Tim Tszyu’s legendary father Kostya finally breaks his silence on his son’s attempt to follow in his footsteps and win a world title, naming the best weapon in the young Aussie’s arsenal.
- Kostya and his son Tim have not been close for years.
- Legend was only ringside in Tim’s first pro fight
- Now he has ruled on Tim’s world title chances
Hall of Fame boxer Kostya Tszyu hasn’t been to one of his son Tim’s fights since he made his pro debut in 2016, but he just took the rare step of speaking out about his son’s career on the eve of his world title fight.
The 28-year-old recently spoke out about the rift between himself and his father, revealing that his legendary father was “never there” for him and his younger brother Nikita after he gave up his amazing career in 2005.
Kostya was supposed to be ringside for his son’s planned fight against undisputed super welterweight champion Jermell Charlo, but that fight fell through and he is still in Russia ahead of Tim’s title clash in Sydney on Sunday.
The former world super lightweight champion is very confident that his son will emulate him by becoming world champion.
Kostya (pictured with Tim on a visit to Sydney in 2019) is very confident that his son will become world champion, but acknowledges that the fight with Tony Harrison is a risk.
The Hall of Fame legend prided himself on his body shots, and he says his son’s ability in that area is one of his greatest strengths.
‘Tim has improved a lot as a boxer. He is much wiser. He now has good experience fighting good opponents,” he said. news ltd.
“I think it will produce a special fight against Harrison. It’s at the right time in his career.
However, Kostya acknowledged that the American is likely a step ahead of his son’s previous fights.
“It’s a great test, he’s fighting a great opponent,” he said.
‘It’s a risk? Look, if he wants to be a world champion like I was, he can’t be afraid and Tim has to challenge anyone.
The Sydneysider is known for his prodigious power in the ring, as was his father, who singled out one aspect of his arsenal for special praise.
“He has a great body shot, that was one of my key shots,” he explained.
The younger Tszyu recently revealed that he “never had a Father’s Day breakfast” with his dad.
Tszyu’s fight with Tony Harrison (pictured during Saturday’s weigh-in) represents a big step up in class for the Australian.
Tim recently revealed how his father’s return to Russia and his separation from his mother affected him.
‘Every year at school there was a Father’s Day camp. I never had a father’s day camp. I never had breakfast on Father’s Day,’ he told the howie games podcast.
‘He was never there for us. Looking back now, I understand where he came from because to get to where he did, there is a lot of sacrifice.
“It was difficult because you always think that your parents, it’s like a fairy tale, they love each other. Then all of a sudden it’s completely gone.
He also delved into the extreme culture shock he and his brother Nikita, who fights on the card on Sunday, experienced when they joined their father in living in Russia as young men.
‘We had no friends. The weather was completely shitty. You don’t see the sun, you live in apartment complexes. Life is not something we are used to,’ Tim recalled.
He and Nikita got special treatment at the school and had their own driver available 24/7, but they couldn’t wait to get back to Australia.
‘I told my mother we can’t go back. We wanted to be normal,’ she said.