‘Here to knock this dude out’: Tszyu rival’s big vow
Darren Walton |
Vowing to deliver “poetry with my hands”, Tim Tszyu has swatted away scathing criticism of his esteemed new Cuban trainer Pedro Diaz.
Australian boxing legend Jeff Fenech claims Tszyu’s preparation for his make-or-break showdown with American Anthony Velazquez has been a shambles.
After being drafted in as advisor to the now US-based Tszyu in a dramatic shake-up to the fallen former world champion’s entourage in October, Fenech even fears the 31-year-old might not have learned anything under Diaz.
While Fenech insists he still loves Tszyu and will always support the ex-WBO super-welterweight king, the four-division world champion won’t attend Wednesday night’s bout at Sydney’s TikTok Arena.
Tszyu maintains he will be in safe hands following Diaz’s arrival in Sydney from Miami on fight eve on Tuesday.
“You can see his energy and his knowledge,” Tszyu said of the trainer who boasts some 20 world champions on his CV.
“Like even him walking out and being right there in the lane, it’s refreshing to see.
“He really cares about his fighters and it’s like a family to me and him. It’s good. He’s always got your back no matter what.”
Claiming he was oblivious to any tension and drama swirling around him, Tszyu said he would catch up with Fenech after the fight.
“I’ve got tremendous respect for him and his family,” he said.
“He’s been terrific figure for sure through all the noise that’s been going on. He’s been a supporter.”
Fenech’s own legendary former trainer Johnny Lewis reckons Tszyu should hang up the gloves if he suffers a fourth defeat in five fights, after enduring three world-title batterings at the hands of Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev in the space of 16 months.
“Retiring at 31 years of age is a bit stupid,” Tszyu said after Tuesday’s weigh-in.
“No matter what, I’m an Aussie ’til I die. And I think with the Aussie mentality, no matter what, we don’t quit.”
Fighting at junior middleweight for the first time, Tszyu (25-3, 18KOs) said he felt much better hitting the scales at a heavier 70.82kg and sensed his unbeaten opponent was feeling nervous.
“He had this pulsating thing on his neck going,” Tszyu said after the pre-fight face-off.
“And it’s still pulsating, so it needs to calm that nerve down.”
“I’m glad he thinks that,” Velazquez (18-0-1, 15 KOs) said.
“He probably likes me. That’s kind of weird you’re looking at my neck.”
Not for the first time during a spicy build-up, Velazquez’s outspoken coach, Hector Bermudez, questioned the favourable treatment for Tszyu from the Australian’s promoters No Limit Boxing.
“Listen, he could have all the advantages, all the talks,” Bermudez said.
“All from the very beginning, from the plane ride, from all the running around with the medicals, with the switching of the weight.
“We agreed on the weight. It should have been 154 (pounds). Now all of a sudden it’s 157.
“You know, we agree with everything. We come here to fight.
“We agreed to be here 10 days before. They got us here like four days before.
“We’ll agree to everything they wanted to. Medicals early in the morning while we could have been resting.
“We’re here to fight. We’re here to win and we’re here to knock this dude out.”
AAP
