Michael Zerafa didn't see the need to kick Tim Tszyu while he was down.
Despite their longstanding rivalry, Melbourne's Zerafa took the time to offer words of his support to his fallen countryman. Tszyu, 25-3 (18 KOs) was beaten into submission after seven rounds in his rematch with WBC 154lbs titlist Sebastian Fundora, 23-1-1 (15 KOs) this past Saturday at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The loss was the third in Tszyu's past four fights. The former WBO titlist has vowed to move forward despite his latest setback, though the 30-year-old second-generation boxer is stuck at a career crossroads.
“When I first started this sport, what I said was I wanted to get to the very, very top, and I didn’t mind crashing or burning on the way up,” Tszyu stated in a video posted on his verified social media accounts. “Sitting here now, we did crash and burn, but we still move forward. Some things go your way; some things don’t. What happened last weekend didn’t go my way, but we still move forward.”
The message resonated with Zerafa, 33-5 (21 KOs), whose only previous link to the Tszyu family - both Tim and his younger brother Nikita, a 154lbs prospect - was in ongoing wars of words through the media. Not one to take a cheap shot at a downed athlete, the 33-year-old middleweight contender instead offered words of hope.
"Be proud mate," Zerafa offered to Tszyu. "Despite everything with us, you went out there and tried your best and that’s all you can do. Keep your head up."
Zerafa is due to return to the ring on August 20 in Sydney.
Interestingly, the show will also mark the return of Nikita Tszyu, 10-0 (8 KOs), who has not fought since his thrilling win over Koen Mazoudier last August 28 at ICC Sydney Theatre. The same show saw Zerafa return to the win column with a first-round knockout of Tommy Browne, four months after a stoppage defeat to WBA middleweight titlist Erislandy Lara.
Zerafa has since added a seventh-round stoppage victory over Besir Ay at Hordern Pavilion in Sydney. Wins by Zerafa and the younger Tszyu could lead to a head-on collision, potentially with a secondary middleweight title at stake.
