Nikita Tszyu has revealed that his rivalry with Michael Zerafa started when Zerafa mocked his father Kostya’s defeat by Ricky Hatton in 2005.
Kostya Tszyu continues to be considered Australia’s finest ever fighter, regardless of the fact that his final fight ended in defeat by Hatton, when he was withdrawn before the final round.
Zerafa had been on course to fight Kostya’s eldest son Tim in 2021 when he said to Tim “I’m Micky Zerafa – it’s fucking Micky Hatton rocking up, I’m taking over” in reference to that defeat.
It is instead Nikita Tszyu, 27, he will finally fight on January 16 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, Australia. The younger of the fighting brothers insists that he is not still angry at what appeared to be Zerafa deliberately choosing to speak with a lack of respect, but he also has not forgotten the insult ahead of what could yet prove both of their biggest fights.
The 33-year-old Zerafa previously unsuccessfully challenged Erislandy Lara for the WBA middleweight title, but the all-Australian, 157lbs catchweight contest with Tszyu is expected to prove considerably bigger in the country they both call home. It will be broadcast on Main Event pay-per-view and is expected to attract in the region of 13,000 to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, a venue that represents neutral territory on account of Zerafa being from Melbourne and Sydney – like Melbourne often a sports-led city – the home of Tszyu.
“The stuff that he said five years ago [about Kostya] definitely got under my skin in that situation,” Tszyu said. “At that moment I was still young and naive, emotions got the better of me and I did have a lot of hatred towards him but I’ve now matured and I know not to let those things control your actions. I know how to harness those emotions. If he does go down that path again and goes down the disrespect path then I know in the back of my head what I’m going to do to him.
“All I’m thinking about is how I’m going to hurt him. It’s a huge fight for me. It’s a moment where I get to elevate myself and I’m fighting one of the toughest opponents in the country. He’s poses a threat I’ve never faced before and the experience that he has, the skills that he has, they’re all new to me.
“He’s achieved a lot already, he’s reached the pinnacle in challenging for a world title. He’s been unsuccessful multiple times but he’s experienced it all. I’m still yet to experience it. I’m still on the rise; I can still see above me and there is a lot of drive to get there; I think that can be the motivating factor.
“He’s more on the tail end of his career. He’s had a very good career already and could be the final piece for him whereas I have a bright future ahead of me. From what I’ve seen in his recent fights he hasn’t shown any kind of crazy growth. Maybe this fight would bring something out of him but for the stuff that he’s been showing recently… not really.”
In a reflection of the promoters No Limit’s ambitions for Tszyu-Zerafa, Tszyu spoke on Wednesday at the Tszyu Fight Club in Rockdale, Sydney, and on Thursday in Melbourne he and Zerafa again came face to face. On Friday in Brisbane they will again speak to promote their pay-per-view contest; their fight week build-up then resumes on Monday and concludes on Thursday, when they weigh in.
“He hinted at [retirement] stating in one of our first press conferences that if he loses everything is going to be fine for him; he’s got a business to fall back on; he’s got his gym,” the 11-fight Tszyu continued. “He’s already thinking about the retirement plan and that’s not the kind of mindset I have. I’m going in there to win and he’s already giving himself an exit strategy.”
