Tim Tszyu’s new coach has addressed criticism of his communication skills — and the fact he could struggle to deliver instruction in tonight’s headliner against unbeaten American Anthony Velazquez — after having conducted all his fight week interviews in Spanish.
The bizarre storyline comes as both Tszyu and his new management team have also heaped praise on the Cuban trainer, while also confirming they will be catching up with Australian boxing great Jeff Fenech after the Velazquez bout, which the Hall of Famer has surprisingly announced he won’t be attending.
While he may boast an incredible boxing resume, famed Cuban coach Pedro Diaz has become the unlikely — but undeniable — story of Tszyu’s hyped Sydney homecoming tonight.
Tszyu vs Velazquez | Wednesday 17 Dec from 7pm AEDT | Tim Tszyu looks for redemption as “The Phoenix” takes on undefeated American Velazquez in an attempt to reignite his career. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
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Already this week, both Velazquez’s trainer Hector Bermudez and Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech have questioned the involvement of a trainer who has cornered for a staggering 22 world champions and 22 Olympic gold medalists.
Both Fenech and Bermudez also wondered aloud how Tszyu, who has always spoken in Russian with Goloubev between rounds, could receive instruction under pressure from a coach who has done all his fight week interviews via interpreter.
The issue was still being asked as late as Tuesday’s weigh-ins, with Bermudez telling media of Diaz: “I’m glad he’s here.
“I don’t want someone that knows Tim working the corner.
“I want someone that hardly speaks English to work the corner. I want the confusion.
“I don’t know if he’ll have a translator but I’m Puerto Rican, I speak Spanish.
“He [Diaz] speaks Spanish too.
“It’s very, very fast, hard to understand.
“And I’m gonna love to see Tim try to understand the Spanish, especially when it’s high stakes.”
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As revealed earlier this week, Fenech will not be attending tonight’s stacked No Limit card at TikTok Arena, despite having initially been announced as a key member of Tszyu’s new team.
It comes as the Aussie boxing great suggested Diaz appeared to be doing no more for Tszyu than the longtime coach, and uncle, who he sacked back in September Igor Goloubev.
Asked by Fox Sports Australia what he thought of it all, Tszyu said: “We haven’t spoken but I will definitely catch up with Jeff.
“I’ve got tremendous respect for him and his family.
“Through all the noise that’s been going on, he has been a supporter.”
Asked about the headlines around Diaz, he grinned: “That’s all you guys making up stories.
“Trying to get the clicks.
“But we’re all here ready to go.
“[Our relationship] is awesome. You can see his energy.
“Even him walking out there with me for the weigh-in, he really cares about his fighters. It’s like a family between me and him.
“He’s always got your back, no matter what.
“To have his support means the world.”
The fighter added that he was “very grateful” for his former team – and their run to a world title – but stressed he was now headed into a new chapter and “that’s why I’m called the Phoenix … for this new rise”.
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And a huge part of that is Diaz.
While there have been several questions raised about the Cuban trainer, including how well he speaks English, the world champion coach stressed he would have no issue communicating on fight night.
Asked if he would be speaking to Tszyu directly in the corner, the coach responded: “Yes, I do – with him, and with everybody”.
In an interview with BoxingScene, the trainer also said he had worked with fighters from all over the world, and his ability to communicate with them had never been an issue.
“The English that I speak is a technical English,” he said. “And I communicate very well with my boxers, not only in training, but in every moment that I speak to them.
“They understand perfectly, but I’ll try something else – I have had Chinese boxers, Russian boxers, I’ve had French boxers… I’ve had boxers from a lot of languages.
“But in the ring, there’s only one language – the punches – and there’s not one coach that can fight for the boxer in the ring.”
Elsewhere, Tszyu’s new manager Darcy Ellis also heaped praise on Diaz.
“Yes, we cut it a bit thin for time,” he grinned on the coach’s arrival only a day before the fight, due to his having cornered another star client, Armenia’s Noel Mikaelian, to a WBC cruiserweight win in Los Angeles on Saturday night.
“But that only proves his dedication as a coach.
Tszyu vs Velazquez | Wednesday 17 Dec from 7pm AEDT | Tim Tszyu looks for redemption as “The Phoenix” takes on undefeated American Velazquez in an attempt to reignite his career. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
“Same as the past 48 hours also says plenty. Because the only reason Pedro hasn’t been here is because he was in America helping win the WBC cruiserweight title.”
Ellis also stressed the bond between Fenech and the new group remained strong, adding: “Jeff tells the story of how he first held Tim as a baby, that’s how far their relationship goes back.
“I also have a fantastic relationship with Jeff and have the utmost respect for him.
“Yes, we would love for him to be at Tim’s fight.
“But if he doesn’t want to attend, that’s OK too.
“And we will definitely be catching up after the fight for a feed. That’s the plan.”
Speaking with media on Tuesday, Diaz also revealed he has already enjoyed success Down Under, having last been here for the 2000 Sydney Olympics – where he cornered the legendary Felix Savon to third Olympic gold.
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