Tim Tszyu and Jeff Horn fight thrown into chaos with race to beat potential border closure
Jeff Horn has accused Tim Tszyu’s camp for showing him disrespect ahead of their much-hyped fight and taken a swipe at the bookies who “must think I’m fighting Kostya, not Tim”.
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Jeff Horn has given Tim Tszyu a stinging uppercut, warning he will put the son of Kostya “in his place” as his rival prepares for a mad dash to the Gold Coast to save their blockbuster bout from a COVID-19 knockout.
The Sunday Mail understands Tszyu is resigned to leaving NSW immediately and will arrive on Queensland soil as early as today to ensure their super welterweight fight goes ahead on August 26 in Townsville.
Tszyu initially planned to arrive in Townsville a week before the fight, but the COVID-19 infection spike in Victoria and NSW has forced the 25-year-old to abandon Sydney in his quest to knockout Horn.
There are fears the Queensland government could close its borders in the coming days or weeks and Tszyu is taking no risks as the Sydney slugger sizes up the biggest bout of his unbeaten 15-fight career.
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The Tszyu camp will set up a revised training camp on the Gold Coast and the destabilising shake-up could give an edge to Horn, who is maintaining the status quo training in his hometown, Brisbane.
Tszyu (15-0, 11KO) said his COVID-enforced move to Queensland would not faze him but Horn (20-2-1, 13KO) warned his rival should be concerned about the punishment he will cop in four weeks.
“I will put Tim Tszyu in his place,” said Horn, a shock $2.62 outsider with bookmakers.
“I’m training really hard. Tim ($1.45 favourite) is a little young gun and trying to make big statements.
“Their whole team is being cocky and what frustrates me is the lack of respect they have given me.
“Tim wouldn’t beat Michael Zerafa and I beat him at a bigger weight (middleweight), so the bookies must think I’m fighting Kostya, not Tim Tszyu.
“Tim is going to be thinking how he handles my power. He has never been put under that much pressure in his fights.’’
Horn’s promoter Dean Lonergan scuppered fears the much-hyped fight could be cancelled in the wake of the southern COVID saga.
“I’m confident the fight will not be jeopardised,” Lonergan said.
“The smart thing to do is to get Tim up here as quick as possible.’’
HORN-TSZYU FIGHT THROWN INTO CHAOS
Tim Tszyu’s fight preparation for Jeff Horn has been thrown into chaos, with the Sydney fighter scrambling to find a flight to Queensland to beat a potential border closure.
The Tszyu camp is trying to have the fighter cross the Queensland border within the next 48 hours so the fight against Horn can go ahead as planned on August 26 in Townsville.
The increased COVID-19 cases across NSW has fight promoters fearing the Queensland government could close the border imminently.
At this stage, Queensland has closed its border to NSW residents from select “hot spot” suburbs where second waves of the coronavirus are spiking.
However, there are fears the NSW-Queensland border could be shut for all residents here in coming days if COVID cases continue to increase.
If Tszyu is still in Sydney when that happens, it would likely kill off chances of the multimillion-dollar bout proceeding.
“We have been keeping a close eye on what’s happening with border shutdowns, we are prepared and ready to go,” Tszyu said.
“It’s not ideal for such an important preparation, but it is the new normal today.
“My team will deal with anything that comes up, I will remain focused regardless of where my camp is.
“My training and preparation will not change at all, just a different gym in a different state.”
Tszyu started packing his bags on Friday morning, and will have to revise his training camp on the ground on the Gold Coast, once he familiarises himself with facilities and new training partners.
Just four weeks before the biggest fight on Australian soil this year, the mad dash from Sydney could rattle Tszyu’s plans and give a huge edge to Horn, who is happily training at home in Brisbane.
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Horn (20-2-1, 13KO) has been listed as a heavy underdog against Tszyu (15-0, 11KO) by bookmakers, however the odds are expected to tighten as the fight gets closer.
Horn has previously said Tszyu is too inexperienced to defeat him.
“I think he has bitten off more than he can chew because he hasn’t had as hard fights as I had leading up to about the 18th fight when I fought Manny Pacquiao,” Horn said.
“He’s probably a little bit early, it’s a good time to get him.
“Tim’s very good at long-range punching, he’s quick and he’s got reach so I’ve got to make sure I outbox him, get in nice and close and win the fight in there.”