‘F***ed up': Nikita Tszyu claps back at ‘ignorant' pundits, reveals truth about Fundora stoppage
Meanwhile, longtime Tszyu family rival Michael Zerafa – who fights on the same August pay-per-view card as Nikita – claims 'The Butcher' is actually a better fighter than his older brother.
Nikita returns to action for the first time in a year against German-based Macedonian Lulzim Ismaili (12-0) on August 20 at the ICC Theatre in Sydney, and was ringside as Tim was beaten by a much-improved Fundora at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
After a week of speculation, Nikita says it was trainer and uncle, Igor Goloubev, who stopped the fight after the seventh round.
'Tim just didn't have anything left in him and the corner stopped it,' Nikita told Code Sports. 'They visually saw that he was out, and that he no longer had the strength.
'Igor stopped it. My uncle stopped it. I'm 99% sure of that.'
That hasn't stopped a wave of online criticism being aimed at Tim, with many fans and pundits saying he quit on his stool, despite saying just days earlier that he was willing to die in the ring.
'I've been seeing a lot of 'quit, quit, quit,' but it wasn't the case,' Nikita said. 'It was done. It was a losing battle.
'It's just a bit of ignorance and it's a shame that it happens. It's a shame that we're so flawed as a society that everyone has to play the blame game.
'There's no dishonour in that fight.
'Tim fought his ass off, did everything he could and wasn't able to finish the job. He got beat. There's no dishonour in that.
'Why's everyone slamming him? It's kind've fucked up.
'Do you expect him to die on his feet? The boxing world is messed up.'
Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech was one of many to slam Tim's corner in the days after the fight, and urged the Sydneysider to make changes to his team.
Nikita brushed off those criticisms and will use the same personnel, including Goloubev, cutman Mark Gambin and trainer Dave Barker, on August 20.
'I'll always use them,' he said. 'I feel most comfortable with them, and if there's anyone I'd want to lose with, it's them.
'My mentality is just different than most boxers. I don't think there's dishonour in losing. You go into a fight, you prepare your best.
'If you don't prepare, that's the most dishonourable thing you can do. We always come in as prepared as possible.
'If we win, we win. If we lose we lose, but we always fight our ass off.
'The UFC is the perfect example of how it should be. People fight, they win, they lose, everyone gets praised.
'In boxing, everyone just gets slammed. It's a weird dynamic.'
Nikita has been out of action since his August 2024 Fight of the Year win over Koen Mazoudier.
Since then, 'The Butcher' has battled with a hand injury, got married and had his first child, a daughter named Curiosity.
Lulzim will be his first international opponent, and there are plans for Nikita to face Zerafa later this year.
He wouldn't talk about a potential fight with Zerafa, who fights American Mikey Dahlman (18-1) in the co-main event on August 20, while 'The Pretty Boy' says he's now focused on landing a big-money fight with the older Tszyu brother.
He even claims Nikita is better than Tim.
'The grudge match isn't with Nikita, it's with me and Tim,' Zerafa said of his years-long rivalry with Tim. 'Nikita's still young in his career, I'm ranked higher than him, and now, higher than Tim.
'He's crafty and strong, and I actually think he's a better fighter than Tim.
'He's still raw, he's still fresh in the sport, but he's doing great things. He's a weird personality – he's the weird guy, I'm the bad guy.
'But it's one fight at a time. That's Nikita's thing, so keep doing it.'
The August 20 undercard also sees the return of Sydneysider Brock Jarvis against Sam Beck (7-0) for his first bout since his defeat to Keith Thurman in March.
Rising Sydney superstar Ahmad Reda is on the hunt for a new opponent after Brisbane power puncher Billy Polkinghorn was forced out through injury.
