Tim Tszyu will likely be aiming to take a step out of his well-known father’s shadow when he fights for an interim world title this weekend, however his dad received’t be there to look at him.
Tszyu takes on American Tony Harrison for the interim WBO tremendous welterweight title in Sydney on Sunday afternoon and may name himself a world champion, albeit an interim one, if he wins.
It’s the largest battle of the his profession however the 28-year-old’s father, former light-welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, received’t be ringside watching his son in motion.
Watch undefeated Aussie famous person 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 Sunday March 12. ORDER ON MAIN EVENT ON KAYO SPORTS
Kostya hasn’t precisely been a constant presence in Tim’s life since leaving his spouse and children to start out a second household in Russia over a decade in the past and Tim is pleased to maintain it that manner.
The 53-year-old shocked Tim by flying in to look at his skilled debut in 2016, however he hasn’t been ringside for his son’s fights since.
Tim didn’t take pleasure in his dad barking directions at him from the opposite aspect of the ropes, and Kostya now tunes in to look at his fights by way of FaceTime.
“It was uncomfortable as a result of he was screaming an excessive amount of,” Tim informed the Howie Video games podcast.
Boxing has at all times been a household affair for the Tszyus and brothers Tim and Nikita will battle on the identical card for the primary time on Sunday.
Tim has at all times packed a punch, as was proof when he by some means gave grandfather Boris a dislocated jaw as a toddler.
“I don’t know the total story however there was a dislocation (of his jaw),” he recalled.
“Rising up with the game, it was part of us. Me and my brother, it was constructed into us. That is what we do.”
Rising up with a world champion for a dad wasn’t straightforward and Tim stated on the peak of Kostya’s profession, he needed to cope with an absent father.
“I keep in mind my dream was at all times to have … yearly in school there was a father’s day camp. I by no means had one father’s day camp. By no means had a father’s day breakfast.
“He was by no means there for us. Now trying again to it, I perceive the place he got here from as a result of to get to the place he acquired to, there’s plenty of sacrifice.”
As soon as his profession was over, Kostya uprooted the household and moved to Russia, a transition Tim discovered robust.
“When dad left after his profession, it form of modified all the things as a result of he was excessive after which it form of gave us freedom to discover,” he stated.
“We went there to try to stay there. It was only a completely different life. We went to a Russian faculty.
“I used to be the brand new child. Everybody knew my dad. In Australia, everybody will get handled the identical manner. There, it’s completely different. We had drivers, me and my brother had our personal driver 24/7.
“In school, we’d get handled in another way. We didn’t have to do that or that. It was a unique life.
“We didn’t have any mates. The climate was fully crap, you don’t see the solar, you reside in residence complexes. The life is just not one thing we’re used to.
“There was luxurious components however after we got here again dwelling and with mates, catching a bus to the cinemas and simply hanging out and speaking the language we have been used to was the most effective factor.
“I informed my mum we are able to’t return. We needed to be regular. We didn’t need that life. That life wasn’t for us. In Australia we’re not used to that stuff — drivers, or bodyguards and having particular privileges.
“We’re all the identical in Australia. The Russians, they deal with you in another way once you turn out to be an icon of the game.”
Even tougher was when his mother and father break up up and Kostya moved to the opposite aspect of the world to start out a brand new household, leaving his previous one behind.
“It was robust since you at all times suppose your mother and father, it’s like a fairytale, they love one another,” Tim stated.
“Then impulsively it’s fully gone. Dad moved to the opposite aspect of the world. For me, it wasn’t an enormous shock as a result of he’d at all times be out and in. As quickly as he completed boxing in 2005, he was at all times in out and of Russia non cease.”
Tim visited his dad a number of years in the past and noticed a vastly completely different character to the daddy he grew up with.
“He’s acquired his personal life,” he stated.
“Now he’s acquired two little ones with in Russia now, he’s a totally completely different man. Once I went and noticed him, the youngsters are operating round they usually’re operating amuck. I’m taking a look at him and I’m like ‘Is that this the identical dad as earlier than?’. He’s gone tender, man.”
Being the son of a sporting legend has been a blessing and a curse for Tim, who has needed to take heed to numerous opponents claiming he was solely within the highlight due to his surname.
It’s been a protracted highway to forging his personal path and incomes respect as a fighter, not as Kostya’s son.
“I believe it was extra the expectation folks had that I used to be presupposed to be this monster as quickly I turned skilled,” Tim stated.
“However all the things takes time to construct. , a Rolls Royce is in-built one 12 months, whereas a Toyota is in-built two weeks.
“The whole lot took time and was attempting to get that expectation off folks. I wasn’t placed on a platform right away the place I used to be combating in entrance of large audiences. I wasn’t. I used to be on native exhibits.
“I fought in Toowoomba with 200 folks, I fought in Sylvania the place I stay, with 200 folks there. It wasn’t just like the platform was massive. It was simply the expectation.
“However over time, with consistency, coaching and the mindset I’ve acquired to the place I acquired to go.”
A proud man, Tim is decided so as to add his personal chapter to the household’s boxing legacy.
“It’s going to be massive” Tim informed information.com.au.
“That is going to be the largest father and son duo that’s ever competed in fight sports activities. It’s going to be an honour to characterize my household and my ancestry.”
He places his undefeated (21-0) file to the check in opposition to Harrison on Sunday, with the winner to earn a date with Jermell Charlo for the undisputed tremendous welterweight belts.
Tszyu’s camp continues to be very a lot a household affair.
He’s educated by his uncle Igor Goloubev and grandfather Boris is a continuing presence in Tim’s life, with the diminutive determine casting a watchful eye over Tim’s each transfer.
Boris has been by Tim’s aspect at each second of his preparation for the Harrison battle, together with at coaching periods on the modest health club in Rockdale the place the partitions are adorned with posters of Kostya, Tim and Nikita’s fights.
Requested to evaluate Tim’s preparation for a very powerful battle of his profession, Boris informed information.com.au: “Sunday, we are going to see. The whole lot, we are going to see.”
He’ll be hoping Tim can rattle Harrison’s jaw on Sunday.
