Boxing: Michael Zerafa says he won’t fight Tim Tszyu if referee John Cauchi is involved

Michael Zerafa has threatened to withdraw from his hotly-anticipated bout against Tim Tszyu if a veteran referee is put in charge.

Michael Zerafa has accused veteran boxing referee John Cauchi of costing him $1 million and says he’ll boycott next month’s showdown with Tim Tszyu if he is controlling the fight.

The pair have history, after the referee called for the doctor to examine Jeff Horn during the ninth round of Zerafa’s rematch with the Queenslander in Brisbane in 2019.

The Melbourne fighter had Horn in trouble, but the let off gave the man that beat Manny Pacquiao time to regroup before landing a miracle punch to seal his points decision win.

The loss scuttled Zerafa’s takeover of Australian boxing and denied him a lucrative world title fight.

Zerafa – who is wary of a repeat against Tszyu in Newcastle on July 7 – warned the fight was off if Cauchi was there and if the judges were not “neutral.”

Watch Boxing Live & On-Demand on Kayo. Selected international fights, classic bouts and more. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Michael Zerafa has threatened to call off his fight against Tim Tszyu.

“My team and I have made it clear from day one that we want neutral officials and both teams agreed on that,” Zerafa said.

“The last time we fought Horn we let it slip and it cost us a million dollars and a big opportunity.

“I’m not going to let that happen again, so neutral officials and no ref Cauchi or we won’t be coming to Newcastle.

“It won’t happen … you can’t go to his backyard and have all the judges against you and a referee who doesn’t call the right shots and is against me.

“I’ve had issues with him before, so I’m fighting against the odds as it is.”

Cauchi recently apologised for his foul-mouthed tirade after the brutal Paul Gallen v Justis Huni fight earlier this month.

John Cauchi is confronted by Paul Gallen after his bout against Justis Huni.

His decision to end the fight midway through the final round led to a wild and heated exchange with the veteran referee pushing Gallen’s corner man, former Australian champion Peter Mitrevski.

“I’ve seen him referee in numerous fights and this is just my personal opinion, but I truly believe he doesn’t know what he is doing,” Zerafa said.

“With the Gallen fight, the fact he started pushing the team and swearing at them, it’s not professional and shouldn’t be allowed.”

No Limit Boxing boss and promoter George Rose said he was concerned about the threat, but stressed it was a matter for the NSW combat sports authority.

The referee and judges for the fight are yet to be announced.

“I’m very worried given everything we’ve already faced so far,” Rose said.

“I just want to make sure he turns up, and if that is something that’s such a massive sticking point for him then I’ll approach NSW combat sports authority on his behalf.

“But maybe he saw the look in Tim’s eye the other day and had himself wondering as well.”

INSIDE TSZYU PREPARATIONS FOR ZERAFA BOUT

Jamie Pandaram

Planning to channel the same anger he took into the ring against Jeff Horn, Tim Tszyu has relocated his training camp to Queensland so he can be “ready to kill” on fight night against rival Michael Zerafa.

Tszyu has decided to base himself north for the next four weeks, leaving the comforts of home in a deliberate bid to make himself irate.

The undefeated 26-year-old believes the tactic will produce the same knockout result against Zerafa on July 7 as he delivered against Horn in August last year to break through as a genuine world title prospect.

After that victory, Tszyu defeated Bowyn Morgan and Dennis Hogan with stunning stoppages, but prepared for those bouts in Sydney.

“This camp is the same type of routine as what we did with the Jeff Horn fight, where I was in real peak, peak condition,” Tszyu said.

“And I really want to get to that stage. That’s why we're moving camp there, because there’ll be no distractions and it’s just going to be tunnel vision.

Tim Tszyu prepares for his fight against Michael Zerafa. Picture: Richard Dobson

“I'm not in that home environment. I’m sacrificing going away from the missus, away from home.

“With the Jeff Horn fight, it made me real angry and have a hunger where I was ready to kill.

“And that's the type of mood I want to be in for this fight.

“There was a different mindset with Hogan compared to Horn. The Horn fight, I felt like I came in as the B-side, the underdog, with the underdog mentality.

“And I want to get that same focus, that underdog mentality this time.

“You're sacrificing stuff, you’re getting away from where you feel comfortable. And you grow when you’re in uncomfortable situations.”

After sustained verbal baiting by Zerafa (28-4, 17KO) over the past two years, Tszyu (18-0, 14KO) has designs to make him pay in the ring.

Tim Tszyu has shifted his training camp to Queensland.

