‘Seen many mistakes’: Tszyu rival takes aim at Aussie star in rare interview, reveals big-name hit list

Tim Tszyu has questioned if Russia’s towering champ Bakhram Murtazaliev is struggling to make weight for Sunday’s hyped IBF blockbuster, revealing he has already seen the champ running at night in a hoodie.

The news comes as Murtazaliev, who stands 183cm — or nine centimetres taller than Tszyu — has also told Australia’s Main Event he could move up in weight after defeating the Australian challenger, naming WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara among a list of potential opponents.

TSZYU V MURTAZALIEV | Tim Tszyu faces off against undefeated IBF super welterweight champ Bakhram Murtazaliev | SUN 20 OCT 10:30AM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.

With a laugh, Murtazaliev even joked UFC megastar Conor McGregor could be among a list of potential options after beating Tszyu, who he branded a fighter of “many mistakes”.

After spending four, long years as a No.1 contender, Murtazaliev is finally readying for his IBF title defence against Tszyu in Orlando, Florida this Sunday.

Only days out from the hyped headliner, the champ has branded Tszyu a fighter who is “talking a lot online”, boasts “many mistakes” and is set to gain no advantage from having Hall of Fame father Kostya sat ringside for the first time in eight years.

Speaking via an interpreter, the fighter who now lives and trains out of California said he saw several holes in the fighting style of Tszyu, who he expects to put on a list of victims that spans 10 years and 22 fights.

And from there?

“The easy option after this win would be a fight with Conor McGregor,” Murtazaliev said with a cackle.

“But if there is something more serious, I’d like to unify the belts – a fight with Sebastian Fundora, Errol Spence, the winner (of their proposed fight), or Terence Crawford.

“If not, I’d like to move up and fight Erislandy Lara.”

ULTIMATE GUIDE: Everything you need to know about Tszyu vs Murtazaliev!

Certainly the weight issue is expected to become a talking point in Orlando, Florida this week given, under IBF rules, both men must make weight twice – including on bout day, where they must still be within 10 pounds of the division limit.

Speaking with Main Event’s Ben Damon on Monday afternoon, Tszyu said he had been returning to the fighter hotel after a massage the previous evening when he saw Murtazaliev “running with a hoodie on”.

“It was 9.30 at night,” the Sydneysider added. “He’s probably making weight already”.

Asked about the IBF stipulations, Tszyu continued: “I’ve done a little bit of training towards it.

“The morning of the fight I’m just a little over the rehydration limit so I’ll be sweet.”

Murtazaliev, meanwhile, has also responded to the news about Tszyu’s father being ringside for the first time since his professional debut, saying: “I followed Kostya Tszyu and he was a great fighter … but it doesn’t matter who is going to be there.

“It makes no difference if Kostya Tszyu is there or not.”

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While much has also been made of Tszyu’s Russian heritage, and subsequent rise to boxing superstardom via his father’s hardcore Soviet training methods, the champ also brushed off any suggestions of similarities between the two men headlining Sunday.

“Tim is not from the Soviet Union,” he said. “When he was born, there was no more Soviet Union.

“But if he thinks he is, then I guess he is.

“It’s not going to make a difference.

“He was born in Australia so I don’t know what he’s talking about.”

Asked what weaknesses he saw in his rival, the champ continued: “I’ve seen many mistakes I can use in a fight with him, but I’m not going to discuss that.

“(Plus) I’m more interested with what I will do in the fight, not what Tim will do.”

Murtazaliev also suggested the Aussie carried “big hype”, and while he may have been “talking a lot online” was undeniably taking their impending showdown “very serious”.

“(But) for me this is just another fight that I’m going to win,” he said.

“Then I move on to the next fight, then the next one, and the next one … just another day at the office.”

Elsewhere, the champ also suggested some of the division’s big names were “scared” of facing him, which is why it had taken so long to get his title shot – defeating Germany’s Jack Culcay earlier this year for the vacant IBF crown.

Back in April, Murtazaliev claimed the IBF strap after travelling to Germany and finishing Culcay in his own backyard.

Only a month earlier, Tszyu endured the first loss of his own career, when upset by US southpaw Sebastian Fundora in a bloody Las Vegas headliner.

After suffering a large head cut in the second round, Tszyu battled on bravely before eventually losing via split decision.

TSZYU V MURTAZALIEV | Tim Tszyu faces off against undefeated IBF super welterweight champ Bakhram Murtazaliev | SUN 20 OCT 10:30AM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.

Asked why it had taken so long to get his own title shot, Murtazaliev started: “Whatever God gives you, that’s what you are going to get.

“I was the mandatory for a long while, but I guess it was not my time.

“Then my time came, and I became champion …”

Then after a short pause, he added: “I do think they might have been scared of me”.

When it comes to Tszyu however, the champ suggested Sunday’s showdown would be an exciting one because “Tim doesn’t like to run”.

“So I won’t have to chase him down,” he said.

And as for his own strengths?

“I’m a simple fighter, nothing special,” he shrugged. “But I have a very strong right hand”.