Tim Tszyu's sad revelation about father Kostya ahead of title fight
The Aussie boxer doesn't have much of a relationship with his famous dad Kostya Tszyu.
Tim Tszyu has made the sad revelation that father Kostya probably won't be on hand to watch him take on Tony Harrison in Sydney on March 12 for the interim WBO super-welterweight belt. Tszyu is trained part-time by famous father Kostya, with the former boxing champion sometimes spotted ringside during his fights.
But Tim revealed this week that Kostya is unlikely to make the trip from Russia to Sydney this time around due to a family illness. Kostya is currently in Russia caring for Tim's half-sister, who is sick.
"My little sister's a little bit sick right now so I think he's looking after her at the moment," Tszyu said on Wednesday. "So we'll see how it all pans out. Not sure, man."
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Even if Kostya isn't able to make the trip to Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena, Tszyu said he'd received the same advice as usual from his old man. "Just to be smart. Try and not get hit too much," Tszyu said. "Boxing's quite simple, man. Hit your opponent more than he hits you."
Despite them both being boxing stars, with Tim on course to live up to his famous father's legacy, Kostya has never been a big part of his life. Kostya, a former unified light-middleweight world champion, left his wife and children in 2012 to return to his native Russia.
“If my husband wants to stay in Russia, let him stay there,” Kostya's ex-wife and Tim's mum Natasha said in 2012. “It is an important life for him. He is an important man there and he is where he belongs. Men should be men. If he met someone else I can’t do anything about it. If she could look after him in Russia, why not.”
Kostya is now married to Tatiana Averina, with the pair having two children of their own together. Tim previously said he didn't mind the fact that Kostya hadn't seen him box much live.
“My dad is a hard man, especially when he comes to watch my fights,” he said. “He’s only watched one of my fights and let me say it was … chaotic.
“My first pro fight. It was chaotic. It was hard to deal with. It was just out of control. Because he’s a control freak, it’s hard for him to watch someone he loves fight in the ring. Especially for him.”
In 2021, Kostya said he believes he and Tim are still close despite the fact he has started a new life back in Russia. “Me going to Russia has never broken any bond or any relationship with Tim,” Kostya said.
“I can’t say we chat every single day, but we are father and son. We are on the phone and we communicate on WhatsApp. I love him. I am such a proud father and I will always be proud of Tim.”
Natasha previously said: “Kostya was never in the kids’ lives, Kostya disappeared from the kids’ lives when he left them at a young age. The kids have built their lives without their father. I know that some people won’t want to hear this, but this is the truth."
Tim Tszyu ready for boxing bout with Tony Harrison
Kostya had planned to walk his son into the ring for his unified world title bout with Jermell Charlo in Las Vegas in January. However the blockbuster fight was cancelled after the American broke his left hand in training.
The cancellation has left Tszyu without a fight since last March. But he doesn't think ring rust will be a problem.
"Right now I'm just itching. I've got this fire burning in my belly. Just like a hungry, hungry lion ready to eat," Tszyu said. "I've got an empty stomach and I'm ready to eat and fill it up (with Tony Harrison)."
with AAP
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