Tim Tszyu has revealed he is still trying to offer mum Natasha a ringside seat for Sunday’s IBF world title blockbuster in Orlando, Florida – especially given she is now barred from all headliners involving younger brother Nikita.
The surprise revelation comes as one of Australia’s favourite sporting families is readying for its biggest reunion in over 10 years, with Tszyu revealing his Hall of Fame father will walk him to the ring against Russia’s undefeated champ Bakhram Murtazaliev.
Eight years after suggesting the old man would never be at one of his bouts again, Tszyu is now welcoming the presence of dad Kostya for the biggest fight of his career, saying: “It’s not that I need dad there … I want him there.”
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.
‘Gritty, dog and a tough bastard’ | 03:20
It will be the first time the boxing legend, who now lives in Russia, has seen his son fight live since way back in 2016, when he jetted into Sydney for Tim’s debut against Zorran Cassady at the SCG.
The Florida reunion will also be the first time Nikita, who paid for his father’s flights, has seen the old man in 11 years.
Ironically, while Kostya will be sat ringside in Florida’s Caribe Royale resort for the IBF blockbuster, Tszyu has told Fox Sports Australia that mum will most likely not enter the arena and instead watch on from the resort bar.
He revealed that as the intensity of his fights have increased over this year, Natasha still travels to events, and enjoys the fight week build, but now prefers to watch the fights themselves from a nearby venue.
‘This is history’ – Tszyu v Murtazaliev | 01:56
It comes as the 29-year-old revealed younger brother Nikita has even gone so far as to ban both mum and sister Anastasia from his own fights as he now prepares to enter the world rankings.
“Yeah, Nikita has barred both of them,” Tszyu revealed on Wednesday morning, kicked back at his resort hotel.
And as for how that went down?
“Mum did have the s***s for a while,” he cackled, “although she’s starting to deal with it now”.
Asked for the reasons behind Nikita’s family ban, big brother continued: “With my own first 10 to 15 fights as a professional, I sort’ve stormed through everyone.
“Barely got touched.
“But Nikita … (laughs) yeah, he gets touched.
“He’s had some really tough fights early on so I think it’s probably a good thing he’s barred mum and my sister.
“Because when I first started, everything was what you’d probably call ‘nice’.
“Clean fights, storming through the division, becoming the face of boxing in Australia …. there were a lot of great things that came from that and my mum was very proud.
“But then when your opposition rises, the fights become tougher to watch.
“That’s why even though mum is coming over this weekend, I think she’ll be watching from a local bar somewhere.”
‘My biggest competitor is my dad’ | 13:17
But you haven’t banned her like Nikita?
“Oh, no,” Tszyu added with a laugh, “she’s more than welcome.
“If mum wants a ticket, I’ve told her it’s my shout — front row.”
Meanwhile, Tszyu said he was also finally ready to have his legendary dad sitting front row at his fights, despite the chaos that could ensue.
Kostya had not seen his eldest son throw down since flying into Sydney a day before his professional debut, sitting ringside the following evening … and then becoming a screaming, pointing, “chaotic” spectator.
Asked if he would have a chat with dad, who flies into the States on Wednesday, about being more subdued this time around, Tszyu laughed: “Nah, I’m going to let him be.
“Because you can’t tame the beast.
“You have to just let that beast do his thing.
“This is a really special moment for me and my family.”
While Kostya was initially meant to be ringside for his son’s most recent Las Vegas title fight against Sebastian Fundora in March, a late family issue forced him to cancel his travel plans.
It meant he missed a night in which Tim, while trying to unify, suffered the first loss of his professional career, after fighting for some 30 minutes bloodied by a serious head cut suffered at the end of the second round.
“And prior to that fight, when it was talked about dad being there, I did think he could be a distraction,” Tszyu recalled now on the eve of his second consecutive US title headliner.
“But then afterwards, having him there was something I really would’ve liked.
“Would’ve liked his presence, his advice, his experience.
“That’s why he is more than welcome now, man.
“Because after that last fight, I realized there was something I was missing.
“It’s not that I need dad there … I want him there.”
‘No fear’ – Tszyu ready to reclaim title | 01:21
Soon after, Tszyu continued: “Before this preparation it was a bit like, I dunno … I guess I had a fear of dad going out of control.
“But that fear now, it’s gone.
“Because I know I’m the one in control.
“I know everything is all about how I react to things, not what is happening outside.
“It’s about me growing as a human being and controlling my destiny.”
Nikita also arrives in Orlando on Wednesday after undergoing surgery on his hand and will be perched up by the ring with dad.
Tszyu added that he was extremely grateful to have both his father and younger brother accompanying him to the ring Sunday as part of his “entourage”.
“Part of a crew,” he says, “that means the world to me”.
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