Tim Tszyu approaches his next fight against IBF super welterweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev at Caribe Royale Orlando on October 19. Australia’s former world champion has undergone his training camp in Las Vegas. Prior to that, he made a stop in Thailand for a pre-camp session with international boxing hall of fame father Kostya Tszyu.
Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs) returns to the ring after he lost his WBO 154 lbs title by split decision against Sebastian Fundora in March. The bout saw him bleed almost through the entire fight from a big gash on top of his head caused by an accidental elbow. “Hungry” to return to winning ways and atop of the division, the 29-year-old dubs himself “unbreakable”.
“It was a good bonding experience,” said the son of former undisputed super lightweight champion, Tim Tszyu about training with his father. “Straight after my last fight I asked him to get some work in, and I didn’t think he’d actually say yes, but he did. We reconnected and it was a good experience that was years in the making. It was good to connect as father and son, and as a fighter.”
“I’m unbreakable and I’m hungry. He [Kostya Tszyu] was trying to break me. I was like, ‘alright, if you want to go down that path, let’s do it.’ It was good fun. He told me stories of what he used to do in his training and I wanted to try my best as well.”
Kostya Tszyu is expected to be ringside for his son’s fight against Murtazaliev (22-0, 16 KOs) in Orlando, watching him compete live for the first time since Tim Tszyu’s pro debut in December 2016 in Sydney.