Tim Tszyu blasts rival’s lack of professionalism as his team lift the lid on the dedication that has made him a world champion

Tim Tszyu puts his world title on the line in Sunday’s blockbuster against Brian Mendoza. Team Tszyu provides an insight into the ‘disturbing’ dedication of Australia’s world champion.

Tim Tszyu has slammed Brian Mendoza’s lack of professionalism and warned the American hitman will get the “shock” of his life when the self-appointed “sniper” strikes in their world-title blockbuster on Sunday.

Tszyu‘s stance came as the team that also made his father Kostya great provided an insight into the “disturbing” mind of an obsessive boxing executioner, labelling Tim impervious to self-doubt.

The world champion has not touched alcohol for 10 years.

“We should do a blood test to see if Tim has oil or blood,” said his manager Glen Jennings. “I sh** you not, Tim is like a machine.”

Tszyu (23-0, 17KO) faces the toughest test of his career when the unbeaten Sydneysider puts his WBO world title on the line in a super welterweight firestorm against Mendoza at Gold Coast Convention Centre.

Nicknamed ‘La Bala’, which translates to ’The Bullet’ in English, Mendoza (22-2, 16KO) shot down Sebastian Fundora in a monster boilover in April and now he is gunning for Tszyu.

But Tszyu says Mendoza’s pre-fight behaviour is evidence of the chasm in class.

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Tszyu, 28, is the true pro fastidiously dedicated to the one percenters. The 29-year-old Mendoza, in the eyes of Tszyu, falls short of his standards of excellence.

Exhibit A: Friday’s official press conference at Gold Coast’s Pacific Fair.

Tim Tszyu is primed to defend his WBO super welterweight world title. Picture: No Limit Boxing

Tszyu took his seat early in the open-air arena. He baked in the scorching 29 degree heat, his light grey blazer soaked with sweat. He waited. And waited. Mendoza was nowhere to be seen. The Bullet finally strolled in 10 minutes late. Call it psychological warfare. Tszyu called it woefully sloppy.

“Get here on time,” Tszyu said later when asked about Mendoza’s poor timing.

“Successful people are never, ever late.”

Mendoza, the smiling assassin, stressed he wasn’t playing mind games with Tszyu.

“I’m sorry to say it wasn’t me acting like a superstar, my ride got mixed up,” he said.

“I was waiting in the hotel lobby for 30 minutes.”

On Sunday, 36 minutes will shape the duo‘s destiny.

The first defeat of Tszyu‘s career would leave his big-fight dreams in Las Vegas in tatters, but the ‘Soul Taker’ says Mendoza’s three-fight hot streak, climaxing with the savage left-and-right shots which floored Fundora, is coming to an end.

“He will get a shock about everything,” Tszyu said.

Australian boxing star Tim Tszyu says American rival Brian Mendoza lacks his professionalism. Picture: No Limit Boxing

“I feel like they (his rivals) are all confident in some way, but he has never fought anyone like me.

“That’s the best part, they are all confident and then when they get into the ring, it’s a complete shock.

“I’m like a sniper this time, a James Bond-style sniper.

“I know I have got it over him. Facts.”

It’s hard to believe that just three years ago, Tszyu 2.0 was still a largely unknown quantity even in Australia. Then he sliced-and-diced Jeff Horn in Townsville to become the new face of Australian boxing.

Now, he has global gravitas in the fight game, a rise to the apex driven by the very flint-hard desire that saw his father Kostya leave the grimy poverty of Serov in Russia in 1991 to forge greatness Down Under.

Tszyu’s focus is almost maniacal. He spars four-minute rounds instead of the required three.

He has eaten only organic food in the lead-up to the Mendoza fight, prepared for by a live-in chef at the million-dollar Gold Coast mansion his agent Jennings booked to ensure only the best at the House of Tszyu.

Manager Glen Jennings with Tim Tszyu (left) and his younger brother Nikita (right).

While division top dog Jermell Charlo has mixed world-title belts with drunken benders, Tszyu has been on a booze ban since his late teens.

“When we first started this journey (as a pro in 2016), Tim was a very quiet, almost insecure boy,” Jennings says.

“Today he is a successful, very mature, grown up man with his own business, his own house and his own life.

“He has come through that transition beautifully and I am very proud of him to be honest because it’s the sort of lifestyle and attention that can send you the other way.

“As a team, we don’t have to worry about Tim drinking and smoking and having wild parties. This guy lives and breathes his craft.

“Keep in mind that Tim is now a legitimate full world champion. We are operating at the elite level. You can’t take shortcuts at this level.”

Mendoza knows he has taken the hard route. The American calls himself the ultimate “gym rat”, but Jennings — who also managed the rise of Kostya — is adamant Mendoza‘s spirit will be broken by Tszyu’s iron-fused self-belief.

“I have never seen Tim doubt himself. Never. Not Once. Nope,” Jennings said.

“I say that honestly.

Jennings says Tszyu has the extreme mental toughness of his father, boxing legend Kostya. Picture: No Limit Boxing

“His father Kostya was almost robotic. As a person, he was largely emotionless when it came to ups and downs and his life only related to boxing.

“Tim is the same. There is never a doubt, a shortcut or an excuse.

“What we do on a daily basis is basically program the robot. There is no emotion. Tim says this is what I will do, this is what I need to do and I will come out the other side a better fighter.

“It’s disturbing. Most people could not fathom being built that way.

“I never thought I would see any other athlete like Kostya, but Tim has the same DNA. I can‘t break him or shake him on it. I could try and do a million things to try and separate Tim’s mind from the job at hand.

“But it won’t happen. He will not budge. Ever.”

Legendary trainer Johnny Lewis, the man who helped make Kostya Tszyu boxing royalty in Australia, says Tim has inherited his father’s military-like Russian precision.

“Tim and his dad are different fighters but he has Kostya‘s mental toughness,” Lewis said.

“Kostya was supreme at thinking through a fight. It was a game of chess to him and he knew exactly where to move to build pressure. It was spider-to-the-fly stuff and Tim has a similar tactical eye.

Kostya Tszyu with a young Tim Tszyu and Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings with Newcastle Knights players Andrew Johns, Kurt Gidley and Danny Buderus.

“Tim hasn’t got his dad’s punching power, but he has a brilliant eye. He can certainly unify the division.

“Mendoza has great punching power but that can only do so much when you are getting tired from constant pressure.”

Ever since his coming-of-age against Horn in August 2020, Tszyu‘s doubters have waited for him to falter. This time, Mendoza is being trumpeted as the dangerman to finally unlock the Tszyu riddle.

Jennings says The Bullet will cop one himself as victim No. 24.

“It will be a tough fight, no doubt,” Jennings said.

“Mendoza can punch, he is a good all-round fighter, but 23 others all said they would take care of Tim.

“They all called it, they all tried … and they all failed.

“Brian will be the same.

“He will be in for a rude shock come Sunday when he realises the real power of Tim Tszyu when he is standing right there in front of him.”

Originally published as Tim Tszyu blasts rival’s lack of professionalism as his team lift the lid on the dedication that has made him a world champion