Boxing great Kostya Tszyu is known as a man who pushed himself harder than hard when training for a fight. Now, 55 year old Tszyu wants his two boxing sons, Tim and Nikita, to “spend some time in discomfort” in a training camp in Russia. This year could prove to be a pivotal one in the career of former WBO 154 pound champ Tim Tszyu, who lost twice in 2024, to Sebastian Fundora and then Bakhram Murtazaliev. While Nikita Tszyu is currently unbeaten at 10-0.
Tszyu, speaking with Fox Sports in Australia, says he wants to take his sons back to basics as far as training goes, and he is certain Tim can win himself a second world title here in 2025. Kostya, who lives in Russia, says the country would be the perfect place for such a training base.
“I’ve already put the offer out,” Tszyu said of the invitation he has sent his two sons to come and train in Russia. “Obviously they’re big boys now – and can make their own decisions – but I would love to take them both to Russia, take them into camp. I want to put them on the ground and give them a hard routine. The simple stuff. Good but not flashy. Have them spend some time in discomfort. Because sometimes being in a comfort zone, it gives you no advantage…..sometimes it’s against you.”
Again, Tszyu was always in terrific physical shape when entering the ring, and he was mentally ready also. It would, one would think, serve Tim and Nikita Tszyu nothing but good for them to take their dad up on his, shall we say, unpleasant offer.
It will be interesting to see who Tim Tszyu fights when he makes his ring return. Two bad losses on the spin can ruin a fighter, and 30 year old Tszyu, 24-2(17) needs to come back and show us he has not been ruined as an elite fighter. Can Tszyu do it? Maybe. And with his dad’s help, maybe Tszyu can even come back tougher and stronger than ever before.
Tszyu suffered one heck of a nasty cut to the top of his head in the Fundora loss, while he was shockingly taken out in just three rounds by Murtazaliev. Tszyu certainly does have it all to prove, and come back from, here in 2025. Maybe some ‘Rocky Balboa’ Russian training is just what Tszyu needs to be able to make his ring return a successful one.
