Nikita Tszyu, younger brother of Tim Tszyu and son of Australian boxing legend Kostya Tszyu, is poised to make his professional boxing debut and continue in the family footsteps.
24-year-old Nikita Tszyu was originally scheduled to face Townsville’s Aaron Stahl (2-0-1) at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on March 2, however heavy rain led to the venue being flooded, with the event postponed by 24 hours and moved to Brisbane’s Nissan Arena.
Nikita is a four-time national amateur champion and is following in the footsteps of father Kostya and older brother Tim, who is unbeaten in 20 fights.
History will be made on the night as it is almost 30 years to the day since father Kostya first stepped into the ring and fought Darrell Hiles on March 1, 1992.
Glen Jennings, who manages both Nikita and Tim and who was also in Kostya’s corner, is excited to see another Tszyu coming through the ranks.
“It’s just so exciting. It’s also a privilege. It was 30 years ago (when) Kostya made his pro debut here in Australia, and here we are sitting with his youngest boy Nikita,” Jennings said.
“It’s a bit of history here and everyone should embrace that. It’s very fortunate for the Australian boxing community to have that luxury three times over – to watch the Tszyu family perform.”
After a promising amateur boxing career, Nikita had a six-year break to focus on studying architecture and now he is ready to get back in the ring and lace up the gloves.
Nikita, a hard-hitting southpaw, admitted there is plenty of pressure on him to perform and live up to his famous surname.
“There’s always a bit of pressure when it comes to this stuff. There’s a big shadow for me to break out of. But that kind of pressure, I live for it. It keeps me focused, it keeps me sharp, it keeps my mind clear. So the pressure of constantly being in the spotlight, it will sharpen me,” Nikita said.
“I had to go back to basics, but in doing that I’ve gotten to sharpen my tools much better and have more in-depth perspective on how I want to fight.”
Tim Tszyu, 27, is expecting big things from his younger brother and is predicting Nikita to come out firing in an all-action style of boxing with an early win.
“If he starts the way I think he’s going to start, not the way I want him to start, it will be one round,” Tim said to Sporting News.
“He’s going to start 100 per cent, straight away as soon as the first bell rings, but he has to learn and see if that works and if it doesn’t then be able to contain his energy.”
With the Tszyu brothers being in the same weight class, one sparring session got a little bit full-on and the brothers no longer spar each other in training.
“Nikita worked me out, but experience always wins,” Tim said laughing.
“We’re super competitive and it’s always a recipe for disaster and we always go hard on each other and it’s hard for grandpa to watch.”
With Tim undefeated in 20 bouts and looking to head to the United States for some big fights and Nikita making his professional boxing debut, the future is bright for the talented boxing family.
