Melbourne set to clinch another world title fight as Michael Zerafa turns up heat on arch-rival Tim Tszyu

Michael Zerafa is back in business. Seemingly finished last year, the 30-year-old has now clinched a world title fight ... and he has put forward a mouth-watering proposition to a familiar foe.

Michael Zerafa has turned up the heat on bitter rival Tim Tszyu, declaring “now it’s on my terms” as ‘Pretty Boy’ prepares to deliver another world-title fight on Australian soil.

News Corp can reveal Zerafa’s home city of Melbourne is the front-runner to host his world-title shot - just months after Marvel Stadium won the rights to the $10 million unification blockbuster between George Kambosos Jnr and Devin Haney.

The Zerafa camp has kicked-off talks with IBF authorities in the wake of Pretty Boy’s demolition of Issac Hardman, which has set up a world-title clash against Brazil’s Esquiva Falcao (29-0) for the soon-to-be vacated IBF middleweight belt.

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Michael Zerafa is in talks to bring another world title fight to Melbourne.

It caps a remarkable resurrection for Zerafa (30-4, 19KO). The career of Australian boxing’s bad boy was seemingly in tatters after he was crucified for sensationally withdrawing on the eve of his bout against Tszyu last July.

If one week is a long time in politics, one fight can be a game-changer in boxing.

While Tszyu patiently waits for his first world-title shot pending the outcome of the Brian Castano-Jermell Charlo unification bout on May 14, Zerafa suddenly has some bargaining power.

Pretty Boy hasn’t ruled out a long-awaited grudge match with Tszyu, especially if one, or both, of the duo can clinch world titles over the next 12 months.

“It’s funny how the wheel turns. Everything happens for a reason,” Zerafa said.

“Apparently I was too scared to fight Tim, but the proof is there now. I have a world-title shot. I hold a key to the kingdom.

“I would fight Tim Tszyu at middleweight, 100 per cent, but we have to talk dollars first and now it’s on my terms.

“Last time, he wanted to do everything on his terms and made it completely impossible for me to go and fight him in Newcastle. No-one knows the truth of what really happened with our fight falling over.

The much-awaited Tszyu-Zerafa fight sensationally collapsed last year.

“They made promises they couldn’t keep, so that’s why I refused to fight him.

“I am putting the past with Tim behind me. Moving forward, I wish Tim all the best, but the reality now is I have a world-title shot and he is still waiting for Castano and Charlo to figure out what they are doing.

“I’m getting a lot of positivity from my win and the truth is I don’t need Tim Tszyu to be a world champion. I can do it on my terms and I’m on the path now.

“Once I win this world title, it’s all on my terms.

“If Tim wants my belt one day, we will do things my way.”

Kambosos Jnr and Haney will settle their feud in Melbourne on June 5 and if Zerafa gets his wish, Australia’s sporting capital will celebrate another world-title showdown before Christmas.

Falcao is signed to American boxing kingpin Bob Arum’s Top Rank stable. But with the Brazilian not a big name in the US market, Zerafa’s co-promoters are in the box seat to bring the IBF world-title battle to Australia.

Zerafa’s one and only world-title shot was in 2015, when he was carried out on a stretcher in his American debut after being pounded by Peter Quillin. Now, smarter and more seasoned at age 30, the Maltese mauler is ready to conquer the world in his backyard.

“We’re in talks to have the fight on my home turf,” Zerafa said.

“Melbourne already has one world-title fight with Australia’s king George Kambosos and I’m about to follow in his footsteps.

“My management was already sitting down with the IBF the day after I beat Hardman to begin talks on the world-title fight.

“The Brazilian Falcao is ranked No.1 with the IBF and I’m now No.2 and (Gennadiy) Golovkin will be vacating the title (to move up to fight Canelo Alvarez), so the talks are underway.

“We’re looking for it to be in Melbourne over 12 rounds. I would love to bring a world-title fight to Australia.

“I have had to go through a lot of criticism over the last 12 months (following the Tszyu drama) and there was a lot of pressure on me from what people were saying about me.

“I’m so glad that all the hard work has paid off.”

Originally published as Melbourne set to clinch another world title fight as Michael Zerafa turns up heat on arch-rival Tim Tszyu