SYDNEY, Australia – Nikita Tszyu has advised Michael Zerafa to retire after revealing that he has ruled out ever fighting him again.
One week on from their fight at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre being declared a no contest at the start of the third round after – following an accidental clash of heads – Zerafa suffered what appeared an innocuous cut over his left eye, Tszyu confirmed that he has no intention of agreeing to the rematch Zerafa asked for.
Tszyu’s manager Glenn Jennings had questioned the wisdom of him doing so on account of what has come to be seen as Zerafa’s unreliability, and their promoters No Limit had similarly questioned whether another date between them would have any appeal.
The 28-year-old Tszyu, who celebrated his birthday on Monday, described himself post-fight as “numb” at the outcome and also spoke without the benefit of having seen the first two rounds and Zerafa’s interactions with the referee and ringside doctor unfold.
He has since concluded, with considerably greater conviction, that Zerafa took the easy way out of their contest and said that he won’t believe Zerafa’s claims that he suffered a “shattered eye socket and damage to the retina” until his fellow Australian provides “proof”.
No Limit are exploring his next potential fight date but may yet be influenced by how their plans for Liam Paro and Tim Tszyu, Nikita’s older brother, evolve. Without the option of Nikita Tszyu there is little question that Zerafa’s options are minimal; at 33 and after 39 professional contests it is increasingly unlikely he will ever fight again.
“At this point you don’t need to keep fighting; you don’t need to keep proving yourself,” Tszyu said. “He’s had a great career; he’s done a lot in the sport. But I just don’t think he’s mentally there anymore, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. It just happens. It happens with the hard fights you get into, and the traumatic side of boxing. It’s not an easy sport. It’s a hard sport for a reason actually.
“While you still have your brain cells; while you’re still healthy, get out. Get out while you can.
“I knew that he had one foot out the door. He was already thinking about the exit strategy.
“It was a big letdown, that’s for sure. A lot of work went into that, and it was just taken away. It was the biggest opportunity for me to really show myself – prove myself – essentially to the world that all the work that I’ve been doing in the past two years, behind closed doors…
“I do [feel robbed] – and in a very shameful way.
“I’m over it. The bridges have been broken; time to move on at this point. He’s done with.
“I wanted closure [on the rivalry] – I definitely did. I was envisioning the closure. I guess there’s always going to be that question mark. Michael’s had the opportunity to have over 20 rounds with the Tszyu boys, and only got two out of it.
“I don’t see anyone wanting to [take a chance on him] – he’s too much of a liability. He made some real big mistakes. It’s a shame. He really just screwed himself over.
“My arse [his eye socket] was shattered. Fractured eye socket – that puffs up instantly. His eye was good for a while. Show some proof. I want to see the X-rays. But even then – fight on with it. Get over it.
“When [Saul] ’Canelo’ Alvarez did it to [Billy Joe] Saunders – it blows up like a balloon within minutes. I saw him in the changing room afterwards; his eye looked alright.”
Tszyu-Zerafa had been agreed at a catchweight of 157lbs, five years after, with little over a week until fight night, Tim Tszyu was denied a fight with Zerafa after Zerafa withdrew.
Whenever his next fight comes and regardless of who it is against, Nikita Tszyu regardless intends on returning to 154lbs.
“I’ve spoken to Glenn [Jennings],” he said. “We’re just planning on moving forward; getting that world ranking higher to get that inevitable world title in the end. We don’t have a time frame when that’s going to happen, but that’s what we’re building towards. I’m still pretty early in my career – 11 fights. All this attention, but still not as much experience. We have to play around with it and get those valuable rounds in, ‘cause I’ve only done three rounds in the last two years or so.
“I’m as fit as I’ve ever been. I’m relaxing, but I’ve still got huskies and they take me for runs every morning, so I’m always going to be fit. Once I do start training, it’s not like I’m restarting – I’ve still got a good baseline.
“It’s just a shame, how it all ended.”