“Part of the part of the plan is to punish him for all the years that he‘s been talkingsmack,” Tszyu said.

“We’ve got so many different plans for this fight, it could go in many different directions. And I'll make sure that I’m prepared for every possibility.”

Michael Zerafa is preparing to face Tim Tszyu on July 7 in Newcastle.

Should he win, Tszyu – who is already ranked No. 1 by the WBO in the super-welterweight division – will be a major step closer to challenging for a world title as he seeks to emulate his legendary father Kostya.

The king of the super-welterweight division right now, Jermell Charlo (34-1, 18KO) recently rubbished Tszyu’s prospects of fighting him.

Jermell Charlo has rubbished Tim Tszyu’s chances of a bout against him.

“Tim ‘Kostya’ Tszyu is not on a level to even fight for a world title,” told Charlo told the ‘Ringside with the Lions’ podcast.

“He ain’t even on the level to fight some of the guys that I’ve knocked the f — k out of and he ain’t even going to get no chance to fight me, probably throughout my career. I’m just being honest with you.”

Tszyu replied: “Once I’m mandatory it all changes.

EMBARGOED FOR SATURDAY 5th JUNE Pictured at the Tszyu Boxing Gym in Rockdale is Tim Tszyu in a training session ahead of his July 7th fight against Michael Zerafa. Picture: Richard Dobson

“He's the top dog. He’s the man in position. He can pick and choose who he wants to fight.

“That's the problem these days, these new fighters, they pick and choose, old school fighters didn’t pick and choose. I’ll fight whoever.

“This guy picks and chooses, but when the opportunity arises, he's going to be in for a treat. I’m telling you, I’m not going in there to tip-tap, that’s what he does. I’m going in there to take him out.”

Charlo defends his WBC, WBA and IBF belts against WBO champion Brian Castano on July 17 to unify the division.

Tszyu’s No. 1 ranking in the WBO will allow him to negotiate to either fight the winner, or an elimination bout to get to the undisputed champion.

“We're up there at the top, but that’s not good enough for me, not good enough,” Tszyu said.

“There's only one position I want to be. That’s at the very top and looking down on everyone else.”

In order to be world title ready, Tszyu is pushing his body to new limits in training.

Already recognised as one of the fittest athletes in Australia, Tszyu revealed he has surprised himself with his conditioning one month out from the Zerafa showdown at Newcastle Entertainment Centre.

“I was smacking the bag as hard as I can, for as quick as I can, and my breathing wasn’t changing, it was just at this pace, I was just in comfort,” Tszyu said.

Tim Tszuy says he is in peak condition.

“My body is just getting used to it.

“I want to get to a stage where I don't think about it, I don’t feel it.

“It's getting to that stage where, you usually count down the rounds when to finish, but now I just let it flow. It’s a different feeling.

“Everything's going to be strategic now. The more I’m in the sport, the more I learn about my body and how to do things, not burn myself out.

“I'm always looking to get better, and bigger, and stronger.

“My body’s already changing, and you can see it in my sparring and in everything I do.”

THE ROAD AHEAD

If Tim Tszyu defeats Michael Zerafa, a host of global options will be available in his quest to become world champion.

Here are the candidates:

1. Jermell Charlo (34-1, 18KO): He holds three of the four belts in the super-welterweight division and plans to unify against Brian Castano. While he is the ultimate target, he’s unlikely to be next for Tszyu.
2. Brian Castano (17-0-1, 12KO): The tough Argentinian with the WBO belt will be a heavy underdog against Charlo in their unification bout on July 17, but if he springs the upset Tszyu will be next in line.
3. Jarret Hurd (24-1, 16KO): Ranked No. 1 contender by The Ring Magazine, Hurd fights this weekend against Luis Arias and victory will further press his claims to fight bitter rival Charlo next. However, he would also be in play for Tszyu in an elimination bout for the undisputed title.
4. Tony Harrison (28-3, 21KO): The heavy-handed American is the only man to have defeated Charlo – before Charlo got revenge in their rematch – and would be an ideal elimination bout candidate to test Tszyu.
5. Magomed Kurbanov (21-0, 13KO): The Russian just defeated highly rated Englishman Liam Smith to go directly behind Tszyu in the WBO rankings. With Tszyu’s Russian heritage, and both fighters being undefeated, this would be a sizzling showdown to force a mandatory world title bout.

Originally published as Boxing: Michael Zerafa says he won’t fight Tim Tszyu if referee John Cauchi is involved