Tszyu Article

by Paul Upham: secondsout Undisputed junior welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu flew out of Sydney on Saturday afternoon bound for the United Kingdom and his clash with Ricky Hatton on June 5 at the MEN Arena in Manchester on Showtime. Always the total professional, Tszyu was respectful and not interested in making any over the top predictions about what he had in store for the undefeated Englishman. "I'm going there to do the business, it doesn't matter where I fight," said Tszyu. "The main focus is for me to be ready 100% and do my job 100%." With his stunning return from injury to knockout Sharmba Mitchell last November in Phoenix, Tszyu 31-1 (25) 1 NC, looked at the peak of his performance. Now after ten weeks preparation for his next fight, the scary prospect for Hatton may well be that Tszyu is even better than ever. Pushing himself to his limits once again, the 35 year-old has looked remarkable in his unique training sessions and punished his sparring partners with power punches the like they have never felt before. 30 year-old American Emanuel Augustus, well known for his ESPN2 'Friday Night Fight' battles with Micky Ward and Courtney Burton, has spent the last six weeks sparring with Tszyu and knows first hand what Ricky Hatton is in for. "Kostya is superb," said Augustus, who will again appear on ESPN2 on July 8 against Ray Oliveira. "In my mind, it is really dangerous for me to be in there with him. I didn't expect him to elevate his performance at such a rapid speed. I can't see his fight with Hatton going past five rounds." Critics, who say that Tszyu is just a one-dimensional slugger with a powerful right hand, will get no agreement from Augustus. "Until you get in that ring and suffer what we've suffered, you can't say anything," he said. "Kostya Tszyu has a lot of things that people don't really acknowledge. Everyone talks about his right, but both hands are weapons. Any punch he decides to throw with something on it, you are in trouble." 23 year-old Kendall Holt 18-1 (12) from Paterson, New Jersey is seen as a bright young prospect in the junior welterweight division and was flown down to Australia to spar with Tszyu for three weeks. "It is real tough," Holt explained. "Think of the toughest thing you have ever had to do and it is probably tougher than that. But I chalk it all up as a learning experience that is going to make me a lot better. I am learning a lot more that I would sparring anyone else." Preparing for his own appearance on ESPN2 next Friday night against Jaime Rangel at Pompano Beach, Florida, Holt jumped at the chance to spar with the undisputed world champion. "When they said I'd be sparring with Kostya Tszyu, first I though about his right hand, and then I thought about the learning experience," he smiled. "There is no better sparring than I can get anywhere in the world. He is very, very strong. I asked him after our second day of sparring how is it he is so strong. I thought I was strong. With him, I feel weak. He told me it is because he is 35 and I am 23, meaning his is a man and I haven't developed physically yet." As most of his opponents have already learned, Tszyu's accuracy with his offence is uncanny. "He places his punches," said Holt. "He doesn't just throw it and hope for it to land. He knows where it is going." Tszyu's trainer Johnny Lewis is running out of superlatives to describe the Russian born Australian citizen's performances. "I am very impressed and with another fortnight to prepare," said the 61 year-old, "I am sure we are going to see an absolute pound for pound best fighter. Certainly someone who I would not swap for anyone." While hard training goes a long way to explain Tszyu's performances at an advanced age, in many ways similar to undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins at 40, the genetics handed down to the four-time world champion may also have something to do with it. The simple fact is that Tszyu does not look like someone who will turn 36 this coming September. "You look at his father Boris who could pass for his big brother. Kostya, you would say would surely be 27 or 28," he said. "But it is just mind boggling how time and time again, this kid can come up in a condition like this. You look at longevity in any sport. For all the wear and tear against the world's best as an amateur and then a professional, it has to be a gift from God." Savouring the final battles of his career may also be inspiring Tszyu to greater heights. "He loves this sport," said Lewis, who has trained Tszyu since his professional debut in March 1992. "He knows that in retirement, it is over forever. He responds to each preparation as it is his last one. He sees himself as the challenger." While Lewis beams like a proud father watching Tszyu in training, he still gets nervous in the lead-up to any fight. "I am always worried and very respectful of our opponent," he admitted. "But I'd let Kostya loose with anybody. I think he has just got so much on everyone else. I just marvel at what he is about. Freak is an awful word, but I can't think of a better word to describe him. He is genuine and I think he will be remembered for many, many years such is his greatness now." While he has Hatton in front of him right now, many people see the undefeated two-division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr as the toughest test for Kostya Tszyu at junior welterweight. While some astute judges would tip 28 year-old Mayweather 33-0 (22) to win in such a fight, not everyone agrees. "I think the biggest problem for Kostya Tszyu may be Floyd's initial speed," said Augustus, who lost to Mayweather by stoppage in October 2000. "But Kostya is too strong for him. To be honest with you, I see that fight ending in four rounds with Kostya Tszyu being victorious because Mayweather can't take no punch that Kostya has.