The Tszyu-Horn rivalry is set to continue when Tim Tszyu’s younger brother Nikita takes on Jeff Horn’s younger brother Ben at the Horden Pavilion in Sydney, Australia on July 20.
Tim Tszyu famously defeated former WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn by eighth-round knockout two years ago. The victory kickstarted Tszyu’s world title campaign with the 27-year-old Sydneysider now expected to face undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo in the US later this year.
Horn became a fan of Tszyu’s after sharing the ring with him.
“I think Tim is world-class,” Horn told the Sydney Morning Herald. “He’s got a very tough battle with Charlo, he’s a good boxer as well. It’s a good thing with Charlo being overconfident because he’s not 100 per cent ready for this camp, it sounds like they are talking disrespectfully to Tim, saying he’s not very good. Hopefully they get a shock.
“I really hope Tim gets the victory and can prove himself as one of the best we’ve ever had.
“I’m frustrated to lose against him, but what better than to see the person who beat you go out and defeat everyone else, that would make me feel very good.”
While Horn will be cheering for Tszyu in his world title fight, that certainly won’t be the case when Nikita Tszyu takes on his brother.
“It’s a tough fight, I know Nikita is a strong boy and he’s got it in his blood,” Jeff said. “They have the record on us, so hopefully Ben can get it back.
“It’s going to be a tough one because Nikita likes to bang, that’s for sure. Ben likes to bang as well, they will be trading punches. I guess it comes down to whoever catches the other the fastest. Hopefully it’s Ben, that he can get him with a good one.
“Hopefully it goes Ben’s way on points.”
Nikita Tszyu, known as ‘The Butcher’, burst onto the local scene in March with a second-round knockout of Aaron Stahl. He backed that performance up with a first-round knockout of Mason Smith, who was also undefeated, two months later.
Tim Tszyu told the Sydney Morning Herald: “Jeff is a top bloke, he really supports the Aussies. But sorry Jeff, we’re on the opposite sides again. Deep down inside, Jeff knows what is going to happen. It’s not going to go past the first.”
Nikita Tszyu likes the idea of keeping the family rivalry going.
“You wouldn’t want anyone to beat up your brother,” the southpaw said to the Sydney Morning Herald. “It’s your blood, the people that are closest to you.
“I always knew this fight would eventually happen, I’m glad we’re getting it done now. I’m glad he stepped up to this on pretty short notice, you have got to give credit to him. It’s cool because my brother and Jeff had a pretty big rivalry for quite some time, there was a lot of tension with it.
“I didn’t even know Ben existed until this year. It was always going to happen.”
