Tim Tszyu fight: ‘Curse’ strikes down another team member ahead of Bakhram Murtazaliev clash

The curse of Tim Tszyu’s corner has struck again with a Pickleball injury striking down a key team member, an injury that Kostya then made worse with some well-meaning first aid.

The curse of Tim Tszyu’s corner has taken another casualty, with a third member of the team struck down on the eve of his IBF super-welterweight world title fight against Bakhram Murtazaliev.

Just two days after cut man Mark Gambin was forced out after needing an emergency appendectomy, cornerman Eric Belanga pulled his calf muscle playing Pickleball.

The painful injury happened on Thursday afternoon local time in Orlando when Team Tszyu hit the courts as Tim shed the last few pounds before weigh-in day.

Playing doubles with trainer Igor Goloubev, promoter Matt Rose and chef Omar Iferd, Belanga sprinted to the net in a desperate attempt at getting to a drop shot.

He pulled up in agony just short of the net, knowing immediately he’d torn his calf muscle.

Meanwhile the rest of Team Tszyu broke down in laughter.

Poor old Belanga limped off to the side of the court and took a seat next to Kostya Tszyu, who’d arrived earlier in the day.

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His troubles weren’t over though, as the well-intentioned Kostya started a deep tissue massage on the busted calf.

“I thought we were friends!” Belanga yelled.

“He was in agony, but he wasn’t about to tell Kostya to stop,” said one observer.

Belanga has been forced to hobble around the Caribe Royale Resort ever since, but will soldier through and take his place in Tszyu’s corner on fight night.

Belanga’s injury comes hot on the heels of Gambin being rushed to hospital for emergency surgery on his appendix earlier this week.

Belanga winces as Kostya Tszyu massages his torn calf.

Gambin was scheduled to land in Orlando on Wednesday, but has been forced to remain in Sydney, missing only his second Tszyu fight ever.

Nikita Tszyu will join Goloubev, Belanga and cut man Joe Quiambao in the corner, but even Tim’s younger brother isn’t 100% healthy.

Nicknamed ‘Bucket Boy’ by Tim, Nikita will hold a spit bucket on fight night, but has admitted he’s “one-armed” after having surgery on an injured left hand late last week.

Meanwhile, manager Glen Jennings thinks he broke his big toe when he smashed his foot into a curb on his way to the ill-fated Pickleball game.

“I was texting, not looking where I was going,” Jennings told this masthead. “So it’s the one-armed Bucket Boy Nikita and one-legged Eric in the corner.

“We’re the walking wounded this week.

“Kostya’s the only one not injured. He’s smart, he didn’t play Pickleball. Instead he’s just rehabbing everyone’s injuries and giving everyone massages.

“But they can’t hold us back, mate. We’ll be there flying the flag on fight night.

“Nothing can stop us. Not calf muscles, surgeries, hurricanes, dog bites or opponents pulling out.

“We’ll all be there for Tim on Saturday night.”

Originally published as Tim Tszyu fight: ‘Curse’ strikes down another team member ahead of Bakhram Murtazaliev clash