Nikita Tszyu has left quite the impression on the boxing world since making his professional boxing debut.
The younger Tszyu is a boxing contradiction. His boyish looks along with a university degree in architecture may suggest the 24-year-old would emulate the surgical style inside the ring adopted by his older brother Tim.
However, the 2-0 super welterweight’s presence in the squared circle has an entirely different feel from the clean cut, softly spoken demeanour we see in media conferences.
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While Nikita has followed his brother into the world of pro boxing, he’s going about it in a completely different way. As one boxer recently put it, “the boy loves to bang”.
Tszyu will enter the ring as the overwhelming favourite when he faces Ben Horn (4-4) at the Hordern Pavilion on Wednesday night, in a bout dubbed the ‘Battle of the Brothers’, in reference to Tim Tszyu’s clash with Jeff Horn two years ago, which effectively ended Horn’s career.
The self described “butcher” has drawn praise from several within Australian boxing circles for his love of blood and taking big shots. And he’s tipped to rise up the ranks just as quick as Tim, if they can find opponents for the Sydneysider, a difficult task according to manager Glenn Jennings, who manages both brothers.
“One by one, the phone calls get made and they’re not interested, they say no. I say ‘what do you mean no?’ How do you do that?” Jennings said.
“We went through this with Tim as well. We will look overseas if we have to. It’s not a race with Nikita, I’m very conscious of the fact he is a rookie, and we’ve got to bring him along accordingly. We’ll build him up at a good rate, as we did with Tim.”
Tim Tszyu, whose title fight against Jermell Charlo has been locked in for January 2023, has been in his brother’s corner for both of his bouts and is often seen barking at his younger brother during battle.
In the lead-up to his professional debut against Aaron Stahl, Tim boldly declared that “Nikita bashes Michael Zerafa now.”
Zerafa, a professional with over 30 fights to his name and in line for a huge bout in the near future as the IBF’s No.2 ranked middleweight, scoffed at the suggestion the younger Tszyu would have any shot at beating him.
“If his chin is any higher in the air he’s going to have some serious troubles that kid,” he told Wide World of Sports.
“Credit to him he’s giving it a crack but to throw his brother in the deep water like that it’s pretty sad.
“If he can survive four rounds with Benji Bommber, who’s in my stable, if he can get a win against him then he’ll earn a little bit of my respect.
“I think Benji Bommber 3-0 beats him convincingly and hurts him. I heard he’s getting tagged in sparring and they want to pull him back. Don’t believe everything you read.”
You’d be hard-pressed to find any promoter or manager talking their fighter down, with everyone’s bottom line dependent on the star’s reach and rise up the ranks.
The younger Tszyu has recorded two stoppage victories since making his professional debut earlier this year, exhibiting a penchant for taking risks.
It’s those same characteristics that have caught the attention of a rival promoter, Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn.
In Australia to witness Justis Huni’s win over Joe Goodall in Brisbane earlier in the year, Hearn couldn’t contain his excitement when asked about Nikita while paying his respect to the star’s promoter No Limit and the job they’ve done with him.
“I like Nikita Tszyu, I think he’s a real talent” Hearn added. “I think he’s spiteful, I think he’s exciting.
“I don’t know him but he seems quiet and he’s vicious and people like that, it’s all about entertainment. You have to be able to entertain people and when you watch a Nikita Tszyu fight, it’s early days, but he’s exciting and he entertains.”
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