- Kostya Tszyu attended his son’s pre-fight press conference
- Tim Tszyu faces Bakhram Murtazaliev in Florida on Sunday AEST
- The Boxing Hall of Famer, 55, also reunited with his youngest son, Nikita.
With 14 heartfelt words, the great Kostya Tszyu has buried the myth that he has been separated from his children for more than a decade as the Australian boxing royal family finally reunited in Florida.
Tszyu was a surprising and eye-catching presence after crashing the official pre-fight press conference for Tim’s IBF super welterweight showdown on Sunday with Russian Bakhram Murtazaliev, stealing the show from his eldest son, who is looking the world title.
Not expected to arrive until hours later, the 55-year-old Hall of Famer surprised Tim from behind with a familiar fatherly massage, then greeted his youngest son, Nikita, in person for the first time in 11 years with a long and emotional hug.
‘They are in my heart every second. They are in my thoughts every second,” said Tszyu, who left Australia about 15 years ago and returned to his native Russia, where he started a new life and a new family.
‘I have seen them regularly, almost every day on the phone. But of course, it’s not the same. “I’m sure we’ll have a very, very good time here together.”
Tszyu hasn’t been in the ring in any of his boys’ 35 combined professional fights since Tim’s debut in 2016.
Tim has repeatedly recalled that night at the SCG as a “circus”, branding his father “annoying ass” as he shouted instructions uncontrollably.
All has been forgiven, and the former unified world champion had a front-row seat to Tim’s date with destiny at the Caribe Royale Orlando resort.
Kostya Tszyu has buried the myth that he is estranged from his two children after the Australian boxing royal family finally reunited in Florida (pictured with Tim Tszyu)
The meeting came just days before Tim Tszyu’s IBF super welterweight showdown against Russia’s Bakhram Murtazaliev.
Tszyu, however, can’t promise she’ll be able to contain herself watching it live for the first time in nine years.
“I don’t know what I’ll be like,” he said. ‘I’m fine now. I’m not nervous now but I’m not sure what’s going to happen.
“I’ll try, maybe it’s not right to do it, maybe, but I’ll put extra pressure on that guy (Murtazaliev). ‘Sorry, my friend, but I’ll do it.’
Team Tszyu will hope there is no repeat of the Las Vegas fiasco in March, when Tim suffered the first loss of his career, a controversial split decision loss after an accidental elbow from Sebastian Fundora left the Sydney resident with an open wound. in the head.
“Thank God I wasn’t there because I don’t know what I would do during that fight,” Tszyu said.
‘The referee is supposed to stop the fight, not (the) corner. “He’s a referee and the way he was bleeding non-stop, many countries would stop the fight.”
Tim said his father told him two hours earlier that he wouldn’t be at Friday’s news conference.
‘It was typical, man. “I’m already a little used to it,” the 29-year-old said of Tszyu’s unexpected appearance.
Nikita Tszyu (pictured left) also met her father in person, for the first time in 11 years in Florida.
“I’m sitting on my couch and he just grabbed me from behind and got the traps pretty good.
“I knew immediately it was him. ‘But yeah, it was good to see. It’s still good to see. It’s humming now.
Nikita said few words were necessary as she greeted her father for the first time since the 27-year-old was a teenager.
“We just hugged for a while,” Nikita said. ‘I said a few little words: ‘happy to finally see you.’
‘We don’t need to say much. We are not very talkative people but all we need is a hug and a little murmur of silence.
“I haven’t seen it in over a decade, so it’s nice to see it like it’s not on a screen.”
“I’m not a fan of talking on Skype or on the phone, so I prefer these personal interactions.”