Boxing 2020: Jeff Horn-Tim Tszyu Main Event fight available to stream on Kayo Sports

Fans will be closer than ever before for the most-anticipated and important Australian fight of the year between Jeff Horn and Tim Tszyu.

Jeff Horn and Tim Tszyu in the lead up to the Rumble on the Reef.

Tim Tszyu has revealed it has been a three-year journey to get into the ring with Jeff Horn, where the pair will fight in the most anticipated fight in Australian boxing of 2020 on Wednesday August 26.

As the pair enter their final preparations for the fight between Horn, the champ trying to return to the top, and Tszyu, the son of boxing legend Kostya and rising star of Aussie boxing, it’s a match made for the headlines.

Watch Horn vs Tszyu live on Main Event (available on Foxtel and Kayo), Wednesday 26 August, 7pm AEST. ORDER NOW >

But while it seem fortuitous the fight came together, Tszyu revealed this has been on the cards since Horn claimed the controversial yet unanimous decision over Manny Pacquiao to claim the WBO welterweight championship.

The now-25-year-old Tszyu is 15-0 having carved his way through 10 fighters since the Pacquiao decision on his way to the blockbuster with Horn.

“I’ve got a lot hanging on this and a lot to prove. Hopefully this fight brings something different than just skills and brings the beast out of me,” Tszyu said in a release to announce that fans can watch the fight through Main Event, can now be ordered and streamed on Kayo.

“I’m looking forward to having a competitor such as Jeff Horn, with his style. I was at the Horn-Pacquiao fight and as soon as it finished, I looked at my manager to ‘make this happen’ – three years later, here we are.”

It’s been a long time these men have been on a collision course.

Tszyu, despite being the son of one of Australia’s greatest boxers, has done it his own way so far in his career, getting the experience under his belt before pushing for world titles.

Last year he declared he wanted to be a “world champion this time next year”. But while COVID has played its part, Tszyu is also patient at a relatively young age for a boxer to pay his dues.

With similar lofty ambitions, it’s almost unavoidable to not compare him to his father, who held multiple light-welterweight world titles during his glittering career. But Tszyu Jr told the Sydney Morning Herald the comparisons don’t bother him.

“Doesn‘t bother me because I’ve done it all on my own anyway,” Tszyu said about comparisons to his father. “My dad supports me no matter what, from where he is. The fact he’s not here doesn’t bother me. He’s only been to one of my fights anyway.”

On the other hand, Horn, the quiet former schoolteacher turned world champion, has been in a different role this fight, bringing the trash talk.

He has played up the influence of Kostya and questioned if this truly is the time for Tim to rise to the top.

“I think Tim has definitely got the ability, whether he’s got it now or not is a question to be asked,” he said. “And that’s the question I’m going to be asking on the night when we’re fighting.”

While the fight is set to take place at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville, every round of the highly anticipated showdown will be closer than ever with Main Event available to be ordered and streamed via Kayo, in addition to Foxtel subscribers on Foxtel’s MAIN EVENT Channel.

To order the fight for Kayo, visit https://mainevent.kayosports.com.au/. The fight will also be on-demand until 11.59pm on September 6.

Horn-Tszyu poster for Rumble on the Reef.

Kayo Sports executive director Ant Hearne said with COVID restricting travel and the ability to congregate at pubs and clubs, the move was perfect for those who want to still witness a piece of Australian boxing history.

“We’re pumped to be able to bring this hugely anticipated fight, between two of Australia’s favourite sports stars, to fans to stream across the country,” he said. “More Aussies, particularly those in Victoria who are in lockdown and can’t get to a venue to watch, can now access the fight through Kayo, which takes only a few minutes to sign up to.”

Horn added: “At a difficult time when many people are in lockdown and unable to leave home or travel to watch the fight ringside or with mates, with Kayo and Foxtel we are able to do this for the fans and bring the fight into people’s homes instead.”