‘Do some work’: Tim Tszyu sledges dad Kostya after latest win

Tim Tszyu may not have a world title just yet but his win over Takeshi Inoue has put him on the path to follow in his dad’s footsteps.

Kostya keeps a close eye on his son's fights. Photo: No Limit/Brett Costello and Instagram.

Tim Tszyu has already turned his attention to his world title shot after a dominant victory over Takeshi Inoue on Wednesday night.

The Aussie is the mandatory challenger for the WBO super welterweight title held by Brian Castano but faces a waiting game to find out when the blockbuster bout can take place.

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Tszyu’s surname is already famous thanks to his dad, former undisputed light-welterweight champion Kostya. And although the Russian-born boxing icon is back in his home country and not in Tim’s corners for his fights, he still has an impact on the 27-year-old.

Kostya hasn’t exactly been a consistent presence in his son’s life since leaving his wife and kids to start a second family in Russia just under a decade ago.

But Tim revealed the two speak over the phone and touched base before the Inoue fight, which he won via unanimous decision. Asked afterwards when he last spoke to Kostya, Tim replied: “Today.”

And he had some simple advice that every boxer should take on board: “Don’t get hit.”

Tim added he would speak with his father later in the night to assess his performance.

Taking to Instagram on Thursday morning (AEDT), Kostya had a message for his son.

“Congratulations to my son on the victory,” he wrote. “I’m proud of you. And tomorrow we will begin preparations for the next battle. Only forward to victory.”

Tim commented on the post, saying: “Thankyou dad and thankyou Russia!!”

Best advice ever. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Tszyu executed his plan well on Wednesday night, dominating the entire fight and losing just a single round on one of the judge’s cards in the 120-107 x 2, 119-108 victory.

It opens the door for Tszyu to fight Castano in February or March, depending if the Argentine fights Jermell Charlo for a second time after the pair’s July draw.

Tszyu hopes the door stays open for him to fight Castano and has no doubt where he wants to fight.

“In America,” Tszyu said emphatically, responding to criticism from Castano for not fighting outside of Australia on his way to a 20-0 record.

“I want to be able to go there and take it, do something I’ve always dreamt about in the bright lights of Vegas and then bring it back here to Australia.”

Main Event’s Paul Kent asked about a potential fight in Russia, talk of which was revived earlier in the week as Kostya told the Sydney Morning Herald it was on the cards.

“We have talked about this for a long time. It’s going to be something special that the family will never forget. It will be a dream come true,” Kostya said.

“It’s going to get big attention here and (in Australia). He (Tim) has to beat Castano and then he can come over here.

“There is no reason why we can’t do this. It would mean a lot to me and to a lot of people.”

The Tszyu’s in 2019. Picture: David Swift.

Tim dropped a sledge for Kostya to hold up his end of the bargain and help get a Russian bout organised.

“My dad keeps talking about it,” he said after the fight. “Dad, if you’re listening, man, you’ve got to organise something. He keeps talking it up but you’ve got to actually do some work.”

Kent explained how a trip to throw down in Russia could actually happen.

“I think the way it will go is he (Tim) will go to Las Vegas, he’ll have the world title fight there,” Kent said.

“If he wins that fight, I think he’ll come back to Australia for one fight. He’ll try sell out this place again and the fight after that in Russia because it’ll take a little bit of time to set up.

“(Late boxing promoter) Bill Mordey’s dream with Kostya Tszyu was always to put a fight on in Red Square. Times were different back then. They were not long out of communism and all the rest of it.

“But Kostya is a superstar in Russia right now. He’s on television, runs a restaurant and was Russia’s very first world professional champion after the wall came down and the USSR disbanded.

“He is a superstar and on a phone call basis with Vladimir Putin so if there’s one guy you need on side, Kostya has him in his back pocket. There’s every chance that fight goes ahead.”

Main Event host Warren Smith added that at 20-0, Tim was ahead of Kostya’s record, as his father lost his 20th fight to Vince Phillips.

However, by that stage of his career Kostya had also already won the IBF light-welterweight title and defended it four times.

Tszyu is on his way. Picture: No Limit Boxing / Brett Costello

It was a fact Tim wanted to keep in perspective.

“Nah, I’ve got (to win) undisputed world titles to be ahead of him (Kostya),” he said. “Twenty and zero doesn’t mean anything.”

Tim was also asked about how he maintains his boxing IQ, and slipped in a jab at his dad.

“Consistency, it’s that I’m having fights one after another, I don’t take rests, I don’t get fat, I’m a true professional athlete,” he said.

Paul Kent replied: “Your father could stock up between fights …”

“Yeah, he used to get a bit big,” Tim laughed.

While Tim hasn’t yet claimed any world titles, he is clearly heading in the right direction

Earlier in the week, Aussie legend Jeff Fenech told WWOS Tim could surpass his father.

“Kostya is maybe a bigger puncher,” Fenech said. “They do things very similar. But for me in some things, Tim is every bit as good if not better than his dad. He’s getting better and better.

“He’s got his father’s poise. His patience. That’s something you can’t teach. It’s about having that awareness in the ring. No doubt his father has helped shape the fighter he is but Tim is his own fighter. Plus they look like f***ing twins.

“He knows when he’s in danger and knows what to do get himself out of trouble. Watching his father as a boy would have helped.”

Originally published as ‘Do some work’: Tim Tszyu sledges dad Kostya after latest win