It’s Tszyu versus the world.
Former world champion and American commentator Shawn Porter has joined the rising variety of excessive profile boxing identities tipping Tony Harrison to defeat Tim Tszyu for the WBO title on Sunday.
Whereas Tszyu retains betting favouritism, there was a rising feeling all through the week that Harrison is primed to spring an upset and change into the primary man to defeat Tszyu.
Porter, who will commentate the battle ringside at Qudos Financial institution Enviornment for American broadcaster Showtime, informed Information Corp Australia: “On paper, Tim Tszyu is meant to win this battle, however Tony remains to be very rugged and really sensible.
“It’s arduous to go in opposition to the grain seeing as this has the makings of Tim profitable, this battle is in his again yard.
“However I’m going to go in opposition to the grain, I’m going to choose Tony for this one.”
World champion boxers Shakur Stevenson and Errol Spence have additionally picked Harrison to win, whereas Harrison himself believes he’ll have the sold-out crowd on his facet at Homebush.
“I’m actually a tough man to not like, I’m a tough man to not go for, I feel everybody goes for, not simply previous the talent, simply the charisma, simply the way in which I work together with individuals,” mentioned Harrison (29-3-1, 21KO).
“Tim is the other, he’s corny.
“I don’t know what Tim did to lots of people however belief me, all people that don’t like Tim, I’m going to do all people’s job in a single evening.”
Porter believes that not solely can Harrison win, but additionally knock out Tszyu.
“Tony has acquired energy, it’s actually deceiving energy particularly as a result of he hasn’t had a knockout in a very long time,” Porter mentioned. “It’s underrated energy.
“Tony has been via sufficient to climate this storm that Tim goes to deliver.
“You’d suppose this can be a walk-through battle for Tim, however you’ve acquired to grasp Tony could be very, very sensible, he can win on factors, he’s acquired an incredible proper hand, he can win by knockout.
“Lots of people neglect that’s he’s a really robust and brave fighter, he didn’t come over right here to put down.
“The identical factor for Tim, he’s that youth, which implies he’s actually hungry, he has not tasted the highest but and he isn’t prepared to cease. That’s what makes this battle actually compelling.”
Stevenson, the undefeated and unified super-featherweight world champion, mentioned: “I don’t suppose Tszyu is that good.
“I might see this battle go the space. Like I mentioned, Tony, so long as he don’t get caught with a very good shot that damage him, wobble him, or get him out of there, he’s skilfully actually good.
“It’s going to be actually arduous for anyone to beat Tony Harrison when he’s on his A-game.”
In the meantime Spence, a pound-for-pound nice and potential future opponent for Tszyu, mentioned he’d be prepared to wager $10,000 on his countryman.
“I’ll wager 10 on a Tony Harrison upset,” Spence wrote on Twitter.
Undisputed ladies’s super-featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner added: “Come battle evening, individuals will see the distinction between a fighter from Australia and a fighter from Detroit, a special kind of grit, a special kind of grind. Tony has proven that greater than as soon as.”
Nevertheless, none of this bothers Tszyu (21-0, 15KO).
“I’ve heard it for many of my fights, phrases are simply phrases,” Tszyu mentioned.
“Each time I’ve had a step up, I’ve delivered.
“After a few rounds, watch his face change, watch how his physique language modifications.
“He’s going to be the twenty second physique on the record.”
TSZYU VICTORY CELEBRATION PLANS REVEALED
The Tszyu camp has labelled Tony Harrison as “delusional” throughout a tense confrontation by which the American questioned his administration’s determination to problem him for the world title.
Because it emerged Tszyu has already booked a celebration journey to Spain to observe Actual Madrid play Liverpool within the Champions League blockbuster subsequent week, Harrison continued his claims that Tszyu has made a significant mistake preventing him.
