One of Australia’s greatest grudge matches is on – with Nikita Tszyu and Michael Zerafa finally agreeing to throw down in what shapes as a massive 2026 opening for promoters No Limit.
As first revealed by Fox Sports Australia in June, Zerafa and Tszyu will headline a January 16 showcase which brings to a head several years of bad blood, sledging, and one infamous walkout.
While no venue has yet been announced, there has been talk of Brisbane, Gold Coast, and even Cairns, with Team Zerafa having declared they want the bout in a neutral venue outside Tszyu’s hometown of Sydney.
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Despite the pair also currently campaigning one weight division apart, the bout will be at a catchweight of 71.5kg.
The fighters came face-to-face at an official announcement press conference in Sydney on Wednesday with Zerafa agreeing it was “the biggest fight in Australia that can be made.”
“To share the ring with a Tszyu is going to be great so we’ll go out there and put all the bad blood to rest,” Zerafa said.
“I do believe I win. I believe I am the more experienced fighter, I’ve been in there with bigger names and I’ve beaten bigger names but there’s no pressure on me.”
When accused of showing a lack of confidence with the comments by Tszyu, Zerafa took a strong swipe back by referencing brother Tim Tszyu’s world title defeats to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev in the past twelve months.
“Tim fell short. Not many people get two chances at saving the last name but he gets one,” Zerafa said.
Asked if he saw things that way, Tszyu replied: “Not really, no.
“Im going in here to really rise to the occasion to get on to that world stage properly. To beat someone that’s had a lot of experience, to really make a name for myself.”
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Zerafa and Tszyu traded barbs during the press conference with Tszyu accusing his rival of trying to walk away from being the villain after a history of bad blood between the pair.
Speaking back in August, Nikita branded Zerafa an insecure, attention-seeking “coward” – and welcomed the opportunity to “crush every bone in his body” when it eventually came time to throw down.
While things, for a time, had remained largely respectful between the two, Tszyu finally let his feelings be known in an interview with Fox Sports Australia.
“You know what? I reckon I went too easy on Zerafa when I first spoke about him,” the fighter started.
“Sure, he’s got a half-decent boxing record.
“But other than that, I don’t like him and we’ll never be friends.
“He has taken personal shots at my family, and me.
“I stayed quiet about it, but quiet doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten.
“And I hope I get the opportunity to crush every bone in his body.”
Tszyu also questioned Zerafa suggesting he was only ever playing a role as Australia’s boxing bad boy – and that the character wasn’t one he was comfortable portraying any longer.
“Zerafa changes who he is depending on who’s watching,” Nikita continued.
“Nice guy, bad guy, victim — he’s played them all.
“At the moment he’s playing the nice guy.
“But deep down we all know the real Zerafa is insecure and desperate for attention.”
Soon after, Tszyu added: “There is one thing he can never deny, he was a coward when he chose to run his mouth, then run from the fight with Tim.
“He knows this, and it lives with him every day.”
Micheal Zerafa in action against Mikey Dahlman in August.Source: News Corp Australia
While the Zerafa-Tszyu showdown was initially slated to take place in December, that slot will likely be taken up by former world champion Tim Tszyu, headlining a Sydney show just before Christmas in what will be his first appearance under new coach, Pedro Diaz.
Currently training in Miami, Florida, the older Tszyu sibling has told No Limit he is keen to begin his career resurrection as soon as possible.
The slight Zerafa-Tszyu delay also suits undefeated, rising star Nikita – with ‘The Butcher’ recently forced to miss 10 days of training due to his involvement in a Sydney car crash.
The impending grudge match will also bring to a head some years of bad blood between Zerafa and Australia’s No.1 fight family – with ‘Pretty Boy’ having famously walked away from a fight with Tim Tszyu in 2021.
Since then, the Melburnian has engaged in several verbal jousts with the sons of Hall Of Famer, Kostya Tszyu.
For Zerafa, a win over Nikita would likely earn his shot at big brother Tim, who is himself looking to bounce back after suffering three world title defeats against Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev.
S Nikita Tszyu celebrates winning against Lulzim Ismaili after the WBO Inter-Continental Super Welterweight Title bout at ICC Sydney Theatre on August 20, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Back in 2024, the pair even shared a massive Las Vegas card where Tszyu lost a bloody war against Fundora, while Zerafa was kayoed in the first round of his world title fight against WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara.
Since then, however, Zerafa has notched up three wins against Tommy Browne, Besir Ay and Mikey Dahlman, and with 39 professional fights to his name shapes as easily the biggest test of Nikita Tszyu’s career.
Undefeated in all 11 fights since turning pro, The Butcher has quickly risen up to become one of the nation’s most exciting pay-per-view stars.
More recently, the 27-year-old southpaw has also earned himself a No.9 ranking with the IBF super welterweight division, and No.12 with the WBO, despite having spent the best part of 12 months battling a hand issue.
Yet after his year on the sidelines, Tszyu returned in August, finishing Lulzim Asmaili within a round.
On the same card, Zerafa also finished America’s Dahlman in a tick over two minutes, setting up a match that is now being compared to some of the nation’s biggest domestic blockbusters of recent years.