Tim Tszyu will not be placing any restrictions on his “control freak” father when the two reunite for the super-welterweight’s historic shot at world title glory in Las Vegas.
Key points:
- Kostya Tszyu has not been ringside for one of his son’s fights since Tim Tszyu made his professional debut in 2016
- The legendary Russian-born powerhouse will be there when Tszyu the younger attempts to become an undisputed world champion in January
- Tim Tszyu will face Jermell Charlo in Las Vegas in his second fight on American soil
For the first time since Tszyu’s professional debut six years ago, Kostya will be ringside when his son squares off with Jermell Charlo on January 29 intent on stripping the American of his IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO belts.
If he wins, the Tszyus will become the first father-son pair of undisputed world champions in boxing history.
There have only ever been five father-son world champions but never before have both unified their weight divisions.
The stakes are as high as they come.
An ultra-relaxed character, Tim Tszyu last year said “it was chaotic, just out of control” when his father was an intense presence ringside for his first pro fight in 2016 against Zorran Cassady in Sydney.
Six years on, though, and Tszyu insists Kostya knows his place in the pecking order and will not need reminding when he flies from Russia to Sin City for his son’s date with destiny.
Kostya will walk to the ring with Tszyu, the challenger’s brother Nikita and grandfather Boris — the family patriarch.
From then on, Tszyu will be in the safe hands of his trainer-uncle Igor Goloubev, the same coach who first guided Kostya to world light-welterweight glory in Vegas in 1995 and then to undisputed status.
“I will speak to dad but at the same time, he knows and respects that I am a man now,” Tszyu said during his month-long training camp in Los Angeles.
“Going in to my first fight, I was 21. So I was only a little kid then.
“He respects Igor. People ask me does your dad give you advice. But my dad gives me life advice and that’s what’s needed.
“He’s not my boxing coach. Igor’s my boxing coach and Igor started with me since the day I started boxing, so since when I was young.
“Igor was the one on the pads, Igor was the one building me and moulding me. So the credit belongs to that man.
“I can always call my dad and ask him for little advice but it’s not technical boxing.”
Tszyu will still lean on his father’s experience in Vegas.
“But I think he’s more aware and he knows that I’m not a child anymore,” the 28-year-old said.
“Back then, he thought I was his little son still.
“The time that’s happened now, six years since my first fight, it’s clearly different.”
Despite remaining among the most influential figures in his life, Tszyu’s grandfather Boris also will not fly to the US until fight week.
Tszyu feels more comfortable with only Igor and trusted cook and nutritionist Omar Iferd on hand for now.
“Every day I call Grandpa. And he calls me nonstop. He’s asking a thousand questions,” Tszyu said.
“But right now, over here, we’ve got a pretty good formula. We don’t need too many people. Just Igor the coach and the chef and that’s it.
“Keep it simple. The more people you bring on, the bigger the house, the bigger the car. The logistics just go on and on and on.
“It’s already expensive anyway, without another extra body.”
The world title mission is costing No Limit Boxing an estimated half-a-million dollars.
“It’s not a cheap exercise,” Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings said.
“When you get to this level, there’s no shortcuts.”
AAP
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