Next weekend, on the night of October 19-20, an IBF junior middleweight world title fight will take place in Orlando between belt holder, undefeated Russian champion Bahram Murtazaliev and son Kostya Tszyu senior, Tim Tszyu. The tournament will start at 4:00 Moscow time, the main battle will begin at approximately 6:30 Moscow time.
Although on paper it will be a Russian-Australian confrontation, everyone understands that the battle is “ours.” Tim is the eldest son of the legendary Kostya Tszyu and, of course, inherited Russian roots from his father.
TIM and Kostya Tszyu
Photo: Mark Evans/Getty Images
“The Russian boxing school is a big part of my education, so I’m looking forward to fighting a Russian. It will be an interesting fight… There is a saying: “You don’t want to fight Soviet fighters because you don’t know what to expect from them.” They all have very complicated last names. These are incredibly dangerous fighters with bulletproof minds. I hope my next opponent is like that. Who will the Russians support in my fight with Murtazaliev? I am proud of my Russian roots. But I was born and raised in Australia. So I don’t think they will pick me,” Tim noted after the announcement of the fight with Bakhram Murtazaliev.
Online transmission of the tournament:
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Murtazaliev – Tim Tszyu: will Kostya’s heir make up for his defeat by fighting a Russian? LIVE
Tim can truly be called “our guy.” He was raised by Kostya Tszyu, who instilled in his son a love of sports. True, at first it was gymnastics and football, and only then boxing. And in general, Tim entered boxing quite late, at the age of 15. But, despite this, Kostya’s eldest son managed to build a serious professional career and achieve championship belts.
Despite the fact that Kostya himself worked with his son and instilled in him a love of sports, Tim considers his grandfather, Boris Timofeevich, to be the main character in his career.
“He is everything to me. My grandfather participated in every episode of my boxing life. He is the key and most important person in my career. And not only in mine, but also in my father’s career. He is both the foundation and the engine that drives me forward,” said Tim Tszyu.
In Tim’s corner you can hear Russian speech; Yes, despite his Australian origin, Tszyu also receives tips in Russian. He has repeatedly stated that he masters the language and that it is part of his culture. And in Tszyu’s house, according to his own statements, the atmosphere of the Soviet Union reigns.
Tim often faces comparisons with his father:
Is Tim Tszyu really the “most hyped boxer”? Kostya’s son is constantly reproached by his father.
“We already lived in Australia, but my parents forced me to study on Sundays at a Russian school. I write well and read Russian. This is a big part of my life, my culture. When you enter the Tszyu family home, you find yourself in the Soviet Union. There is nothing Australian at all! Only Soviet,” Tszyu said in an interview with Big Fight.
Soviet education, Soviet boxing school – all this was reflected in Tim’s career. In addition to technique, it is also the inherent character of our boxers. Kostya’s eldest son withstood the pressure and turned the tide in his first fight in the United States against Terrell Goucher, in which he was knocked down in the first round, but there is nothing to say about the fight with Sebastian Fundora. Starting in the second round, Tim’s face was filled with blood from a serious cut, but Tszyu continued to press and advance, even though he saw virtually nothing. Yes, Tim lost this fight, but he demonstrated the iron character formed by his father and grandfather.
TIM JU
Photo: Mark Evans/Getty Images
Although Tim was born and raised in Australia, he has a decent fan base in Russia. Of course, most people follow him by his surname, the associations of which are closely related to his father, but, however, the attention also falls on his son. So Tim’s next fight with Bakhram Murtazaliev can easily be called “ours”, and this makes it even more interesting.
