Aussie Tim Tszyu destroys Kiwi Bowyn Morgan, gives Michael Zerafa cold shoulder

Tim Tszyu destroyed Bowyn Morgan, moved closer to a world title fight in Australia and then gave potential opponent Michael Zerafa the cold shoulder in a wild night in Sydney.

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A major world title fight looms for Tim Tszyu in his backyard after his first round demolition of Kiwi Bowyn Morgan.

Tszyu knocked out Morgan in less than two minutes at Bankwest Stadium, then declared: “I want only one thing, that’s the world title, here in Australia”, which is likely to be staged in March or April 2021 against Argentina’s Brian Castano.

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“Every fighter has their strengths, but it’s about taking their strengths away from them,” Tszyu said of Castano.

“There’s things he’s good at, but I’m only getting better and I plan to be the world champion.

“It’s an obsessive work ethic, I don’t stop, my training goes to another level each time and I feel more calm, relaxed in the ring, so it pays off.

“I am bigger and stronger, nothing is going to stop me.”

The highlight reel moment.

Tszyu dropped Morgan after tagging him with a right hook, right uppercut, right hook combination followed by a thumping right-left.

Morgan was able to beat the referee’s count, but Tszyu then clocked him with a thunderous overhand right that put him face first on the canvas.

It was Tszyu’s most brutal knockout yet, and he is closing in on a WBO super-welterweight title fight against Argentina’s Castano due to COVID-19 complications.

WBO champion Patrick Teixeira won the title 13 months ago, but can’t get a visa into the United States to defend his belt, so the governing body has given him a January 6 deadline he’s unlikely to meet.

Tszyu is No.2 in the WBO super-welterweight rankings, while Castano is No.1, and if Teixeira fails to get a visa in three weeks, the WBO will strip him of the title, and order a fight between Tszyu and Castano for the vacant belt, with Teixeira to fight the winner once he can travel.

As Tszyu exited the ring to a long line of waiting fans, potential opponent Michael Zerafa was brushed by Australia's newest boxing star when trying to get the victor's attention.

Tszyu gave Michael Zerafa donuts after the fight

Tszyu and manager Glen Jennings will sit down with promoter Matt Rose on Thursday morning to discuss the way to bring the major title fight to Australia in three months.

“On the outcome of that we will sit down with Matt Rose over breakfast and thrash it out, we know the formula, we know the dates,” Jennings said.

“It will be pretty much full on for all of us to make it happen here, by March or April next year, and hopefully right here at Bankwest on the back of what we had tonight.”

Tszyu received a video call from his legendary father Kostya, who resides in Russia, as he walked through a throng of supporters in the stadium.

“He was super happy,” Tszyu said. “I didn’t get hit once.”

After his brutal finish, Tszyu told the raucous crowd of 11,820 that including sporting greats Lleyton Hewitt, Dustin Martin, Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker, Jack Wighton, Damien Cook and Drew Mitchell: “You guys know what’s next, that’s the world title here in Sydney, in Australia.

“Let’s do it 10 times the size of this, Australia deserves it, this is part of history.”

The champ is here.

Tszyu (17-0, 13KO) defended the WBO Global and IBF Australasian super-welterweight titles he claimed with victory against Jeff Horn last August, and has put the entire division on notice.

“It was countless hours in the gym, this doesn’t happen without hard training,” Tszyu said.

“I was just getting started. Bowyn Morgan is a tough competitor, I just never gave him the opportunity.”

Morgan (31-2, 11KO) suffered only his second defeat.

Walking out to the tune of “Another one bites the dust”, Tszyu looked all business stepping into the ring, and gained control immediately after the bell rang with two thudding left body rips and a right hook on Morgan’s temple.

Morgan struggled to unsettle Tszyu, as the Sydney fighter landed his missiles with ease.

 

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NSW, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and Northern Territory are all pitching to host the potential world title showdown between Tszyu and Argentina’s Brian Castano in early 2021, made possible by COVID-19 restrictions.

And because of the crowd restrictions around the world, Australia is a huge chance of landing the bout. Tszyu is the only fighter in the world to have two stadium fights in 2020 – having stopped Jeff Horn in Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

The tourism arms of each state have already been in contact with Tszyu’s team regarding that bout, aware that it could generate up to $7 million into their local economy via interstate travelers.

A raised fist after an epic victory.

Originally published as Aussie Tim Tszyu destroys Kiwi Bowyn Morgan, gives Michael Zerafa cold shoulder