Sydney will host Tim Tszyu’s world title fight against Tony Harrison next month – and the American has attempted to give the Aussie a virtual hug to thank him for the opportunity.
Tszyu will take on Harrison at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday, March 12 with the WBO junior middleweight interim belt on the line.
Tszyu (pictured) will take on Harrison at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday, March 12 with the WBO junior middleweight interim belt on the line
During a press conference in Sydney on Wednesday morning, Harrison expressed his gratitude to Tszyu by bizarrely offering him a virtual hug.
‘For him to say yes to a guy like me, he woke me up out of the dead,’ Harrison said.
‘I’m hugging you. You brought me back to life.’
The former WBC junior middleweight belt holder, who is the only pro fighter to beat current undisputed Jermell Charlo, quickly turned more serious, however.
The former WBC junior middleweight champion (pictured left), who has a win over current champion Jermell Charlo, quickly started hitting Tszyu with insults
He was very skeptical of how the Aussie had worked himself into the No. 1 contender position.
‘I think we need to get management on the phone,’ said Harrison. ‘For him to be at the doorstep for all the marbles and you accept a fight with the only man that beat the man that you need to beat, I need to call HR.
‘Something ain’t right about this one. I’m not mad about it, but the only man I’m chasing is the only man he’s chasing.
‘He took the elevator, I took the stairs.
Tszyu was lined up to fight undisputed super-welterweight champion Jermell Charlo for all four major belts on January 29, but that fight was put on ice when Charlo broke his hand
‘Someone make it make sense to me. How did he get here?’
Tszyu was lined up to fight undisputed super-welterweight champion Jermell Charlo for all four major belts on January 29, but that fight was put on ice when Charlo broke his hand in December.
Instead of waiting for Charlo to heal, the Aussie has decided to risk it all by taking on Harrison for the WBO strap, which is now vacant due to Charlo’s long layoff.
‘It’s incredible to be fighting for my very first world title in my home town of Sydney,’ said Tszyu.
Instead of waiting for Charlo to heal, the Aussie (pictured beating Bowyn Morgan) has decided to risk it all by taking on Harrison for the WBO strap
‘Sydney is my home, it’s the place that made me who I am and I can’t wait to create history here. It’s going to be absolutely electric.
‘I have one date, one time and one name on my mind and that’s Tony Harrison. He’s standing in front of everything I have ever worked for and I will stop at nothing to make sure that belt stays right here in Sydney where it belongs.’
Harrison will be the most challenging opponent Tszyu has faced, and No Limit promotor and former NRL star George Rose says the fight will be the biggest Aussie boxing bout since Jack Johnson beat Tommy Burns to become the sport’s first black world champion at Rushcutters Bay in 1908.
‘Tony Harrison is Tim’s toughest test by a mile and he will no doubt be ready to bring his very best on what I expect to be a tough day down under for him inside and outside the ring,’ Rose said.
Harrison will be the most challenging opponent Tszyu (pictured fighting Jeff Horn) has faced
‘It’s going to be a history-making event with an atmosphere never seen before at a world title fight in Australia. Sydney is not going to know what hit it when the first bell rings on Sunday, March 12.’
Harrison says he will taking the fight very seriously, but claims Tszyu’s style is nothing he hasn’t seen before.
‘To be honest Tim is a very tough fighter but he’s just so basic to me,’ he said last week. ‘He’s somebody I see around the block.
‘He’s like somebody at the park when I’m fighting somebody at the park. It’s nothing special about him. His defence is not stellar, his offence ain’t stellar.’
Harrison says he will taking the fight very seriously, but claims Tszyu’s style is nothing he hasn’t seen before (Tszyu pictured fighting Jeff Horn)
It has been announced that Nikita Tszyu – Tim’s younger brother – will also be fighting on the card against undefeated Australasian champion Bo Belbin.
