![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1767594497_632_poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
In fact, when the pair squared off in Sydney recently — meeting in the ring before Tim\u2019s comeback win over American Anthony Velazquez \u2013 Nikita even goaded his rival by suggesting he not ask his coach to cut him again.<\/p>\n
The surprise sledge was in response to Zerafa\u2019s former trainer Sam Labruna having alleged his charge had been so concerned about fighting Tim Tszyu, he asked the team to deliberately cut him open in fight week and sabotage the event.<\/p>\n
While Zerafa has always vehemently denied the claim, Nikita confirmed he delivered the line to Zerafa in a moment that has remained private until now, given it wasn\u2019t picked up during the Main Event broadcast.<\/p>\n
Michael Zerafa and Nikita Tszyu face off during a media opportunity under the Story Bridge on November 11, 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week however, Tszyu explained that as the pair were finishing their face off, and before leaving the ring, he told Zerafa \u201cdon\u2019t go asking your coach to cut you again\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that\u2019s always been the rumour, right?\u201d Tszyu grinned.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat Michael wanted so badly out of his fight with Tim, he asked Sam Labruna to cut him open.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd whether it\u2019s true or not, I can\u2019t say. But Labruna has said it happened.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I definitely feel there could be some truth there, too. That Michael probably did try to get out of the fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd so that\u2019s what I reminded him about in the ring.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just repeated to him what I\u2019ve heard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zerafa caused national sporting outrage in 2021 following his decision to withdraw only days out from the Tim Tszyu fight, initially citing travel issues related to the Covid pandemic.<\/p>\n
Yet when speaking about the episode with News Corp a year later \u2013 and while locked in a legal battle with Zerafa — Labruna alleged \u2018Pretty Boy\u2019 had simply wanted out of the fight, and was willing to fake injury to ensure it happened.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the truth on the Tszyu fight,\u201d Labruna said. \u201cI have never spoken about this before.<\/p>\n
\u201cZerafa wanted us to cut his eyes in the gym and say it happened in sparring. Michael gets very worked up in his head before fights.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tim Tszyu and Michael Zerafa out the front of the newly named Newcastle Entertainment Centre on May 11, 2021 in Newcastle, Australia before their aborted fight. (Photo by Peter Lorimer\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
In the same article, Zerafa blasted suggestions he was scared of taking on Tszyu, replying: \u201cThat is absolute rubbish.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, who comes up with this stuff? \u2018Hey, bro, can you cut me open because I don\u2019t want to fight Tim Tszyu\u2019? Anybody who believes that is as stupid as Sam Labruna.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had 34 pro fights. I\u2019ve never shied away from a fight. He is just delusional and bad things happen to bad people.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is no doubting the Tszyu-Zerafa drama was a crazy time for all involved.<\/p>\n
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia in November 2022, Zerafa revealed he had even been forced to seek protection from Victorian police \u2013 including the Echo Taskforce — after being warned a contract had been taken out on his life.<\/p>\n
While refusing to go into detail, the Melburnian suggested the incident was almost certainly linked to the fallout from his controversial withdrawal, at the 11th-hour, from the Tszyu superfight.<\/p>\n
\u201cThings got really dark,\u201d Zerafa revealed at the time. \u201cI\u2019d been told by people that I had a hit out on me.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously I couldn\u2019t take that lightly so I went to the police, made statements, it was out of control.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody knew how true the threat was but the police were involved, Echo (Taskforce) was involved \u2026 it was chaos.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe cops even had me mix things up every day and change my whole routine, even change the way I drove to the gym.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pushed on the alleged contract, Zerafa continued: \u201cI have no idea what was behind it, but I was receiving messages saying I had a hit out on me.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd mentally, it got really hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked why he had never revealed, in detail, why he withdrew from the Tszyu bout \u2014 which also saw him part ways with his old management team \u2013 Zerafa said, legally, he could do little more than confirm he had been \u201clied to\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe decision I made (to withdraw) is something I\u2019ll have to live with for the rest of my life,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut still, nobody else has any idea what really happened.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if people did hear the full story, I know they would all apologise (for criticising him).\u201d<\/p>\n
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 17: Michael Zerafa and Nikita Tszyu face off during the Tim Tszyu v Anthony Velazquez fight card at Tik Tok Theatre on December 17, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Tszyu and Zerafa will kick off fight week festivities with a face off in Brisbane today, and after having done the same at a Melbourne media gathering on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Speaking after the press event in his home city, Zerafa suggested this Friday\u2019s showdown is a bigger challenge for him than any fight with the big brother who doubles as a former world champion.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think this fight is a bigger fight than me and Tim,\u201d he insisted.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the build up between Tim and I could be bigger, but in terms of the fight itself and the performance, this one is bigger.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd on paper, you should be backing me.<\/p>\n
\u201cRespectfully, Nikita hasn\u2019t fought the guys I\u2019ve fought.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think me being the favourite is the smart option but I\u2019m not looking too much into that, I\u2019ve just got to get in there and get the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Zerafa also took aim at the younger Tszyu sibling, branding him \u201chot and cold\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes he\u2019s on, sometimes he\u2019s off,\u201d Zerafa started. \u201cAnd you never know what Nikita is going to rock up.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think he\u2019s a hungry kid and my name to him is a world title fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely want the best version of Nikita to rock up.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause when it doesn\u2019t go his way, I don\u2019t want any excuses.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know he\u2019s hungry, I know he wants to take my head off my shoulders, so I\u2019ve got to go out there clear minded and stick to the gameplay.\u201d<\/p>\n
And as for what a win does for him?<\/p>\n
\u201cI think winning against any Tszyu would be amazing for me,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know people want Nikita to knock me out but I plan on doing the same.<\/p>\n
\u201cEither way someone will be looking up at the roof.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo expect fireworks.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Nikita Tszyu has gone and reignited one of the biggest controversies in Australia\u2019s recent boxing history, warning Michael…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":400796,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[571],"tags":[64,63,802,85],"class_list":["post-400795","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-boxing","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-boxing","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/400795","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=400795"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/400795\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/400796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=400795"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=400795"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=400795"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}