Tszyu’s English is more fluid now and he seems more ready to smile and crack a joke. His two sons, Timophey, 13, and Nikita, 10, who go to private schools in Sydney, know how to box, but he doesn’t envisage they’ll make a career out of it, and his six-year-old daughter, Anastasia, is learning the piano.
Tszyu has earned kudos by organising workshops for trainers and students at his boxing academy in Sydney’s south, and he is heavily involved with projects to help troubled youth in Australia. ‘My dad, he teach me boxing so I not get into trouble,’ he explains.
Over the past year – he has yet to formally announce his retirement – rumours have been flying of a Tszyu comeback. At 39, he is still fighting fit, he insists, able to push out 270 push-ups at a time. ‘You gotta keep pushing yourself,’ he says. ‘That’s how you win.’ The Australian online article 4 October 2008 Greg Callaghan, ‘20 Years of Sport: Kostya Tszyu
30) Zab Judah TKO2: Boxing News online - US Fight Commentary TV -
On This Day: Kostya Tszyu sends Zab Judah into a giddy rage: Opinion was split on who would win the light-welterweight unification showdown between WBC and WBA champion Kostya Tszyu, and IBF king Zab Judah. The bout was set for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on November 3 2001.
Judah, unbeaten at 27-0, sneered at his opponent’s chances in the lead-up, believing he was on the brink of an ‘easy’ fight. ‘Tszyu’s style is made for me,’ he said. ‘He’s strong, stands up straight and comes forward. His style is like Swiss cheese – full of holes.’
Tszyu, 27-1, was equally confident, although his prediction carried a little more respect and, as a consequence, a little more menace. ‘I study boxers and their styles,’ the Russian-born Aussie said. ‘I’ve studied Judah and know what it takes to beat him … He wants to prove he’s the best and so do I. Everything has been said and now we have to prove who the great champion is.’
But Judah would not be dissuaded. ‘I’ll give him angles – I’ll be like a blur to him. Against a slick, sharp boxer with a good defence you figure Kostya’s got to get lucky [to win]. He’s got to land a good shot to knock me out.’ Prophetic, indeed.
Judah got off to a fast start, his quick combinations proving bothersome to the 32-year-old Tszyu. A left uppercut appeared to hurt the older man, and a follow-up right-left forced him to hold on. Undoubtedly, Judah won the opening round.
In round two, though, Tszyu finds his form. The American is suddenly getting tagged, leaning away from punches with his hands by his waist, convinced he’s too quick. Then Tszyu lands a long, perfect, right hand. It sends Judah to the mat. Undoubtedly keen to save face, the American jumps to his feet quickly and brashly points to the referee in an effort to show he’s fine. But he’s far from it. His legs drunkenly give way beneath him, and he drops again. He eventually rises, still unsteady, and referee Jay Nady waves it off.
The Brooklyn fighter was incensed with being pulled out. He appeared to throw a punch before launching a corner stool in the referee’s direction. The unsavoury conclusion to the showdown unfortunately deflects some of the glory away from Tszyu – who started as a 3-1 underdog.
Judah tried, but struggled, to explain his actions: ‘I got caught going backwards. The fight should have gone on. I’m just looking for fairness … I was not hurt. When you’re in shape you get up straight away … He’s not that strong. I hit him with a lot of punches.’
The Nevada Commission fined Judah $75,000 and suspended him for six months.
