Kostya Tszyu has congratulated son Tim after he replicated his well-known dad by changing into a boxing world champion.
Tim produced a dominant efficiency in Sydney on Sunday to defeat Tony Harrison by way of TKO to assert the interim WBO tremendous welterweight title.
It might simply be an interim title, but it surely means Tim and Kostya have joined an unique group of simply six father-son boxing world champions.
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The referee stopped the struggle within the ninth spherical after a flurry of uppercuts left Harrison dazed, sparking jubilant scenes.
Because the roof practically blew off Qudos Financial institution Enviornment and confetti went all over the place — Tszyu was instantly mobbed by his coach and uncle Igor Golubev, grandfather Boris and youthful brother Nikita, who received his fifth professional struggle earlier.
Tim was additionally embraced by his long-term companion Alexandra Constantine, however one member of the household was lacking.
Kostya, a former mild welterweight champion, now lives in Russia the place he has began a brand new household after leaving his previous one behind.
Kostya had been set to attend Tim’s struggle in opposition to undisputed tremendous welterweight champion Jermell Charlo in Las Vegas in January earlier than it was postponed, however he stayed in Russia for this struggle to take care of his younger daughter, who was sick.
The 53-year-old stunned Tim by flying in to observe 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 facet of the ropes, and Kostya now tunes in to observe his fights by way of FaceTime.
And it was no totally different on Sunday — Tim’s administration No Restrict shared a photograph of Kostya watching his son drape the champion’s belt over his shoulder on a member of the family’s telephone.
Kostya additionally posted a video message on Instagram, during which he congratulated his sons Tim and Nikita on their respective victories, talking in Russian.
“The struggle has simply ended,” he mentioned, smiling with the struggle on the TV within the background.
“At the moment Timothy turned the world champion. Congratulations, son. In fact there have been errors however you probably did nicely.
“And likewise Nikita. That you must examine. I really like you. Properly performed. Congratulations.”
It was a heartwarming message, which Tim shared on social media, but it surely was laborious to not discover the backhanded praise that his eldest son made some “errors”.
Tim has consistently been derided by rivals who imagine he’s using off the coat tails of his well-known dad, however he made the world sit up and take discover in opposition to Harrison.
The knockout win noticed him win a world title, earn a shot at Charlo and arguably most significantly, take a step out of his father’s shadow.
Tim not too long ago gave an perception into the heartbreaking household cut up after Kostya moved to Russia as soon as his boxing profession was over.
“It was robust since you all the time suppose your mother and father, it’s like a fairytale, they love one another,” Tim informed the Howie Video games podcast.
“Then swiftly it’s fully gone. Dad moved to the opposite facet of the world. For me, it wasn’t a giant shock as a result of he’d all the time be out and in. As quickly as he completed boxing in 2005, he was all the time in out and of Russia non cease.
“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.”
Rising up with a world champion for a dad wasn’t all the time simple and Tim mentioned on the peak of Kostya’s profession, he needed to take care of an absent father.
“I keep in mind my dream was all the time 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 bought to, there’s loads of sacrifice.”
Unsurprisingly, Charlo mentioned he wasn’t overly impressed by Tszyu’s efficiency and welcomed a blockbuster world title bout in opposition to the Australian, who’s aiming to grow to be simply the ninth undisputed world champion in boxing historical past.
The brash American mentioned his hand must be good to go in direction of the tip of the US summer time, whereas there may be already speak Workforce Tszyu are eager on a struggle in Vegas in July.
Regardless of his absence, it’s apparent Tim nonetheless idolises Kostya, and the sight of the son of a gun taking Charlo’s belts off him along with his legendary dad watching on ringside can be a sight all Australian boxing followers hope eventuates.