Further down the card, heavyweight slugger Brandon Grach is in a five-rounder, while Jasmine Parr and Isaias Sette will also feature.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
13 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Ashes war of words erupts as Broad hits back at Warner's swipe
There's nearly four months until the first Ashes Test in Perth, but the war of words is already well underway. Ex-England bowler Stuart Broad has hit back at comments from former Australian rival David Warner, who took a gentle dig at superstar batter Joe Root ahead of the marquee series. Speaking to BBC Sport, Warner suggested that Root, the second-leading run-scorer in Test history, was susceptible to LBW dismissals, warning that Australian quick Josh Hazlewood will be targeting his front pad during this summer's Ashes campaign. Root averages 51.09 in Tests, but that figure slips to 31.40 when facing Hazlewood. 'The big anchor there is Rooty, who is yet to score a hundred in Australia,' Warner said. 'Hazlewood tends to have his number quite a lot. He will have to take the surfboard off his front leg.' 11 – Pat Cummins (AUS) 11 – Jasprit Bumrah (IND) 10 – Josh Hazlewood (AUS) 9 – Ravindra Jadeja (IND) Root has cracked 15 Test hundreds since the start of 2022, averaging 64.64 in the game's longest format during that period. However, the right-hander has struggled on previous Ashes tours to Australia, scoring 892 runs at 35.68 with no centuries across 15 matches. The Yorkshireman has been toppled by Hazlewood ten times in the Test arena – but as pointed out by Broad, only three of those dismissals were LBW, the most recent of which occurred way back in 2019. 'I've never heard England's best ever batters front pad called a surfboard,' Broad tweeted. 'Just for clarity. Hazlewood has got Rooty LBW in Test cricket three times. Three.' I’ve never heard England’s best ever batters front pad called a Surfboard 😂😂 Just for clarity. Hazelwood has got Rooty LBW in Test Cricket 3 times. Three. — Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) August 2, 2025 Since the start of 2013, no cricketer has been dismissed LBW in the Test arena more often than Root with 51, accounting for 19.39 per cent of his wickets, which is noticeably higher than teammates Ben Stokes (12.69), Ollie Pope (15.84) and Zak Crawley (14.29). Warner, who will represent the London Spirit in the upcoming Hundred tournament, and Broad enjoyed an entertaining Ashes rival, with the Englishman removing the Australian opener on 17 occasions. Most LBW dismissals in Tests since 2013 51 – Joe Root (ENG) 36 – Virat Kohli (IND) 33 – Steve Smith (AUS) 31 – Kraigg Brathwaite (WI) 30 – Jonny Bairstow (ENG)
Daily Telegraph
29 minutes ago
- Daily Telegraph
English Premier League stars eye Golden Eagle bid
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. A horse owned by English Premier League football royalty will have the ultimate goal of winning Sydney's Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens this year as one of several potential international raiders for the $10m showpiece. Seagulls Eleven could be set to follow in the footsteps of 2024 Golden Eagle winner Lake Forest and head 'down under' in pursuit of the world's richest race for four-year-olds. The horse's name is a nod to Brighton Hove Albion, which are nicknamed The Seagulls and finished eighth in last year's Premier League. PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! A host of Brighton players both past and present are involved in the horse, including English internationals James Milner, Danny Welbeck and Adam Lallana. Former Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen is also involved and is no stranger to bringing horses to Australia as an owner of ex-Melbourne Cup contender Brown Panther, which finished eighth in the famous two-mile race in 2013. READ: Forged friendship has Hadouken on course for Darwin Cup defence Seagulls Eleven, wearing the blue and white colours of Brighton, is trained by English-based horseman Hugo Palmer and put a trip to Australia on the agenda with victory in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes (1609m) at the Glorious Goodwood carnival on Friday. 'He's taken us all around the world and I don't think we're done yet,' Palmer told the Racing Post. 'The Golden Eagle in Sydney has already been mentioned and why not? It's a $10 million race. Where can you say that in England?' Seagulls Eleven could have one more start in England in the City Of York Stakes before he would need to enter quarantine to head to Australia for the Golden Eagle on November 1 at Rosehill Gardens. Australian Turf Club Head of Racing and Wagering Nevesh Ramdhani was in the UK for the Glorious Goodwood and spoke to multiple stables about the prospect of heading to Sydney for the spring carnival. READ: 'She is so humble': Proud Mum revels in daughter's premiership feat 'There has certainly been a lot of interest in Australian racing with horses from multiple yards interested in coming down,' Ramdhani said. 'Seagulls Eleven is one, Charlie Fellowes has a horse called Luther that ran at Saratoga on Friday and he's interested and of course William Haggas has a few potential horses.' Ramdhani will also spend time talking to stables in Japan on his way back to Australia. TAB have installed Seagulls Eleven as a $26 elect for the Golden Eagle with Chris Waller's star mares Autumn Glow ($3.50) and Lady Shenandoah ($4.50) heading betting for Sydney's second richest race. Haggas also has his sights set on the $500,000 Group 3 St Leger (2600m) on The Everest Day for staying talent Sam Hawkens. Originally published as Seagulls Eleven to target the $10 million Golden Eagle with English Premier League stars in the ownership
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Queensland Maroons, Canbera Raiders legend Sam Backo dies aged 64
Sam Backo – a larger-than-life front-rower who represented Queensland and Australia in the 1980s – has died. Backo, 64, had been in intensive care at Cairns Hospital after being diagnosed with melioidosis - a bacterial infection - in April. Recent media reports stated Backo may have contracted the soil-borne tropical disease while swimming in Freshwater Creek at Goomboora Park in Cairns. Backo had been transferred to a Brisbane hospital but returned to Cairns where he passed on Sunday afternoon surrounded by family and friends. Nicknamed Slammin' Sam, Backo played 114 games for Canberra between 1983 and 1988 before playing a further 20 games for Brisbane in 1989 and 1990. He then had a stint with Leeds in England. A renowned character, Backo played seven State of Origin games for Queensland and six Tests for Australia. He also represented a Rest of World team in 1988. Known as a gentle giant, Backo, who suffered a heart attack in 2023, watched the recent State of Origin decider from his hospital bed. At the time of his heart attack, former teammate and Immortal Wally Lewis said: 'He was such a dominant prop. 'When he came on, Sam just destroyed everyone that was in front of him. Sam was the size of a cement truck and he made the most of it. 'That dominating period for Sam, in the late 1980s, probably gave Queensland dominance in size for the first time.' At the time, Queensland legend Trevor Gillmeister added: 'They talk about big blokes these days with footwork but Sam was one of the first that was god on his feet for a big man.' Backo was known for his work in indigenous health.
