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It's interesting that you say Kostya is not as good of a boxer as Floyd. I disagree...big time. And, if Floyd stood in the middle to box Kostya, there's a very good chance that Floyd would go down. For that reason, I think Floyd would shell up and try to potshot Tszyu as he comes in. When this happens, the fight then becomes about Floyd's ability to contain Tszyu's pressure. Could Floyd hit Tszyu without getting hit back? You're putting alot of faith in that defense to argue that Floyd could do this all night for a UD.
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And, again.........
The thread starter asked about Floyd, Shane, and Oscar; about why those fights never happened? Well this video explains it better than I ever could.Last edited by Wiley Hyena; 12-01-2008, 12:35 AM.Comment
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Mosley would've tore that ass upComment
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Actually, this is true though it was 5 million. Tszyu was done with fighting for legacy by that time. He didn't care to be honest. All he wanted was to have two more huge fights, for a ****eload of money and get out. He wanted to quit after Leija because he said he wasn't feeling anything for boxing anymore. He actually didn't even like it at that point.
Hatton's camp offered a lot of money because they knew the time was right, it always is when the fighter is talking retirement. After one fight in three years from injury, he had had enough, and quite simply wanted to setup his children and family for as long as he possibly could. That's why he wanted one or two more huge fights. He lost the fight to Hatton though when he was meant to win it.
I always wished he had taken the Vivian Harris fight instead. They just didn't offer enough. That was actually one of the fights that was going to go ahead instead of Hatton. Tszyu would have made easy work of Harris and then taken his last ever fight with either Gatti, Mayweather or possibly even Oscar.
Also, HBO/Showtime was the single biggest reason a fight with Mayweather never happened and that is one hundred % truth.Comment
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Man, that is one thing I regret about Tszyu above all other fighters. He truly would have been one of the greats if he had stayed in Russia or even moved to America instead. It's a real pity. As Mosley said, he was one of the most skillful pure boxers I've ever seen in the amateurs. If he had just kept that style he would have been damn near unbeatable by anyone today. A real pity.Article: Shane Mosley & Kostya Tszyu: Boxing’s Smiling Assassins
Tue 29-Jul-2008 09:21
"It was as amateur boxers that Tszyu and Mosley first met in 1990 at the Goodwill Games held in Seattle, USA.
Tszyu won the Gold medal for the Soviet Union team at 140lbs at that tournament. Mosley was an 18 year-old Bronze medallist for the American team at 132lbs.
Even back then, Mosley says 20 year-old Tszyu stood out from the other boxers on the Soviet team and it wasn’t just his unique hair style that distinguished him.
“I remember his hair plait was longer than what he has it now,” said Mosley. “He stood out in a number of ways. He was a real boxer back then. He would slip and slide and duck. I’ve always believed that the fight starts from right here inside your head. He had that. We used to say he was like an American. He moves around and he boxes. He counters real good. He was real slick and fast.
“We liked him even back then before anybody even knew about him. He just stood out. He was very determined. You could see the determination in his eyes. He went on to have good power, but as an amateur it was weird, he wasn’t knocking anyone out. He was a fantastic boxer, then he turned pro and was knocking everybody out.”
Asked about his early memories of a young Shane Mosley, Tszyu replied with one word, “Speed!”
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Mosley recalled that he had attended two of Tszyu’s fights in person. The first was against Diosbelys Hurtado in November 1998 at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California, USA. It was a thrilling fight that Tszyu won by 5th round knockout, even though both boxers hit the canvas in an explosive first round.
“That was a good fight,” said Mosley. “Kostya was ****ing him to the body and the head, he was trying to run, but Kostya wouldn’t let him run.”
Mosley was also ringside at one of Tszyu’s best professional nights, when he became undisputed world champion by knocking out Zab Judah in two rounds at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in November 2001.
“I saw Judah dance,” Mosley smiled at Tszyu. “I was there when Kostya knocked him out. You lined him up and bam! Right down the pipe. Zab was going to his right. He kept stepping to his right and you seen him do it once.”
“Yes, he did it once in the first round and I missed it, just a bit,” replied Tszyu.
“Yeah, you missed it,” Mosley continued, “but you said, ‘I’m going to get him if he does that again’. I saw that. You looked at him and you knew you were going to get him with the right hand.”
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Mosley was reminded that in 1999 he relinquished his IBF lightweight world title to move directly to welterweight. After two tune-up fights, he secured his “Destiny” super fight with Oscar De La Hoya in June 2000, one of the best nights of his career when he won a twelve round points decision in a magnificent battle.
“A great night,” said Mosley. “That’s the fight that first made me the most money. I thought I won the fight, but thought they might give the decision to Oscar.”
Mosley shook his head and smiled when asked if jumping straight from lightweight to welterweight and bypassing Tszyu, who was the WBC world champion at the time, had been on purpose.
“I was really a 140lbs fighter fighting at 135,” he explained. “When I first turned pro, what I wanted to do was win the lightweight title, then go to 140 and fight for a little bit, then go to 147. What happened was they kept me at 135, after I fought Philip Holiday. They kept me down there to make me prove myself. After I fought John Brown, it was just too much. Then I got the chance to move straight to welterweight and the fight with Oscar.”
Anyone that thinks Tszyu couldn't box, just needs to go and watch his amateur fights. Quite truly one of the greatest pure boxers I've seen. Stunning skill and speed. I'm still stunned at how quickly he transitioned from pure boxer to power puncher. Man, he was so ****ing slick back then.
God damn Australian trainers. They blow.Comment
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With all due respect guys, Felix Trinidad was an excellent boxer at welterweight. I think people tend to forget that. Look at the Whitaker fight as an example and all the fights prior. He did, however, fall in love with his power - which hurt him as he moved up in weight.Comment
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