Michael Zerafa’s big Tszyu call… and push for ‘fight Australia wants to see’

Michael Zerafa has sensationally claimed Tim Tszyu has now been surpassed as a fighter by his younger brother Nikita – yet insists an all-Australian grudge match between the pair can still rival Anthony Mundine versus Danny Green.

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The declaration comes only a week after The Soul Taker suffered a devastating stoppage loss against WBC super welterweight champ Sebastian Fundora, which doubles as his third straight defeat in title bouts on American soil.

Yet rather than Zerafa taking aim at his longtime rival in defeat – “my heart actually goes out to him” – Australia’s boxing bad boy has declared it time for the pair to finally end one of the nation’s greatest sporting grudge matches.

Pretty Boy also declared he would, down the track, also likely square off with Nikita Tszyu, and declared the 27-year-old southpaw has now surpassed his brother as a fighter – despite being yet to win a world title.

All of which comes as No Limit promoter George Rose also revealed he will once again be “deadest sh***ing myself” when The Butcher finally makes his hyped return to the ring for the first time in almost a year.

As revealed by Fox Sports Australia on Monday, Nikita Tszyu and Zerafa will both be in action on Main Event’s upcoming August 20 pay-per-view at the ICC Theatre, Sydney.

After a long layoff due to complications following hand surgery, Tszyu now finally returns to headline the event against undefeated 27-year-old Lulzim Ismaili – an exciting Macedonian prospect who, living and training out of Germany, has gone undefeated through a dozen fights.

Zerafa, meanwhile, takes on colourful American Mikey Dahlman, whose own crazy backstory includes two jail stints, 16 finishes, and once knocking a rival clean out of the ring.

Initially, promoters No Limit had wanted both Tszyu and Zerafa to fight in August and, if successful, then square off in a December grudge match.

Yet following Tim Tszyu’s shock title loss against Fundora earlier this month, there is now a chance Zerafa could go straight into an all-Australian showdown with the former world champion he famously walked away from in 2021.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday to announce the card, Zerafa confirmed as much when asked if he and Nikita Tszyu, if victorious in a few weeks, would still be fighting in December.

“The grudge match, respectfully, isn’t with Nikita,” he replied.

“It’s me and Tim.

“Nikita, he’s still early in his career.

“I’ve done a lot more things.

“I’m ranked higher than Nikita, and at this stage now Tim, too.

“But I think (the showdown with Tim Tszyu) is a fight Australia wants to see and will be good for the sport.

“That’s the Green-Mundine fight …”

Still, Zerafa was full of praise for the younger Tszyu, who he insisted was the better fighter of the brothers — despite having yet to win a world title.

“Nikita is doing well,” Zerafa continued.

“Everyone that’s put in front of him he’s beating.

“So you have to give respect where it’s due.

“He’s crafty, strong … I actually think he’s a better fighter than Tim.

“He’s got that awkward style.

“He’s still raw, still fresh in the sport, but he is doing great things.

“And his weird personality, his quirkiness … (laughs) you got the bad guy, you got the weird guy, the sport needs that.”

sked about a potential fight with Zerafa, Tszyu said: “They’ve spoken about it and that would be a huge step up for me.

“He’s steps above where I am at the moment.

“So to overtake that would be great.

“But I don’t like to think too far ahead.

“We have our own fights and out of respect for our opponents I’m going to keep it quiet about any talks with him.

“If the contracts are signed and we’re fighting, I’ll give my opinions.”

After almost a year out of the sport, Tszyu’s first international opponent also doubles as his seventh undefeated rival.

“Most normal people would ease back in,” Rose grinned when asked about The Butcher’s latest headline challenge.

“But Nikita’s not normal.

“We know he’s not normal.

“He’s a different kind of fighter, a different person … a different beast.

“In 11 fights he’s had seven undefeated opponents.

“It’s not normal for people to do that.

“He opened as a headliner on Fox Sports and has been unstoppable the whole way through.

“He’s The Butcher, he knocks people out.

“He’s one of the most exciting fighters in Australian boxing.

“We see these massive firefights every time he steps in.

“Nikita could be anything.

“(Laughs) But every time I’m deadest sh***ing myself … he gets in and loves to turn it on.”

Asked about his time off, Tszyu said it had given him the time to work on some “holes” in his game, without the added pressure of also having to fight, and headline.

Still, he admitted the continued delays had bothered him.

“The hand injury has been quite frustrating,” he said.

“Mentally I’ve been ready to fight, but physically my hand has been holding me back.

“Even being able to punch, that’s a win for me.

“I’m really eager to get in there.”

Asked about his opponent he said: “An undefeated opponent is always tricky.

“We have to find a recipe that hasn’t been figured out yet.

“He’s a fighter that wants to take my head off.

“And I’m in the same boat.”

When asked about the idea of Zerafa versus Tim Tszyu taking place, Rose remained coy.

“That’s a fight I would’ve loved to see a few years ago,” he said.

“It’s one that was built up to be a massive fight.

“And that Tszyu-Zerafa rivalry has lingered.

“I know the comments that have been made (by Michael) over time is something that targets not only Tim, but Tim’s family as well.

“And his brother is a pretty handy fighter.”

Rose also reminded that Nikita Tszyu has enjoyed success in Zerafa’s hometown of Melbourne, earning a first round KO against Ben Bommber in 2023.

“The last time Nikita fought a guy down in Melbourne, he finished him in the first round,” the promoter grinned.

“Melbourne needs a champion.

“It’s a big city, great boxing history … it needs a boxing champion.

“But everyone who has tried to step up and do it hasn’t been able to.

“And Nikita, last time he fought a Melbourne guy he knocked him out cold.

“So it could be very risky for Michael if he steps in with Nikita.”

Elsewhere, Nikita Tszyu admitted he liked the fact Zerafa appeared to have ditched his bad boy persona more recently.

“I like his more respectful and humane output recently,” the fighter laughed early on in the press conference.

“He is a person at the end of the day.

“And I like seeing this side of him.”

Monday’s press conference also confirmed the August 20 card will see the return of Brock Jarvis.

Five months after being stopped by American great Keith Thurman, Jarvis will make his return against undefeated Gold Coast middleweight Sam Beck (7-0).

However, it was also revealed an Australian super lightweight title fight between Billy Polkinghorn and Ahmad Reda is off.

Rose said Polkinghorn had been forced to withdraw from the bout injured.

Reda still wants to fight on the card however, with a call now going out to see which Australian lightweight will step up on three weeks’ notice.

Others slated for the card include Australian heavyweight Brandon Grach and Jasmine Parr.