Tim Tszyu v Michael Zerafa sells out in just 24 hours in Newcastle

Michael Zerafa has promised to rename the ‘Tszyucastle Entertainment Centre’ to ‘Zerafaville’ after beating Tim Tszyu.

WEEKEND TELEGRAPHS - 11/3/21 WEEKEND TELEGRAPHS SPECIAL. MUST TALK WITH PIC ED JEFF DARMANIN BEFORE PUBLISHING. Australian boxer Tim Tszyu pictured after a training session at Waterloo today. Picture: Sam Rutyn

Tim Tszyu’s fight in Newcastle sold out in less than 24 hours, and he warned rival Michael Zerafa that it will feel like there are 50,000 fans baying for his blood at the venue renamed ‘Tszyucastle Entertainment Centre’.

The July 7 showdown between Tszyu and Zerafa officially sold all 5700 seats by Monday, and Zerafa had to fly to Newcastle only to be greeted by the arena’s new name – the first time they’ve changed its title in 30 years.

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“He might have fought Kell Brook in England in front of 20,000, but trust me this is going to feel like 50,000 people against you, it’s intimidating,” Tszyu told Zerafa.

The Victorian scrapper, who was up at 4am to do his road run, flew to Newcastle to see the unveiling of the Tszyucastle building, then flew back to resume training, was unconcerned.

“I’m not fussed by the hype, they can scream Tszyu, they can say whatever they want, my focus is on the fight,” Zerafa said.

Tim Tszyu and Michael Zerafa out the front of the renamed ‘Tszyucastle Entertainment Centre’. Picture: Peter Lorimer/Getty

“They can rename it after I beat him … Zerafaville.

“I know deep down he knows I’m going to be his hardest test. I take nothing away from him, every fight he’s getting better. He is a champion, he holds himself really well, but I’ve been in there with some big boys, and heart is going to play a big role in this fight.

“I’m a different caliber. I’m not going to make any predictions but I know I’m going to be his hardest fight.”

Still, it is quite the unique situation for 26-year-old Tszyu, whose legendary father Kostya fought in Newcastle seven times.

Renaming it ‘Tszyucastle’ was the brainchild of promoter George Rose, who wondered if it could be done after Tszyu dismantled Dennis Hogan in his previous bout there to those chants.

“I thought we were mad for even thinking of it, so the fact we’ve been able to pull it off is pretty cool,” Rose said.

Michael Zerafa v Tim Tszyu certainly promises to be an exciting match-up.

“Tim Tszyu must be one of the few athletes in the world to have a stadium named after them while they’re competing in it.”

The magnitude is not lost on Tszyu (18-0, 14K)), who is the WBO No.1 contender and wants to fight a unification bout for the super-welterweight championship if he disposes of Zerafa (28-4, 17KO).

“I’m grateful and blessed, but this hasn’t come overnight. It’s a lot of hard work and consistency, I’ve put myself through hell in training, in fights, taken out everyone I could possibly fight, the best in Australia, and it’s led to this moment,” Tszyu said.

“This is what I was born to do.

“If you want to do boxing you want to do things like this, creating stadium fights and coming to fights like here. To be selling out in 24 hours means we’re doing something good.

“Fighting Jeff Horn in a stadium was unreal, but to come here to Newcastle and fight in this stadium was something more special and more electrifying.”

Fireworks erupt as Tszyu-Zerafa confirmed

Michael Zerafa says Tim Tszyu will always be second-best in his family, while Tszyu says his rival is “a soft man”.

The war of words has begun as the pair prepare for their long-awaited showdown on July 7 in Newcastle, with Tszyu intent on taking out Zerafa and challenging for the unified super-welterweight world title.

“I’m ready for the big boys already, I’m an old school fighter, these boys have a few jabs, a few crosses, they don’t build them the same way, everyone is soft these days,” Tszyu said.

“Zerafa’s got no idea. Deep down, he knows he’s a soft man inside.”

But Zerafa took aim at Tszyu’s lineage during a spicy press conference at The Star Sydney, saying “If his name was Tim Smith nobody would care about him, he uses TT2, that means he’s always going to be second-best in his family” referring to Tim’s father Kostya Tszyu.

Zerafa later told News Corp: “July 7 is going to be fireworks, I’m going to put a full stop to Tim Tszyu.

“He’s never fought anyone with my power, my timing, my speed, my style.

“You can’t figure anyone out, what he thinks and what I know are two different things. He can watch whatever he wants to watch and think whatever he wants to think, as soon as that overhand right lands, then we can talk.

“I’m going out there to hurt Tim Tszyu.

“He is still a boy. He hasn’t been taken to deep waters yet, he truly hasn’t. He will see.”

Tszyu said: “What my dad did, nobody in Australia has ever done or could possibly do, but I believe I can.

“It’s the second generation. It’s not second best, it’s the second coming.”

Tszyu is the WBO No.1 super-welterweight in the world, but the champion, Brian Castano, is fighting a unification bout against WBC, WBA and IBF king Jermell Charlo in July.

Zerafa last fought on March 13 against Anthony Mundine.

Tszyu (18-0, 14KO) is hoping a win against Zerafa (28-4, 17KO) will catapult him into a bout against the unified champion.

Zerafa claimed Tszyu ran away from a fight with him years ago claiming he’d injured his hand.

Tszyu showed his scar and explained: “I had a bad Staph infection, I was on antibiotics for three weeks so I couldn’t punch, couldn’t do anything, it was three or four years ago.”

Zerafa replied: “Well there is a lie right there, he told me he did it in sparring.

“I got a photo that looked like the hand of a 60-year-old man, it wasn’t even the same skin colour as Tim.”

Tszyu chose to fight Jeff Horn after the former world champion avenged his loss to Zerafa in their rematch.

“After the first fight between Horn and Zerafa, I wanted Zerafa straight away. He was, as he quoted, ‘onto bigger and better things’,” Tszyu said.

“He was going to fight (WBA World middleweight champion) Ryota Murata and then Jeff Horn got the rematch clause. What happened? Jeff Horn won. Am I going to fight the loser or the winner – I’m going to fight the winner obviously.”

Tszyu pummelled Dennis Hogan on March 31 in Newcastle.

Zerafa said Tszyu had been fighting Venezuelan taxi drivers – he has not fought anybody from Venezuela – and said his record was superior to Tszyu.

“I’ve fought everybody, name another fighter that’s done what I’ve done,” Zerafa said.

“I’ve gone 12 rounds with guys that have dominated the sport, I’ve fought in crowds of 20,000-plus in the biggest promotions in the world.

“I fought Peter Quillin, biggest puncher in the division. Who has he fought, Jeff Horn? So did I.

“We had bigger fights in the pipeline, we had Murata reach out to us, we had (Chris) Eubank Jr for an interim world title, but they’re not going to come here and quarantine and the money there were asking for was ridiculous, and we weren’t going over there to quarantine for the money they were offering.”

Tszyu said: “You can’t bag me, I’ve done everything I possibly can. The fact he’s talking about some Venezuelan taxi drivers? Everyone knows that’s bullsh-t. I’ve fought the best here in Australia, that’s fact.”