It's on! Underdog Jeff Horn steps into the ring with Tim Tszyu as highly-anticipated bout kicks off in Townsville - with one of 'The Hornet's' biggest rivals making stunning prediction
- Tim Tszyu is set to take on boxing legend Jeff Horn in Australia's fight of the year
- Tim is the son of boxing hall-of-famer Kostya and is undefeated after 15 bouts
- Controversy surrounded the build up to the fight over who would walk out first
Australia's fight of the year is underway in front of a sell out crowd of 16,000 on hand at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.
Son of boxing hall-of-famer Kostya - Tim Tszyu, 25, - is putting his IBF Australasian super welterweight and WBO Global super welterweight belts on the line against Queensland boxing legend Jeff Horn.
A tit-for-tat war of words has shadowed the lead up to the bout and when the two finally faced off in the ring there was an intense stare down as the referee went over the Marquess of Queensberry rules.
But in a show of sportsmanship, the two competitors touched gloves before the contest.
Sydney-based Tszyu is the betting favourite going into the highly anticipated contest with an unblemished record of 15-0.
But the Hornet, 32, is a former WBO welterweight champion who is no stranger to taking on the world's very best.
Tim Tszyu (right) and Jeff Horn (left) are pictured battling it out in the first round of the epic contest
Sydney-based Tim Tszyu is pictured walking to the ring for the highly anticipated bout
Proud Queenslander Jeff Horn is pictured walking to the ring for the highly anticipated bout
Controversy surrounded the lead up the fight after a dispute broke out over which fighter would walk to the ring first.
Normally, the B-side boxer would enter the ring first and the champion, or higher-ranked fighter, would enter the ring second.
In this case, Tszyu who is the title holder would conventionally enter the ring second.
Share this article
But Horn's team refused to go first in a stunning psychological pre-fight tactic.
'I'm coming out second. I'm the higher ranked fighter and that is what's happening,' he told the Main Event broadcast team.
Horn has a record of 20 wins, two losses and one draw and has beaten the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Anthony Mundine in front of huge Suncorp Stadium crowds.
For Tszyu, this will be his first big arena experience.
North Queensland Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston (right) is ringside for the match
The stage is set for Australia's fight of the year with a sell out crowd of 16,000 on hand at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville
Although Horn has lost two of his last four fights, one of the defeats was to unbeaten American Terence Crawford - considered among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
But despite the lack of high-level experience Tszyu is extremely confident.
'Me and dad always talk, especially 24 hours before a fight, and Kostya says to box smart,' Tim told AAP.
'He said Jeff's the typical Aussie fighter; comes in rushing, makes plenty of mistakes.
'I've got a different boxing brain, so hopefully we can capitalise on that.'
While Horn has admitted Tszyu has the potential to become a world champion one day, at the moment he said he's not ready.
'I think his management are probably excited about getting this fight on because I think they're taking a cut of his purse.'
NRL star Justin Hodges (pictured in red) is seen ringside at the Jeff Horn v Tim Tszyu boxing match
Sydney-based Tszyu is the betting favourite going into the highly anticipated contest with an unblemished record of 15-0
One of Jeff Horn's toughest rivals, Michael 'Pretty Boy' Zerafa, predicts the Hornet is going to 'crush' Tszyu.
'I saw their face-off the other day and I couldn't believe how small Tim Tszyu was,' Zerafa told the Courier Mail.
'He has the physique of a 12-year-old girl. He is a boy in a man's world and he will find that out very quickly against Jeff.
'If it goes to a decision, Tim might steal the rounds, but I don't see it going the distance. Jeff's power and experience will crush Tim.'
Zerafa Knocked out Horn back in August 2019 in a stunning upset round 9 win.
The pair gloved up yet before Christmas that year and fought one of the bloodiest contests in recent Australian boxing history.
Horn eventually won the war of attrition with a points victory.
Spectators are on hand ahead of the welterweight fight between Jeff Horn and Tim Tszyu
The Hornet, 32, is a former WBO welterweight champion who is no stranger to taking on the world's very best
Meanwhile, controversy has surrounded the three judges for the bout.
Trainer Glenn Rushton on Tuesday accused judge and former fighter Phillip Holiday of telling a friend Horn would likely lose the fight by getting cut, sparking chaotic scenes at Tuesday's weigh-in.
Rushton also raised the issue of second judge Chris Condon owning the gym Tszyu has been training out of, pointing to his close association with Tim's father Kostya as another potential compromise.
The accusations caught Tszyu's camp off guard, co-promoter Matt Rose and manager Glen Jennings both firing back at Rushton for questioning the judges' integrity after initially having no complaints when the all-Queensland panel was established.
The Sydney-based duo labelled it an 11th-hour publicity stunt as a war of words played out during the official post-weigh in press conference in Townsville.
But just as Rose had slammed the accusations as 'disgusting', chief judge Derek Milham, a long-time administrator and decorated referee, admitted Holiday had slipped up.
'He said to me he didn't predict anything, but he made the comment that if Horn loses it, it could be through cut eyes,' Milham said.
One of Jeff Horn's toughest rivals, Michael 'Pretty Boy' Zerafa, predicts the Hornet is going to 'crush' Tszyu
'He's quite embarrassed and apologised to me about it. He's very, very professional.
'I think it's a bit of a tactic actually (from Horn's camp) and I've got full confidence in the guy. All you can do is take my word.'
Global chairman of sanctioning body WBO Danny Leigh had no issue with Condon's links to the Tszyu camp but admitted Holiday had overstepped.
Rushton said he had to 'put it out there' given what he had heard.
But Rose slammed what he described 'a typical (promoter) Dean Lonergan-Glenn Rushton play'.
'It's pretty low to jump in front of national cameras to do so,' he said.
'We're in Queensland, remember. We're a long way from Sydney.
'To question someone's integrity on a national stage is actually disgusting.'
Tszyu weighed in at 69.1kg while Horn (69.8kg) snuck under the 70kg super welterweight limit.
Queensland boxing legend Jeff Horn is pictured in the change room before the fight
The battle against Jeff Horn and Tim Tszyu is being billed as Australia's fight of the year
The winner will take home the IBF Australasian super welterweight and WBO Global super welterweight belts
Comments 0
Share what you think
No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.
