Tim Tszyu has given his little brother extra motivation to go win the Australian super welterweight title later this year — revealing he’s lost the same strap he won against Joel Camilleri in 2019.
Opening his professional career with seven straight wins, Nikita Tszyu is now set to take a significant step up when he faces reigning national champ Dylan Biggs in Newcastle on November 22.
Apart from being the biggest fight of his career, the showdown will also see Nikita looking to become the only fighter in his family to actually hold a national strap.
Boxing: Tszyu vs Mendoza SUN 15th OCT 12PM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports
Tszyu fuelled by Biggs sparring session | 01:30
Despite his father now being a Hall of Famer, Kostya Tszyu never held an Australian title while his WBO world champion brother admits his own super welterweight strap, won four years ago against Camilleri, has apparently gone MIA.
“I don’t even know where my Australian title is,” Tszyu grinned while getting his hands wrapped before a Wednesday training session at his Rockdale gym.
“I asked my grandpa recently, because he usually grabs my titles.
“But he doesn’t know where it is.
“Maybe grandpa put it somewhere and doesn’t know where.
“So I guess Nikita better win his.
“At least that way we can have one in the family.”
But to get there, the younger Tszyu sibling will have to beat Biggs.
Aged 21, Australia’s youngest national champion is himself on an undefeated tear stretching 10 fights — including seven by knockout — and most recently needed less than a round to finish his latest opponent, Ryan Mitchem.
Headlining his first No Limit Fight Night on Fox Sports last month, Biggs dropped Mitchem three times within less than three minutes before the referee stopped proceedings.
Asked about Biggs, Tszyu conceded: “I haven’t seen much of the bloke, to be honest.
“I’ve heard he’s a bit of a powerhouse and I’ll probably have a look at him when that fight gets closer.
“(Laughs) But I’m not really thinking about Nikita at the moment.
“Sorry Nikita.
“But I’m proud, man.
“He’s going to get the job done.”
No Limit revealed today that Tszyu and Biggs will contest the Australian super welterweight title over 10 rounds.
On the undercard, popular Australian middleweight Issac Hardman will face Troy Coleman, while heavyweights Kiki Leutele and Solomon Adebayo will also throw down.
Boxing: Tszyu vs Mendoza SUN 15th OCT 12PM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports
While Nikita has recently been in Thailand preparing for this fight, big brother revealed he still took time out of his own world title preparations to send him a pair of Crocs.
“I got him some Crocs, a few socks too,” Tim laughed. “Some weird stuff that Nikita likes.”
During his last trip to Thailand, Nikita Tszyu also revealed he had been eating Cobra heart, and drinking its blood.
So as for what has been on the menu this trip?
“Dunno,” Tim shrugged. “But I think he’s starting to learn that horse testicles aren’t the best idea.
“But Nikita, he’s special.
“I like him.”
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