Danilo Creati makes shock claims about referees and judges ahead of Nikita Tszyu blockbuster

The rivalry between Nikita Tszyu and Danilo Creati just kicked into overdrive with Creati making shock claims against referees and judges ahead of Wednesday’s blockbuster fight.

Nikita Tszyu has been hit with shock illegal punches claim. Picture: No Limit Boxing

Danilo Creati has made the shock claim that Nikita Tszyu only won his Australian super-welterweight title because of a series of illegal punches he landed on Dylan Biggs last year

The 34-year-old Creati also claimed Tszyu receives preferential treatment from referees and ringside judges because of his last name.

Tszyu won the national title with an entertaining fifth round knockout of Dylan Biggs in Newcastle in November, and will make his first defence of the belt against Creati at the Hordern Pavilion on Wednesday.

BOXING: Nikita Tszyu returns to the ring for the first time in 2024 to defend his title against Danilo Creati plus another 4 big titles on the card | WED 24 APR 7PM AEST | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.

But the 8-1-1 Creati says that win over Biggs is tainted.

“In round four, he gave six or seven punches to the back of the head of Dylan Biggs,” the former Italian national champion told this masthead. “That’s when the fight changed, and it’s an important thing.

Tszyu (R) and Dylan Biggs go at it in their title fight last year. Picture: No Limit Boxing

“Have a look at it, in round four, there were six or seven punches in the back of the head, and the referee didn’t notice any of them. And there were 14 in the whole round.

“And that’s just in round four, and there was not a call from the referee – nothing.”

A massive underdog heading into the fight, Creati believes Tszyu gets special treatment because of his family name, and can only hope the officials are impartial on fight night.

“Definitely, it’s a big influence on the decision of the judges around the ring and the main referee in the ring,” he said. “(His name) has a big influence.

“I don’t feel I’m such an underdog if it’s a fair fight, especially if they pick a fair referee.

“I don’t think it’s in our power (to choose the referee), but we just cross our fingers that the referee is not going to be blindfolded and they call a more qualified referee.”

Danilo Creati has called for a "qualified referee" for his fight with Tszyu. Picture: No Limit Boxing

Tszyu, who spent a month training and sparring in American alongside older brother Tim in the lead-up to his bloody world title loss to Sebastian Fundora, laughed off all of Creati’s claims.

“Those punches were to the side of the head. All of them,” he said of his win over Biggs. “They were perfectly legal shots to the side of the head.

“I got him with a hook.

“It’s not like I was behind him, hitting him on the side of the head. All of those shots were landing around the ear and were perfectly legal.”

Tszyu laughed off Creati’s claims on Monday. Picture: No Limit Boxing

Creati isn’t the first fighter to claim Tim and Nikita get preferential treatment, with a long line of past opponents rolling out the same argument.

Like his older brother, Nikita brushed them off.

“Whatever,” he said. “Let them talk. Let them make excuses.”

Tszyu is so confident of defending his belt that he revealed there’s no rematch clause in his contract, despite the run of shocking upsets the boxing world has seen in the last month.

“That’s not even something I think about,” he said.

Tszyu and Creati headline a star-studded show on Wednesday. Picture: No Limit Boxing

Instead, Tszyu is focusing on the $20,000 bonus No Limit boss George Rose is putting up for the fighter who scores the most impressive knockout of the night.

“I want it to end in a knockout so I can keep my streak of KOs coming in,” he said. “I’m on a five fight knockout streak, and (the bonus) will be nice.”

Believing that the judges won’t be impartial, Creati says he’ll be looking for a finish, and even threw in a sly dig about Tim.

“The mission is to sit him on his butt and keep the decision in my hand rather than leave it to the referees,” he said.

“I see his jaw as really fragile. He’s not that strong physically – not like his brother.

“He’s really hittable and defence is not his first skill. He’s a straightforward fighter, but he lacks defence.

“He’s really exposed when he attacks, and I’ll take advantage of those opportunities.”

Originally published as Danilo Creati makes shock claims about referees and judges ahead of Nikita Tszyu blockbuster