Tim Tszyu v Tony Harrison: Celebrities out in force as boxing rivals face off for first time

Celebrities flocked to the red carpet as the build-up to the Tszyu-Harrison blockbuster went up a notch when the rivals faced off for the first time.

Tony Harrison with his late father Ali Salaam, who guided his boxing career from the age of four.

Sporting a new $50,000 Cartier watch, Tim Tszyu showed the bling in the ring as a raft of celebrities and athletes attended the first face-off between the Australian and his rival Tony Harrison on Tuesday night.

Nearly 500 people were at the film premiere of Creed III, which doubled as the first meeting between Tszyu and America’s former world champion Harrison who will battle for the WBO super-welterweight title on Sunday, March 12.

Harrison arrived in Sydney at 7am, went for a 10km run, and walked the red carpet in tan loafers.

Tszyu rocked the diamond watch he purchased in Los Angeles in his recent training camp.

Singer and swim star Cody Simpson, NRL figures Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker and Matty John’s, boxing world champion Jai Opetaia and Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech, as well as GWS Giants and Sydney Swifts netballers mingled with Married At First Sight contestants.

For Tszyu, the red carpet festivities were a sideshow.

Tim Tszyu arrives at the #Creed3 premiere in Sydney before he confronts Tony Harrison for the first time pic.twitter.com/YHFlnoXU9K

— Jamie Pandaram (@JamiePandaram) February 28, 2023

“It’s nice to see all this, but I’m a fighter, I’m locked in and to be honest, all this means nothing,” Tszyu said.

“I couldn’t care less if the president of whoever is here. All I’m concerned about is the fight.”

As promised, Harrison hugged Tszyu as they finally faced off, with both exchanging laughs before an intense stare down.

“We’ve been eyeing each other for a bit now,” Tszyu said.

“It’s been a long, gruelling camp and there’s only 10 days to go, this is the best part.”

No Limit Boxing boss George Rose said the star-studded turnout was testament to Tszyu’s exploding profile.

“It’s one of those things that comes with being the best in your chosen field, you can’t fake it, and that’s the pool Tim is at,” Rose said.

World title rivals Tim Tszyu and Tony Harrison share a lighter moment. Picture: Jonathan Ng

World title rivals Tim Tszyu and Tony Harrison. Picture: Jonathan Ng

MURDER, PAIN AND A BOXING DREAM — HARRISON’S STORY

When Tony Harrison was 15 years old, he and some friends got into a fight with a rival group at a house party in Detroit.

“As we’re leaving, we get into a car, and they shot the whole car up,” Harrison recalled.

“I don’t know how, but the bullets missed us. They went in the car, through the car, but we didn’t get hit.”

One week passed.

“My best friend, who was with us that night, got shot,” Harrison said.

“He was paralysed, and then I think fluid got into his heart. He died.”

That was life growing up in Motor City.

Tony Harrison preparing for his world title fight against Tim Tszyu at his gym in Detroit.

“It could’ve been me, it could have been any of my boys that was there the night of the party,” Harrison said.

“We grew up fighting. When it was time to kick someone’s ass, we went in and honed our skills. But we were thinking about fighting and going home, other motherf-----s were thinking about death.

“That’s why I don’t be at parties no more, I don’t go out and do that stuff. Whatever people be doing now, I did that stuff, too early in life.

“Anything you can think of, I’ve seen it, I’ve been through it.”

The murder of his best friend convinced Harrison that the only fighting he needed to be doing was inside a ring.

Harrison was just four years old when his father, Ali Salaam, pulled gloves onto his tiny hands and had him throw punches.

The boxing addiction was cemented.

“Coach Ali” nurtured his boy, kept him on the straight and narrow, and took him all the way to a world championship in 2018 when Harrison defeated Jermell Charlo for the WBC super-welterweight title.

It remains Harrison’s greatest heartache; Salaam died from Covid in 2020.

“He was everything man, he taught me everything I know,” Harrison said.

Tony Harrison with his late father Ali Salaam, who guided his boxing career from the age of four.

“He is in me, when you see me throw that jab, that’s Ali’s jab, he taught me how to throw that jab, when you see my head movement, that’s him.”

It was the lightning jab and swift head bobbing that allowed Harrison to outpoint Charlo for the world title, describing his own performance as a “matador” to the bull.

It was Charlo’s first and only loss. He avenged it by defeating Harrison in a rematch in 2019.

Harrison’s father passed away, and he returned to the ring in April 2021 against Bryant Perella, a bout that ended in a draw.

“I didn’t realise it then, but I wasn’t ready mentally because I had lost my dad,” Harrison said.

“I was there physically, so I thought I was ready. But boxing is about being there 90 per cent mentally, and 10 per cent physically.”

The draw, coming off a stoppage loss to Charlo, had many pundits predicting the end of Harrison’s career.

“They thought I was done, but I knew different,” Harrison said.

“I had the love of those closest to me, the people that knew me from day one, not people who thought they knew me but those that have been there from the start, and they believed in me.

Tony Harrison fights Tim Tszyu for the WBO super-welterweight title on March 12.

“And I came back, and showed everybody what I’m about.”

Harrison defeated Spain’s Sergio Garcia last April, claiming the vacant WBC Silver super-welterweight title, and as fate would have it, nemesis Charlo would give him another chance at a world championship.

Because while father-of-three Harrison was toiling in the shadows, Tim Tszyu was shining in the bright lights of Sydney, Newcastle and Minneapolis.

All of a sudden, Tszyu became the No. 1 contender for Charlo, who had claimed all four major belts in the super-welterweight division by knocking out Brian Castano.

The fight was set for January 28 in Las Vegas. Just prior to Christmas, Charlo broke his hand sparring.

Instead of waiting, Tszyu (21-0, 15KO) opted to stay active, and the WBO made its title available due to Charlo’s inactivity.

It set up Tszyu versus Harrison for the interim WBO super-welterweight belt on March 12 at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, with the winner to fight Charlo for the undisputed championship later this year.

Tim Tszyu will fight against Tony Harrison at Qudos Bank Arena for the world title on March 12. Picture: No Limit/Gregg Porteous

Harrison (29-3-1, 21KO) arrives in Sydney on Tuesday.

“And there ain’t no ifs or buts about it, I’m winning,” Harrison said.

“I am just the better boxer, I’ve never felt this good coming into a fight, and they are going to be really disappointed.

“Tim made a mistake taking this. If I see a wrinkle in his armour, it’s going to be an early finish.

“But if it goes the distance, I’ve trained hard and prepared, and I’ll win damn near every round.”

Originally published as Tim Tszyu v Tony Harrison: Celebrities out in force as boxing rivals face off for first time