Twelve pivotal moments in Tim Tszyu’s rise to world title contention

In the build-up to his WBO super welterweight epic at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday afternoon, we recount some of the highlights, lowlights and strange moments of Tszyu’s career.

“Shut up, Dad”

Pro debut: Tszyu def Zorran Cassady - December 16, 2016

There’s a good reason Kostya has only ever attended one of Tim’s fights. He just wouldn’t shut up.

Kostya was ringside for Tim’s first professional fight, which was untelevised and, bizarrely, held in a function room at the Sydney Cricket Ground. As far as we can tell, it’s the only boxing event the SCG has ever hosted.

Kostya, who now lives in Russia, surprised Tim by arriving unannounced in Sydney the day before the bout.

On fight night, all worked up, Kostya barely stopped yelling encouragement and instructions.

“I remember thinking, ‘Dad, can you shut up?’” Tim told me in 2021.

It remains the only fight Kostya has attended in person.

“He’ll be in a corporate box or something, far, far away from the ring next time he’s there,” Tszyu said.

Read more about the relationship between Tim and his dad here.

The Big Stage

Second fight: Tszyu def Mark Dalby - March 2, 2017

Just one fight into his pro career, Tszyu was added to the undercard of Anthony Mundine’s rematch with Danny Green. It was a promotional masterstroke from Mundine, with the Tszyu name generating an avalanche of interest in the event.

Also on that card was Quade Cooper, who fought a man named Jack McInnes, who was potentially plucked from a nearby pub for the bout.

What Goes Around

Sixth fight: Tszyu def Christopher Khan - July 22, 2017

Still early in his career, Tszyu had to travel far and wide to get fights in 2017. In a five month span, he fought in Adelaide, Auckland, the Gold Coast and, for his sixth fight, in Toowoomba on a card headlined by Stevie Spark.

Four years later, Spark earned big money stepping in on late notice to fight Tszyu in Newcastle after Michael Zerafa pulled out.

Dropped!

Seventh fight: Tszyu def Wade Ryan - October 22, 2017

Saying Wade Ryan is as tough as old boots doesn’t do Ryan justice. Old boots wish they were as tough as the Gunnedah local.

Tszyu scored a lopsided decision win, but was floored for the first time ever in the very first round.

Blood

Ninth fight: Tszyu def Larry Siwu - May 24, 2018

This was the first time I had the chance to see Tszyu fight in the flesh.

It was at the Star Casino in Sydney, with Jack Brubaker headlining. Tszyu was in a violent mood that night. He cut poor old Larry Siwu open early on. Siwu’s blood went everywhere, including my laptop, before the fight was stopped.

Billy the Kid

Tenth fight: Tszyu def Stevie Ferdinandus - August 3, 2018

Three months after dispatching Siwu, Tszyu was back in the ring on the undercard of Billy Dib’s world title fight against Tevin Farmer in Redfern.

Dib and Tszyu have always been close, and this was the only time they fought on the same card. Tszyu sent the former two-time world champion a nice message this week after Billy the Kid announced he was in remission from cancer, and Dib will be at ringside cheering him on this weekend.

As for his fight that night, it barely lasted 100 seconds, with Tszyu forcing the ref to stop it in the first round.

Ferdinandus’ walkout lasted about three times as long as the fight did. The Indonesian accidentally walked to the ring with a studded earring still in his ear. Unable to take it out on account of the 10 oz boxing gloves he had on his hands, Ferdinandus had to wait until a cornerman was able to extricate the piece of jewellery.

No Limits

12th fight: Tszyu def Denton Vassell - February 8, 2019

This was Tszyu’s first fight under the No Limit banner, and it’s when his career really started to take off.

The pay-per-view event also saw Paul Gallen obliterate John Hopoate. The wider sporting public, who’d tuned in to see Gallen, was given an introduction to what Tszyu can do.

Justin Hodges and future world champion Ebanie Bridges both made their professional debuts on the undercard.

Headliner

13th fight: Tszyu def Joel Camilleri - May 15, 2019

The Camilleri fight was Tszyu’s first time headlining a Main Event PPV card in his own right, and he won a 10 round decision for the Australian super welterweight title as Jeff Horn commentated.

Justin Hodges was on the card again, fighting a poor kiwi bloke named Troy McMahon. In farcical scenes, the Broncos legend knocked out McMahon – who’d never left New Zealand before fight week – in 23 seconds.

Future cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia also featured on the undercard.

PPV Star

14th fight: Tszyu def Dwight Ritchie - August 14, 2019

The incredibly talented Dwight Ritchie was a real step up in competition, and many experts thought Tszyu couldn’t win this one, but he earned a hard-fought decision victory.

Tragically, it was the last fight of Ritchie’s all too short career. The father of three died during a sparring session with Michael Zerafa later that year.

Future PM Anthony Albanese was in the crowd that evening, presenting the Australian super-middleweight title to Mateo Tapia, while Tayla Harris defeated Renee Gartner in the first fight of the night.

Bringing out the Mongrel

15th fight: Tszyu def Jack Brubaker - December 6, 2019

Jack Brubaker managed to get under Tszyu’s skin in the lead-up to this fight, saying Tim was only in the spotlight because of his last name.

His needling worked, and it was the first time we really saw Tszyu come out of his shell. He had the last laugh though, earning a one-sided fourth-round TKO win.

Passing the Torch

16th fight: Tszyu def Jeff Horn - August 26, 2020

Without a doubt, the biggest fight of his career at that point against a tough opponent and genuinely good guy.

Tszyu’s clinical TKO win saw a definitive passing of the torch, and Horn hasn’t fought since.

Witnessing both Horn and Tszyu train in the lead-up was eye-opening. After a series of battles, and millions of dollars made, Horn seemed to be going through the motions. Training had become a job.

Meanwhile, Tszyu was ferociously determined. His rounds on the pads would last for five minutes, and he’d only get 30 seconds rest. He completed other drills with weights strapped to his ankles, and did a series of upper body workouts with a weighted headband around his noggin.

The fight took place despite serious concerns around Covid and travel restrictions, and was held in front of largely empty stands at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

Adversity

21ST fight: Tszyu def Terrell Gausha - 26 March, 2022

Tszyu’s first fight in America took place in Arctic temperatures in Minneapolis, and he picked up a cold just days beforehand.

He was then dropped for just the second time in his career, and suffered a serious hand injury on the way to a unanimous decision win.

It was the most adversity he’d been through, and a serious test of his mettle against a slick American opponent in a foreign environment.