsuccessfully trying to grab an extra three pounds – or 1.4kg – for Wednesday night’s hyped Sydney showdown against Koen Mazoudier.
In a surprise twist to his latest showcase, Fox Sports Australia can reveal Mazoudier has warned he could refuse to fight if ‘The Butcher’ fails to make the super welterweight limit at Tuesday’s weigh-in.
BOXING: NIKITA TSZYU V MAZOUDIER | WED 28 AUG 7PM AEST | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
It comes after Team Tszyu approached the Sydneysider several weeks back with a request for the main event take place above the division’s usual 70kg limit.
Mazoudier says he and head coach Joel Keegan rejected the approach immediately, and warned there would also be repercussions should the undefeated rising star of Aussie boxing failed to make the contracted weight.
The drama comes after Tszyu also endured a weight cut drama prior to his most recent Australian title fight against Danilo Creati.
On that occasion, the champ suggested a faulty steam room had been to blame for his cutting issues, which included arriving extremely late, and “light headed”, for the weigh-ins which were being broadcast live by Main Event.
Speaking later with media, Tszyu also revealed he had been forced to cut the final two kilos that same day using a hot bath, before then being chauffeured to the event with his concerned team holding ice packs against his head.
Yet when it comes to his latest weight cut, Tszyu insists everything is on track, and has even joked he will make the super welterweight limit without “cutting off a testicle” to get there.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia after Sunday’s open workout, Mazoudier revealed the drama had started weeks ago when he and Coach Keegan had initially been approached by Team Tszyu about increasing the weight for this week’s headliner.
“Early on they asked for some extra weight — three extra pounds,” the Sydneysider said.
“But Joel said ‘no way’.
“So the fight was actually off for a couple of days.
“Then they came back to us and said ‘OK, we’ll keep the weight but what happens if Nikita comes in over on weigh-in day?’
“And we said ‘well, the fight will be off so he had better not’.
“And that’s where it stands.
“We’ve told them we’ll pull the fight if he’s over weight.”
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Quizzed on why Team Tszyu may have been chasing the extra pounds, Mazoudier shrugged: “Maybe Nikita needs it now?
“Or maybe they just think I’m happy to be here and would accept it.
“Who knows?
“And either way, I don’t care.
“But they also know now they’re working with people who won’t be messed around.
“We’re not playing games with this.
“Our gym, it’s one of the hardest working in the country.
“And the team we have, it’s extremely professional.
“Because this is a professional sport.
“We’re here to punch on.
“So these games around weights, around contracts and so on, I’m not interested.
“Let’s agree to a set of terms and see who is better on the night.”
Speaking soon after with Fox Sports Australia himself, Tszyu confirmed a request had been made to up the weight limit by a few pounds but stressed the fact it had been denied would not worry him.
Indeed, in nine professional fights Tszyu has never come in over the 70kg limit.
Asked about the drama, he said: “My team thought I struggled to make weight last time and wondered if maybe I was out growing my division.
“But I still feel like I was fine.
“And I’m proving it now.
“Everything (with the weight cut) is good.”
Then after a slight pause, he laughed: “Maybe it’s all deception, The Art of War.”
So no move to middleweight just yet?
“I’m good with super welterweight,” he grinned. “I can still make this division easy … well, not easy but I’m not cutting off a testicle to make the weight, either.”
Which to be fair, is a move you could only make twice anyway, right?
“Or once if you want to have kids,” he grinned. “Otherwise, it’s an eyeball.”
Certainly Tszyu is under no illusion about the challenge he faces in Mazoudier, who has previously beaten Wade Ryan, Joel Camilleri twice and endured a contentious 2023 draw with Ben Mahoney.
This year the fighter has also switched camps to the same Central Coast gym as undefeated super bantamweight star Sam Goodman.
Undefeated in six years and 19 fights, Goodman is currently the mandatory for Japanese megastar Naoya Inoue, and Mazoudier has praised the changes made to his game since switching camps.
It’s also why Tszyu is refusing to discuss anything beyond Wednesday night – including a potential showdown with Australian boxing bad boy, Michael Zerafa.
While Zerafa has signed a three-fight deal with No Limit which, he insists, includes bouts with both Nikita and Tim Tszyu, the younger brother insists he is looking no further ahead than this next fight.
“Koen is good dude,” Tszyu started.
“I have nothing against him and actually feel sorry for him with all this Zerafa talk.
“I think it’s really disrespectful.
“I don’t like the fact he’s being overlooked by the media, overlooked by others in conversations.
“It’s not right.
“But I know how difficult he is going to be.
“Understand that relentless drive he has.
“I feel that all this other talk is actually fuelling his fire and making him stronger.
“I really believe we’re going to put on an epic show.”
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