Shane Mosley was at ringside and there was a suggestion afterwards that he would be willing to accommodate Tszyu at welterweight. But the champion had no intention of moving up in weight. ‘I make weight so easily,’ he explained. ‘My dietitian does a great job for me. I sweat so easily in the gym, I can’t believe it. I eat breakfast and lunch on the day of the weigh-in.’ Boxing News online article 3 November 2018 Matt Christie
Zab Judah 3 November 2001 WBA WBC IBF Light-Welterweight Nevada: [r1] … One of the year’s most anticipated fights … Tszyu holding on … The speed of Judah … a combination to the head … Nice body shot by Kostya Tszyu … Now Tszyu coming forward … Good first round for Judah … [r2] … Tszyu stalking … right hand … Down he [Judah] goes! … the right hand; he’s in trouble: it’s over! … Zab Judah protests. US fight commentary
[8.6] ANTONIO CERVANTES ntonio Cervantes 106-91(45)-12-3: Boxing Insider online -
Now let’s look at Cervantes. In December of 1981 he got his first title shot against Argentina’s Nicolino ‘El Intocable’ Loche, 103-2-14, losing every round for the WBA World super lightweight title. In October of 1972 Cervantes would win the same title from Panama’s Alfonso Fraser, 30-4-1, at Panama City with a 10th round knockout. It was just four months after Duran defeated Buchanan. That’s about as close as they met.
In Cervantes’ next fight and first defense he won a split decision in San Juan, Puerto Rico, over Josue Marquez, 26-5-1. Just a month later, he got his revenge defeating Loche, 110-3-14, who couldn’t come out for the 10th round due to a cut. Just two months later he gave Fraser a rematch, 31-5-6, stopping him in the 5th round.
In September of 1973 Cervantes was home in Bogota, Colombia, stopping Argentina’s Carlos Maria Gimenez, 72-2-3, in the 5th round. On December 5th he was back in Panama stopping Japan’s Lion Furuyama, 30-5-2, over 15 rounds. Just two days prior to this in Panama Duran was winning a non-title bout knocking out Tony Garcia, 13-2-4.
Cervantes would win three more title defenses starting with Chang-Kil Lee, 22-1, with a 6th round knockout in March of 1974. In July he would knockout in 2 rounds Victor Ortiz, 25-6. In October in Japan he would knockout Shinichi Kadota, 35-7, in 8 rounds.
In May of 1975 it was Cervantes’ time to meet DeJesus, 45-2, knocking him down in the 1st, 12th and 15th rounds winning a lopsided decision in Panama. In November back in Panama he would stop Australia’s Hector Thompson, 55-4-2 in the 7th round. Duran the following month was in Puerto Rico defending against Mexico’s Ortiz. Cervantes was 5-0 in Panama and maybe that is why Duran never challenged him with either he or his people seeing how good Cervantes was.
In March of 1976 Cervantes in his eleventh title defense would lose his title to 17 year-old Wilfred Benitez, 25-0, by split decision in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Cervantes never got a return match. In January of 1982 Benitez then the WBC World Super champion would defeat Duran. After five wins Cervantes would get another shot at the vacant WBA title in June of 1977 in a rematch with Gimenez, 98-8-4, stopping him in the 4th round.
After a pair of title defenses Cervantes would go to South Africa and stop Norman Sekgapane, 51-6-1, in the 9th round. He had another three defenses including two against Miguel Montilla, 33-4-3, stopping him in the second one. In between those two defenses he was in South Korea defeating Kwang Min Kim, 15-0-1, by split decision. That gave Cervantes sixteen defenses.
Next up in August of 1980 for Cervantes would be future Hall of Famer Aaron ‘The Hawk’ Pryor, 24-0, stopping Cervantes in the fourth round at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Coliseum. The hanger-on swarmed Pryor to the point he couldn’t get interviewed. Cervantes would go onto win his next four fights before losing his final one in December of 1983. His final record was 93-12-3 (45), while Duran ended up 103-16 70). Both would become IBHOF inductees. What a fight that would have been if they ever met. Duran vacated his lightweight title in January of 1979 after defeating DeJesus in their third fight. He would ‘skip’ super lightweight and go on to welterweight eventually winning that title, the super welter and middleweight titles. He never challenged Cervantes for the super lightweight title. What a match that would be between Cervantes and Duran. Boxing Insider online article 31 December 2017 Ken Hissner