Why Kostya Tszyu won’t be at son Tim’s career-defining fight in Las Vegas

In a shock fight week twist, Kostya Tszyu won’t be in Las Vegas for his son Tim’s world title blockbuster against Sebastian Fundora this weekend.

Kostya Tszyu is set to miss son Tim’s Vegas debut. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

In a shock fight week twist, Kostya Tszyu won’t be in Las Vegas for his son Tim’s world title blockbuster against Sebastian Fundora this weekend.

Kostya had been expected to jet in to Vegas on the morning of the bout, having not been in attendance for one of his son’s fight since his 2016 debut.

But logistics made his trip impossible.

“He’s got his own schedule he works to and to get out of Moscow via somewhere else, in the space of a day – and there’s been delays every day – and I’ve got a sense it just might be too hard,” Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings told this masthead.

“There’s a slight window that he might come, but I’ve got a sense that he won’t come.”

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Kostya Tszyu has not attended a Tim Tszyu fight since 2016 (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Speaking from his Split-T gym base as he winds up training camp, Tszyu took the news in stride.

“Everyone always asks, but I don’t see it as a big deal,” he said. “I’m not really used to him. The last time I saw my dad (at a fight) was when I was 21 years old.

“Times have changed and I’ve done my career with Igor and we’re used to each other. That’s why, if dad does come, it’s a bit different.

“I’m not used to it.”

Tim says Kostya was a menace in the crowd for his pro debut, and jokes that’s why he’s never been invited back.

“While we have great respect for Kostya, even him coming could have been a distraction for Tim,” Jennings said. “We don’t bring any distractions in.

“It’s just full focus.”

Tim Tszyu's relationship with his legendary father Kostya is complicated. Every time he enters the ring, he's not just fighting his opponent.

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— CODE Sports (@codesportsau) November 16, 2021

Meanwhile, Tszyu claimed Fundora’s “chin has gone”, questioned whether the American was wearing high-heeled boots during their first face-off to make himself appear even taller, and took a crack at his fashion sense.

Fundora was being fast-tracked to a world title before he was knocked out in dramatic fashion by Brian Mendoza last April.

Most pundits believe Tszyu’s best chance of winning is to attack Fundora’s body, but ‘The Soul Taker’ says his stunning KO loss to Mendoza has left him vulnerable elsewhere.

“When you lose your chin, you lose your chin,” Tszyu told this masthead. “It’s something you can’t bring back.

“He got his head knocked out and I plan on doing the same thing.

“You get knocked out like that, and it’s definitely not healthy. When you get knocked out like that, your chin is vulnerable and you’re not the same fighter as you were. That’s just facts and simple science. People aren’t the same.

“Hopefully it’s something I can exploit – I had to thank Mendoza for ironing that out.

“But I’m quite well-rounded, I don’t just bring one type of shot. It’s not just to the body, it’s a bit of everything – I can do it all.”

Tim Tszyu takes on the Towering Infermo on Sunday in Las Vegas. Picture: Louis Grasse/Getty Images

Fundora dwarfed Tszyu when they met face-to-face in Vegas late last week, with the 20-1-1 southpaw enjoying a (21cm) height advantage.

Tszyu brushed off concerns about the height difference, even questioning whether it was as pronounced as it appeared.

“He was wearing high-heeled boots – that’s all I noticed,” he said. “He was wearing cowboy boots, that’s just his fashion sense – I don’t think the clothes suit him.

“Height doesn’t bother me.It’s gonna be awkward at first, but it is what it is.”

The unification bout will be Tszyu’s first fight in Las Vegas, and second in America, following in the footsteps of his dad, Kostya, who enjoyed his greatest successes in the States.

Tim has fought in Australia 22 times, and in New Zealand once, but doesn’t see himself fighting Down Under again any time soon.

“One hundred per cent,” he said when asked if America was his new fighting home. “I was watching the press conference in Australia the other day and was thinking it’s different.

“This is the big time, and when you get a taste of this, it’s addicting.

“You just want to keep progressing and going further. The goals and aspirations just keep going up and up and up.

“Once you conquer this land, you just want to keep going and going.”

A proud Sydneysider, Tszyu ruled out a move to live in America.

“Nah, I’m Aussie through and through – I’m never leaving Australia,” he said. “ … Except for Italy.

“I might be sipping a cappuccino on the Amalfi coast one day.”

Originally published as Why Kostya Tszyu won’t be at son Tim’s career-defining fight in Las Vegas