Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Sport
Darren Walton

'I'm not a child': Tim Tszyu his own man

Australian boxer Tim Tszyu training in Los Angeles with trusted coach Igor Goloubev. (PR HANDOUT IMAGE PHOTO) (AAP)

Tim Tszyu won't be laying down the law to his "control freak" father when the two reunite for the super-welterweight's historic shot at world title glory in Las Vegas.

For the first time since Tszyu's professional debut six years ago, the legendary Kostya will be ringside when his son squares off with Jermell Charlo on January 29 intent on stripping the American of his IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO belts.

If he wins, the Tszyus will become the first father-son pair of undisputed world champions in boxing history.

There have only ever been five father-son world champions but never before have both unified their weight divisions.

The stakes are as high as they come.

An ultra relaxed character, Tim Tszyu last year said "it was chaotic, just out of control" when his father was an intense presence ringside for his first pro fight in 2016 against Zorran Cassady in Sydney.

Six years on, though, and Tszyu insists Kostya knows his place in the pecking order and won't need reminding when he flies from Russia to Sin City for his son's date with destiny.

Kostya will walk to the ring with Tszyu, the challenger's brother Nikita and grandfather Boris - the family patriarch.

From then on, Tszyu will be in the safe hands of his trainer-uncle Igor Goloubev, the same coach who first guided Kostya to world light-middleweight glory in Vegas in 1995 and then to undisputed status.

"I will speak to dad but at the same time he knows and respects that I am a man now," Tszyu told AAP during his month-long training camp in Los Angeles.

"Going in to my first fight, I was 21. So I was only a little kid then.

"He respects Igor. People ask me does your dad give you advice. But my dad gives me life advice and that's what's needed.

"He's not my boxing coach. Igor's my boxing coach and Igor started with me since the day I started boxing, so since when I was young.

"Igor was the on the pads, Igor was the one building me and moulding me. So the credit belongs to that man.

A more experienced Tim Tszyu is keeping preparations as simple as possible for his LA title fight. (PR HANDOUT IMAGE PHOTO) (AAP)

"I can always call my dad and ask him for little advice but it's not technical boxing."

Tszyu will still lean on his father's experience in Vegas.

"But I think he's more aware and he knows that I'm not a child anymore," the 28-year-old said.

"Back then, he thought I was his little son still.

"The time that's happened now, six years since my first fight, it's clearly different."

Despite remaining among the most influential figures in his life, Tszyu's grandfather Boris also won't fly to the US until fight week.

Tszyu feels more comfortable with only Igor and trusted cook and nutritionist Omar Iferd on hand for now.

"Every day I call Grandpa. And he calls me non stop. He's asking a thousand questions," Tszyu said.

"But right now, over here, we've got a pretty good formula. We don't need too many people. Just Igor the coach and the chef and that's it.

"Keep it simple. The more people you bring on, the bigger the house, the bigger the car. The logistics just go on and on and on.

"It's already expensive anyway, without another extra body."

The world title mission is costing No Limit Boxing an estimated half-a-million dollars.

"It's not a cheap exercise," Tszyu's manager Glen Jennings told AAP.

"When you get to this level, there's no shortcuts."

Darren Walton travelled to Los Angeles as a guest of No Limit Boxing.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.