Michael Zerafa claims Tim Tszyu is only famous because of his family name and says he will "100 per cent" fight his boxing rival by year's end.
Tszyu will face Dennis Hogan in Newcastle on Wednesday night, a fight that he had not originally planned to take. The son of boxing icon Kostya Tszyu had intended to next fight Patrick Teixeira for the WBO super-welterweight world title, only for the Brazilian to lose to Argentina's Brian Castano.
While Tszyu is currently treading water, he's enjoyed a rapid rise to fame and fortune while compiling a 17-0 (13 KOs) record. His last win was a spectacular first-round knockout of Bowyn Morgan during December, after which Zerafa confronted him and demanded that they fight.
"I don't rate Tszyu," Zerafa told Wide World of Sports.
"Take away his last name ... this is what annoys me. If he was Tim Smith, he wouldn't be getting any recognition but because his dad is Kostya Tszyu, he's getting all the recognition.
"People just think I'm a sore loser because of what I say but what has he done? He knocked out Jeff Horn? I was the first one to do it. Why aren't they going crazy about me?"
Zerafa has accused Tszyu of ducking him but now says that talks on a grudge match are "pretty close; it's been back and forth last six to eight months".
"I'll fight him by the end of the year, 100 per cent," said Zerafa (28-4, 17 KOs), whose last fight was a brutal first-round knockout of washed-up legend Anthony Mundine.
"There's nowhere else for him to go. He's now lost his world title shot because Teixera lost. I've beaten everyone in Australia. He's beaten everyone in Australia."
Tszyu is the WBO's No.1 contender, as well as being highly-rated by other major sanctioning bodies; he's ranked No.3 with the IBF, No.7 with the WBA and No.11 with the WBC, as well as No.9 with The Ring. Zerafa is unranked, while Hogan is rated No.10 by the WBC.
Tszyu has been loathe to give Zerafa a look-in and has suggested that he may chase an international opponent for his next fight even if he's not given a world title shot. WBO No.2 Liam Smith, the British former world champion, is a possibility.
American star Jermell Charlo (34-1-0) is the current super-welterweight champion with the IBF, WBC, WBA and The Ring.
Castano (17-0-1) has been agitating for a unification bout since claiming the WBO strap with his February defeat of Teixeira, by unanimous decision in California.
Tszyu has previously admitted that he may end up facing Zerafa while the two champions circle one another, yet said that his fellow Australian fighter offered him nothing career-wise.
"I'd love to shut him (Zerafa) up. I don't think many people like him," Tszyu told Wide World of Sports.
"It doesn't progress my career though. I really want the big fights.
"I want world calibre. I've cleaned up Australia but it's all politics. With the likes of Charlo, they're on big money."
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
from WWOS https://wwos.nine.com.au/news/tim-tszyu-vs-dennis-hogan-michael-zerafa-weighs-in-on-famous-name/6123c714-622d-4b45-af84-9445c4f9e996
0 Comments