Michael Zerafa has offered to fight Tim Tszyu in September to fill the void of would-be American challenger Erickson Lubin

Michael Zerafa has Nikita and Tim Tszyu in his sights and has united with a former bitter enemy Jeff Horn’s former trainer Glenn Rushton in his quest. And was more than happy to fill a void to fight Tim in less than two months’ time.

Michael Zerafa says he offered to step in and fight Tim Tszyu on September 22 after Erickson Lubin pulled out of negotiations to fight ‘The Soul Taker’.

But, says Zerafa, his offer was knocked back by Team Tszyu.

Tszyu was seemingly on track for an IBF world title eliminator against Lubin until the American pulled out this week, citing a hand injury.

Zerafa, who has recently joined forces with Jeff Horn’s former mentor, Glenn Rushton, has signed a three-fight deal with No Limit.

Zerafa was ready to fight Tim Tszyu in September, but was knocked back. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

He fights 41-year-old Tommy Browne on the August 28 undercard of Nikita Tszyu’s fight with Koen Mazoudier, and hopes to eventually take on both Tszyu brothers.

But he offered to fast-track those plans this week.

“When Lubin pulled out, I said, ‘Put me in there then, I’ll fight him. Don’t worry about Tommy Browne, don’t worry about Nikita, I’ll fight him for the IBF eliminator’,” Zerafa said on Thursday.

“I’ve been there and done it before, let’s make it happen.

“Of course, their response, ‘Nah, nah, nah, we’ve got this plan in place’.

“Sadly, this is the plan they’ve given. I don’t pick and choose, I just fight who’s in front of me.”

Zerafa and Tszyu have a long history, and were supposed to fight in 2021, before the Melburnian pulled out, citing issues around travel during heavy Covid restrictions in Victoria.

Tim Tszyu and Michael Zerafa before a mooted fight in 2021. Picture: Peter Lorimer/Getty Images

The pair briefly set aside their differences when they fought on the same card in Las Vegas in March, but any truce is now over.

“He’s always got something to say when I’m not in front of him,” Zerafa said. “He’s always talking smack in front of a camera, but he can’t find his balls when I’m in front of him.

“He did that in Vegas. He came up to me with his head down wishing me the best. I supported him in Vegas, we’re both Aussies, we got behind each other, but now it’s war again.

“He wants to talk shit, so can I.”

Zerafa is coming off a second round middleweight world title fight defeat to Erislandy Lara in March.

The defeat snapped a four fight winning run, which included stoppage victories over Anthony Mundine and Issac Hardman.

A win over Browne, who is a 45-8-2 veteran of the fight game, should see Zerafa line up a shot at the winner of Nikita Tszyu and Mazoudier’s showdown next month.

“I think they’re overlooking Koen,” Zerafa said. “I’m a fan of Koen’s ability. He’s a great boxer.

“I don’t think it’s gonna be as easy as everyone’s thinking, that Nikita’s gonna go in there and just smash him.

“I think he (Mazoudier) can beat him, so we might even see Zerafa-Nikita, because Mazoudier can cause an upset.”

Elsewhere on the card, Brisbane-based Irishman Conor Wallace will face Kiwi light-heavyweight prospect Jerome Pampellone.

Jasmine Parr – daughter of Aussie fight icon John Wayne Parr – fights Newcastle’s Amber Amelia, with fellow Novocastrian Brandon Grach expected to be announced too.

Bitter enemies unite to stop the Tszyus

They were once bitter enemies.

Now world-title challenger Michael Zerafa has recruited Jeff Horn’s former trainer Glenn Rushton as an ally in his bid to bring down Tim and Nikita Tszyu.

This masthead can reveal Zerafa has signed a fight deal with No Limit, the same Australian boxing promoting powerhouse that has the Tszyu brothers as their stable golden boys.

But that’s not the only surprise, with Zerafa seeking the counsel of Rushton, the trainer who helped ‘The Hornet’ upset Manny Pacquiao in 2017 before devising the game plan that stung the ‘Pretty Boy’ two years ago.

Melbourne middleweight Zerafa will return to the ring on a No Limit card against Tommy Browne in August and says Rushton can be his shock weapon in his eventual plan to silence the Tszyu brothers.

Michael Zerafa has joined forces with Jeff Horn's former trainer Glenn Rushton to stop the Tszyus.

“Glenn has a sharp mind,” said Zerafa, on the comeback trail after a savage second-round knockout loss to Erislandy Lara in their world-title clash in Las Vegas in March.

“He is not officially my trainer. He will just be advising me and helping me in the corner.

“I’ll be picking his brain, he has a lot of experience in boxing and mixed martial arts.

“I feel like it’s an extra bit of artillery in my corner.”

If there’s an odd couple in the fight game, this is surely it.

Five years ago, they were at the epicentre of Australian boxing’s cold war when Zerafa sensationally bashed Horn in Bendigo before ‘The Hornet’ exacted revenge in their famous rematch six days before Christmas in 2019.

Michael Zerafa and Jeff Horn after their middleweight bout in Brisbane in 2019. Picture: Getty Images

Zerafa slammed Rushton’s training methods, duty of care for Horn and even his haircut. Rushton had the last laugh by hatching the tactics that saw Horn stun Zerafa in a Brisbane bloodbath.

But Zerafa and Rushton now share a common goal – destroying the Tszyu dynasty.

Rushton watched helplessly as Tim Tszyu became the new face of Australian boxing with his clinical disposal of Horn in August 2020, while Zerafa is seeking a fresh edge after being brutally picked apart by Lara.

“There’s no bad blood at all,” Zerafa said of his alliance with Rushton.

“We had a chat about working together and Glenn said, ‘Let’s do this and get one up on Timmy Tszyu’.

Michael Zerafa’s last bout ended in a second-round knockout loss to Erislandy Lara in their world-title clash in Las Vegas in March. Picture: PBC

“Glenn helped Jeff Horn become a world champion. Yes, there were a lot of words before our two fights, but since then time has passed and I have a lot of time for Glenn and his family.

“Having that triangle of Glenn, me and Jeff … Horn fought Tim Tszyu and I think Rushton can provide some good insights and break Tim down.”

Despite being outclassed by Lara, Zerafa insists he is not a spent force at age 32 and hopes victory over Browne is the gateway to fights with Nikita and Tim Tszyu.

Zerafa and the elder Tszyu were slated to fight in July 2021, only for Pretty Boy to controversially withdraw a week out citing Covid travel issues.

Tim Tszyu became the face of Australian boxing when he disposed of Jeff Horn in 2020. Picture: Getty Images

“I’ve signed a deal with No Limit and hopefully once I beat Tommy, I can fight Nikita next and eventually Tim,” Zerafa said.

“Nikita is very strong. He has the name. He has the hype, but there’s a lot of flaws in his game and a world-class fighter like me will expose them.

“Me and Tim have unfinished business.

“Being on the same card in Vegas, it softened the bad blood we had as two Aussies on the world stage together, but this is business and there is a fight that needs to be made.

“No Limit have put a shield in front of Tim with Nikita but I will break that family shield and eventually get the big fight the Australian boxing fans deserve.

“The fact is me and Tim have nothing now. Neither of us have any belts.

“We’re back on the same playing field now, so if Tim is ready, I’m ready to do it.”