Tony Harrison (29-3-1, 21 KOs) says he views Tim Tszyu (21-0, 15 KOs) as a basic fighter and not the huge puncher that his famous father, Kostya Tszyu, many years ago.
The former WBC junior middleweight champion Harrison says he’s ready to beat the “basic,” one-gear 28-year-old Tszyu when the two battle for the interim WBO 154-lb title for the right to challenge undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo on March 11th at the Qudos Bank Arena, in Sydney, Australia.
Harrison isn’t impressed with what he sees from Tszyu, who sees him as lacking in technical boxing skills and not as powerful as other fighters at 154 like Charlo and Jarrett Hurd.
“Basic means he does nothing that nobody doesn’t see with the naked eye,” said Tony Harrison to Fight Hub TV about Tim Tszyu. “That’s what a basic fighter does. One gear straight ahead, pressure, pressure, pressure, throw as many shots as I can, take as many shots as I can, give a harder shot than I gave him.
“Just a basic fighter. He doesn’t show me nothing of a high level skill level of a set up of a high-level skill fighter,” Harrison continued about Tszyu. “He’s going to have to show us. He can speak it all he wants, but come ten days from now, he’s going to have to show us,” Harrison said when told that Tszyu said that he’s “underestimated” him.
“Eventually, all the talking goes in one ear and out the other, and eventually, you’ve got to show us. 10,” said Harrison when asked how many levels Tszyu has too steep up to deal with him.
“I’m the only fighter that was a world championship fighter that he’s fighting. He hasn’t fought a world championship fighter yet. I am the first one, and I’ll probably going to be the last because he’s going to have to go back to the bottom and rebuild his stuff back up.
“Expect the unexpected. I think people are giving him more credit than he deserves when it comes down to the power aspect. He just went 12 rounds with Terrell Gausha, and Terrell shelled up most of the time.
“Terrell definitely felt the power, and I’m pretty sure he’s not a weak kid. To sit here and say he’s like Kostya Tszyu, I think we’re giving him a little too much. I do think he’s strong enough to compete at the weight he’s fighting at.
“Do I think he’s the strongest? Nah. Do I think he hits harder than Jermell? Nah. Do I think he hits harder than Hurd? Nah. Come fight night, he’s got to show us, and He’s got to prove to us and show us.
“All the talk is over. I done flew across the world, and I’m here. There’s nothing else for me to talk about. I’m here. I don’t think anybody in the world can do that,” said Harrison when asked if Tszyu has the skill to nullify his left hand.
“What I think he can do is pick your spots where you can be better and to slow it down. But nobody has the will or the wits or skill enough to stop it.
“The dangers that anybody possesses. The toughness, the grit, the high activity, the pace. The same stuff that mostly everybody comes to fight me possesses when they come to fight me.
“It just puts me back where I know I deserve to be,” said Harrison when asked where a victory over Tszyu puts him. “It’s going to be bitter sweet for me to do it and to come to Australia to do it like Devin Haney did it and all the other guys and Terence Crawford did it. Tony Harrison is next up.
“I’m going to relish the moment. I’m soaking it all in; I’m busting my a**. I’m not leaving no T’s uncrossed and no I’s undotted. I’m busting my a** here, and I’ll be ready come fight night,” said Harrison.
