Tim Tszyu’s mum says he would be fighting Ukraine war for Russia if she left Australia
Tim Tszyu’s mom opens up about her choice to leave her ‘celebrity lifestyle’ in Russia for a life as a single mom in Australia – and how it saved her sons from fighting in the war in Ukraine
- Tim Tszyu’s mother has opened up about their life in Russia
- She decided to start life as a single mother in Australia in 2008
- Had they returned to Russia, her sons would have fought in the war
Tim Tszyu’s mother has shared how her decision to leave Russia for Australia saved her boxing sons from fighting in the war in Ukraine.
Natalia Tszyu moved to Australia from Russia in 1992 with former world champion Kostya Tszyu and the couple shared three children: Anastasia, Tim and Nikita.
However, when their marriage ended in 2008, Natalia had to decide whether to return to her homeland with her three children or start a new life as a single mother.
“If I had stayed in Russia after my marriage broke down, my boys wouldn’t be boxing right now, they’d be fighting a war,” Natalia told Sydney Weekend.
‘Moving to Russia (in 2008) was not a smart decision. It was an emotional decision to go home when I got divorced, but I came back six months later [to Australia] with my three children.
Tim Tszyu’s mother Natalia (R) has revealed how he managed to fight in Ukraine
The boxing star is on the verge of becoming world champion by the end of the year
“Sometimes we can make a decision in survival mode, but we still have to follow our instincts. For me, the smart decision was to come back.’
Instead of serving on the front line in Ukraine, Tim and Nikita are pursuing an exciting career in the ring, with older brother Tim on the verge of fighting for a world title.
“That decision to leave changed everything,” Natalia added.
“We had lived a celebrity lifestyle in Russia with Kostya and we became normal people here.
‘We left behind a big, massive house, Nikita wanted a Bentley because his father had one in the garage in Russia.
‘We sold everything, we were used to a four storey townhouse and here we slept on top of each other in a townhouse in Drummoyne.
“But it was fun, we shared so much, we built our family.”
Reflecting on the war, Natalia said that “we are fighting against our own people.”
But Tim and brother Nikita could have fought in Ukraine if his mother had decided not to stay in Australia
“Putin started this war, Russia is shocked, normal people are depressed, but we can’t say anything bad about the president,” she said.
‘I am a mother. I pray for children, for men to take up their guns and go to war, we never thought this would happen.
“Life is so different there. It’s amazing how people survive in Russia and Ukraine. They know how to survive.
“What I want to say to all Australian people, we are so lucky to live in Australia, we live in the best country, I have a twin citizenship – but I can’t wait to go back to Russia to visit my family.”