Actually, Harrison confronted Tszyu’s supervisor, Glen Jennings, to say he’d derailed his fighter – given Tszyu is already the No. 1 obligatory challenger for all 4 main belts and will’ve waited for injured champion Jermell Charlo to heal after which fought for the undisputed championship, as a substitute of risking all of it to battle Harrison on Sunday for the interim WBO super-welterweight belt.
Harrison has repeatedly said that Tszyu, with a document of 21-0 (15KO), ought to by no means have been within the body for the undisputed title shot in opposition to Charlo as a result of he’s not fought prime calibre contenders within the division.
Harrison, who’s the one man to have crushed Charlo and held the WBC title, repeated the gibe to Jennings, who confirmed the incident with Harrison to Information Corp Australia.
“Tony Harrison needs the world to imagine Tim’s acquired no likelihood. Nicely I mentioned it to his face, ‘I feel you’re delusional’,” Jennings mentioned.
“Tony’s delusional in that regard as a result of have a look at Tony’s document. First 21 fights, there’s no one on the record that we even know, none of us know any of the names there.
“They’re comfortable to take a seat reverse Tim and say, ‘You don’t need to be right here’. Grasp on a second, let’s have a look at this for what it’s.
“And Tony’s an incredible man and an incredible salesman, however don’t assume that as a result of Tim hasn’t gone over there and fought Jarrett Hurd and all these guys that he’s lacking out on one thing, he’s not and Tony will discover out on Sunday.”
Throughout a face-off for Principal Occasion, offered by Ben Damon, Harrison mentioned Tszyu was solely in place to face Charlo for the undisputed titles as a result of his father is legend Kostya Tszyu.
“Tim has fought and beat all people they informed him to beat, however he hasn’t crossed the pond to beat guys like me,” Harrison mentioned.
“Guys from America that actually possess the expertise buildings to provide him issues. He hasn’t confronted these guys.
“So to be subsequent as much as battle for every little thing?
“C’mon man, that’s a final identify factor.”
Tszyu fights 32-year-old Harrison (29-3-1, 21KO) at Qudos Financial institution Enviornment on Sunday afternoon – a battle that shall be beamed again to tens of millions in the US in prime-time Saturday evening.
The 28-year-old Australian is so assured of victory, he’s booked a victory journey to Europe along with his girlfriend Alex Constantine, with the couple to go to the 81,000-seat Santiago Bernabeu Stadium to observe his workforce Actual Madrid, that includes Ballon D’or winner Karim Benzema.
“We’re going to Europe to observe Actual Madrid versus Liverpool,” Tszyu mentioned.
“It’s at all times been a dream of mine to observe the Champions League, that’s what I’ll reward myself with.”
Tszyu believes that he’ll defeat Harrison, after which take all 4 belts within the rescheduled bout with Charlo later this yr.
“This battle on Sunday represents the place I wish to get to, this isn’t the clear finish, it’s the beginning of one other journey,” Tszyu mentioned.
“The magnitude of this occasion, to have the ability to say that due to me, all these persons are speaking about it and excited, the entire of Australia is happy, if I can do small issues like that my job is finished.”
TSZYU’S INSANE BLOCKBUSTER PREP REVEALED
Tim Tszyu has accomplished a rare 333 rounds of sparring in preparation for his world title battle on Sunday.
“Harrison wouldn’t have executed that,” Tszyu mentioned of his American rival, former world champion Tony Harrison.
The explanation Tszyu is aware of what number of rounds he’s sparred is as a result of coach and uncle and coach Igor Goloubev is a meticulous note-taker and preparation grasp.
Tszyu describes Goloubev’s relentless research of rivals as “loopy”, whereas grandfather Boris “is the rock of the household”.
Boris attends each single coaching session Goloubev places Tim and youthful brother Nikita via, guaranteeing hand-wraps, gloves and coaching gear are precisely the place they have to be.
“Boxing is a household enterprise,” Nikita mentioned.
