Nikita Tszyu is pondering his subsequent transfer after restoring household satisfaction with a devastating first-round TKO victory over the beforehand undefeated Lulzim Ismaili.
Ismail’s nook opted to cease the struggle after the Macedonian copped a battering from “The Butcher” on the ICC Sydney Theatre on Wednesday night time.
Making his much-anticipated comeback following a yr out of the ring, Tszyu wanted barely a minute to indicate there have been no lingering results from hand surgical procedure when he surprised Ismaili with two big lefts.
The 27-year-old slayer completed Ismaili with a liver punch that broke his hapless Germany-based opponent’s rib.
“I wished to correctly harm him,” Tszyu mentioned.
In bettering his personal file to 11-0 and capturing the vacant WBO intercontinental super-welterweight title, Tszyu additionally prolonged his well-known household’s unbelievable file in Australia to 52-0.
In addition to Tszyu himself, the 27-year-old’s Corridor of Famer dad Kostya (18-0) and older, former world champion brother Tim (23-0) have by no means misplaced an expert struggle on residence turf.
After defending his household’s honour, Tszyu admitted he’d been pushed not solely to ship for his new child daughter but in addition to quieten the doubters after his famous person sibling’s three world-title losses within the US over the previous 18 months.
“I copped loads of criticism with my brother’s current fights,” he mentioned.
“I imply, that is boxing. Generally you win, generally you lose.
“We have a good time our wins and we have a good time our losses.
“There’s no disgrace in it.”
Wednesday night time’s victory could have arrange a home blockbuster with the Tszyus’ arch-rival Michael Zerafa, who earlier destroyed American Mikey Dahlman additionally inside two minutes within the co-main occasion to say the WBO intercontinental middleweight strap.
The 33-year-old former world title challenger harm Dahlman early with a giant proper earlier than tripping and unfairly receiving a double rely from the referee.
An incredulous Zerafa mocked the choice and swiftly took issues into his personal fingers, punishing Dahlman additional with a flurry of punches to the top.
Standing corrected, the referee had no alternative however to cease the struggle and award Zerafa a TKO.
Whereas he would favor to struggle Tim Tszyu subsequent, Zerafa mentioned he was additionally ready to accept Nikita if want be – and present who’s boss.
“I consider I beat Nikita,” he mentioned.
“Nikita’s doing good issues and beating who’s in entrance of him and he’s proving that he belongs at that degree with me.
“However I feel there’s just a little bit extra to do.”
If he actually had his method, although, the WBC’s soon-to-be fifth-ranked middleweight would favor to be preventing internationally for boxing’s largest spoils than settling any scores in a home grudge match.
“Abroad for a title eliminator, yeah, 100 per cent. Give me that,” Zerafa mentioned.
“My dream was to be a world champion, to not struggle one of many Tszyu brothers.”
© AAP
