‘I didn’t know’: US superstar’s surprise Tszyu reveal in first Australian interview

American superstar Terence Crawford has offered a simple prediction for how any world title blockbuster between himself and Tim Tszyu would’ve gone, while also explaining that he never knew Australia’s pay-per-view star had Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu as his father.

OPETAIA vs SQUEO | SUN 8 JUNE 4PM AEST | Champ Opetaia defends his cruiserweight world title against undefeated Italian Claudio Squeo. | Order now on DAZN

The revelation comes as the greatest fighter anywhere on the planet also predicted his $200 million Canelo Alvarez showdown this September can become the most watched pay-per-view in boxing history.

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia within hours of touching down in Australia on Monday, Crawford spoke about his bold quest for greatness, comparisons to Muhammad Ali, even his memories of Kostya Tszyu – a man with whom he shares a chunk of the boxing record books.

His arrival also comes at a huge time for Australian boxing, with stars like Tim Tszyu, Jai Opetaia, Liam Paro, George Kambosos and Liam Wilson all readying for big fights between now and July.

Back in 2017, Crawford created history — and not for the first time — by becoming the super lightweight division’s first undisputed king of the four-belt era.

He was the first to achieve the feat since Kostya Tszyu, who had earned the same crown back when three belts were up for grabs.

It was in 2003 where ‘The Thunder From Down Under’ etched his own name forever into the boxing record books, and Australian sporting greatness, thanks to that brutal finish of American Zab Judah.

Now more than 20 years on, Crawford says he remembers watching the Tszyu triumph as a teenager, plus several before that on an incredible run which included the likes of Sharmba Mitchell, Julio Cesar Chavez and Miguel Angel Gonzalez.

“And Kostya and I, we met up at a boxing event recently,” Crawford said on Monday, shortly after arriving for a whirlwind promotional tour. “It was in Dubai I think, and we got a photograph together.

“Kostya Tszyu, he was a great fighter.

“Great puncher.

“I remember watching his fight against Zab Judah.

“And fights on his way up to that one … he’s someone who has always been really well respected in the sport of boxing.”

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia last month, Crawford also revealed just how close he came to fighting Tim Tszyu shortly before Christmas 2023, when ‘The Soul Taker’ was still the WBO super welterweight king.

Certainly much has changed since for both men, with 30-year-old Tszyu now readying for his own return to the top of world boxing when he challenges WBO champ Sebastian Fundora in Las Vegas this July.

While Crawford has no idea what will happen with his own career after the Alvarez blockbuster – which despite much conjecture, he says will take place in Las Vegas – but confirmed the younger Tszyu had “definitely been on my radar”.

So as for how it would have felt, fighting Kostya’s son?

“I actually didn’t know Tim was his son at first,” Crawford conceded with a laugh.

“It all went over my head.

“I guess, because you never see Kostya in the corner or anything like that.

“But then when Tim started fighting in the United States, that’s when people started talking about that being his father …”

And as for how a fight between you would have gone?

“I feel I would’ve beat him,” Crawford added simply.

But as for a prediction?

“It’s boxing so you never know,” he shrugged. “But of course, I’m going to have confidence in my ability.”

OPETAIA vs SQUEO | SUN 8 JUNE 4PM AEST | Champ Opetaia defends his cruiserweight world title against undefeated Italian Claudio Squeo. | Order now on DAZN

Undeniably, Crawford arrives Down Under with a host of big fights coming for Australian stars.

First up, Opetaia defends his IBF cruiserweight title against undefeated Italian Claudio Squeo on the Gold Coast Sunday week, while Paro and Wilson are also set to fight on what could effectively be world title eliminators atop No Limit’s historic Cairns card on June 25.

Tszyu will also look to become a two-time world champion in Las Vegas this July, with a hyped rematch of his bloodbath against towering American champ Sebastian Fundora, while Kambosos has his own title bout against IBF super lightweight champ Richard Hitchins in New York next month.

Crawford too will also head home from his Australian tour and straight into camp for a showdown with Mexican megastar Alvarez that has been compared to no less than the Fight of the Century.

Only recently, Canelo’s business manager Richard Schaefer made headlines by suggesting the pair’s upcoming $200M blockbuster could be bigger than even when Floyd Mayweather beat Manny Pacquiao in 2015.

While the MayPac showdown amassed a staggering 4.6 million pay-per-view buys, Schaefer told The Ring this week: “I’ve been involved (in boxing) 25 years and I don’t remember any fight bigger than Canelo-Crawford.

“It’s going to be the biggest fight in the sport for as long as I can remember.”

Crawford agreed, adding: “I feel if it catches fire, gets the support of the fans it could definitely do the big numbers required to surpass the great Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.”

Then with a laugh, he added: “It just depends on how many people want to steal it with piracy.”

Elsewhere this week, boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya has also suggested Crawford can become the greatest fighter ever if he beats Alvarez.

With a win, Bud will become the first man of the four-belt era to become undisputed in three separate weight classes.

While De La Hoya is backing Alvarez to win, thanks to his obvious size advantage, he suggested Crawford would usurp the greatest ever with an upset – eclipsing even names like Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis.

“If Crawford can do it,” the Hall of Famer started, “I mean, give this man the title of being the greatest ever … if he pulls it off he will be the messiah of fighters”.

Asked about suggestions a win over Alvarez will see him crowned the greatest ever, Crawford says: “It makes me feel good because I’ve been working hard in this sport for a long time.

“So to get my dues would be a beautiful thing.”

And as for his own pick for greatest ever?

“Muhammad Ali,” he says.

“I know a lot of people have got Sugar Ray Robinson but obviously I haven’t seen much of him, just because of how far back it was that he fought.

“I do know however that those who did see him fight say he’s the greatest of all time.

“But for me, it’s Muhammad Ali.

“Not only his successes in the ring but what he stood for.

“Just his stance on human rights, standing up for his people … there aren’t many people who do that.

“Him doing all those things that he did, going to jail because he didn’t want to fight people who weren’t doing any harm to him … Muhammad Ali was a stand up guy.”

Having jetted into the Gold Coast on Monday morning, Crawford will now spend the opening days of his Down Under tour in Queensland before then heading to Melbourne, and finally a stopover in Sydney.

Better, the champ said he wasn’t troubled by any jeg leg at all, grinning “I’m good … ready for whatever people throw in front of me”.