Tim and Nikita will battle on the identical card for the primary time on Sunday at Qudos Financial institution Enviornment, and whereas Boris and Goloubev shall be frantically getting ready and serving to each, Tim Tszyu is not going to take into consideration, or watch Nikita’s battle in opposition to undefeated Bo Belbin as a result of his total focus is on defeating Harrison for the WBO super-welterweight belt that may make him a world champion like his father Kostya.
When Kostya left the boys, their mom Natasha and sister Anastasia to start a brand new life in Russia in 2012, Boris, Goloubev and the fighters’ supervisor Glen Jennings stepped in as father-figures.
That is how the Tszyu clan roll. No fuss, no frills, simply hold punching.
They nonetheless all are in common contact with legendary champion Kostya, who has two youngsters with second spouse Tatiana and lives in Moscow, however their day by day strikes revolve round guaranteeing Tim and Nikita obtain all they will out and in of the ring.
Goloubev, whose spouse Olga is Kostya’s sister, moved to Australia in 1997 along with their son Daniel.
They moved into the identical home that Boris and his spouse Valentina, and Kostya, Natasha and Tim lived in, at Bonanza Parade in Sans Souci.
“From the day Tim was born, I used to be shaking his trolley to cease him from crying, though I wished to fall asleep,” Goloubev mentioned.
Boris provides: “All of us took turns, one after the other.”
All of them lived collectively for 5 years, earlier than discovering new houses, though the bond remained thick, as Goloubev’s second son Denis got here alongside, in addition to Nikita and Anastasia.
“They grew up collectively like brothers and sisters,” Goloubev mentioned.
“We lived in the identical home, fall asleep in the identical home, get up in the identical home, eat breakfast collectively.
“We solely separated after 5 years, so for 5 years we had been residing as one, in Kostya’s home.
“That’s made us very shut.
“So when you find yourself this near a fighter, you may’t present emotion, you may’t allow them to know you’re nervous when it’s the largest battle of their profession.
“It’s a check, you keep optimistic. If you happen to go to warfare and it’s 50-50 if you’re going to die, you do what it takes to go ahead.”
The fight-or-die mentality runs deep within the Tszyu genes.
Boris, who himself had 4 fights and received all of them, took Kostya to the boxing fitness center at simply eight years outdated.
“The place we’re from in Serov, there are plenty of unhealthy individuals, plenty of criminals round,” Boris mentioned.
“And boxing was a really respectful, disciplined sport.
“I by no means thought he would change into a world champion, in Serov there have been no televisions, we couldn’t see skilled boxing.
“Time made him a particular boxer. From a younger age, Kostya wished to be completely different, not like the identical as the opposite million individuals round.”
Kostya would find yourself as a unified champion and multi-millionaire, however whereas Jennings guided him financially, he’s stricter with Tim and Nikita, limiting entry to their financial institution accounts.
“Whenever you’ve acquired younger fellows like this who come from a reasonably insular household, the place their dad managed every little thing after which he leaves, that leaves them open to anyone to return in and affect them,” Jennings mentioned.
“So I simply tried to be that buffer and mentioned ‘There’s issues that I’ll pull you up on when want be’ and attempt to mentor them alongside, each in enterprise and in life as they develop up.
“I feel Kostya might be comfortable that I’ve slipped into that position to assist as a result of with out it there could be alternatives for others to maybe benefit from the boys and their final identify.
“I suppose I’m the financial institution teller, and I simply say ‘no’. Typically I’ve to.
“Tim is a grown man, and naturally, it’s his cash. However I’ll advise him. I do imagine while you attain Tim’s degree, there ought to be rewards. And so he does get some good rewards. However typically talking, he’s not very wasteful.”
Watch undefeated Aussie celebrity Tim Tszyu return to the ring for his largest battle but versus USA’s former world champion Tony Harrison for an Interim WBO Tremendous Welterweight title LIVE in Sydney on Sunday March 12. BUY TICKETS or ORDER ON MAIN EVENT ON KAYO SPORTS >
Initially printed as Tim Tszyu vs. Tony Harrison newest information: Boxers tip American to finish unbeaten streak
