{"id":429591,"date":"2026-01-22T08:50:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T08:50:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/429591\/"},"modified":"2026-01-22T08:50:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T08:50:09","slug":"why-a-rematch-between-michael-zerafa-and-nikita-tszyu-will-never-happen-again-next-fight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/429591\/","title":{"rendered":"Why a rematch between Michael Zerafa and Nikita Tszyu will never happen again, next fight"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nikita Tszyu says there is no way he will ever rematch Australia\u2019s boxing bad boy Michael Zerafa<\/a>, declaring the longtime feud between his famous family and Pretty Boy will never go inside a boxing ring again.<\/p>\n

UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett | SUN 25 JAN 1PM AEDT | Justin Gaethje faces Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight championship. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.<\/a><\/p>\n

The declaration comes as Team Tszyu have also branded Zerafa\u2019s controversial withdrawal from the biggest Australian grudge match this decade as \u201ccallous and cowardly\u201d \u2013 and suggested the former world title challenger had \u201crobbed\u201d their fighter of a huge career moment.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia, Tszyu\u2019s longtime manager Glen Jennings also urged Zerafa to now retire from the sport, however quickly rejected any suggestion the cut had somehow being planned or premeditated.<\/p>\n

Jennings also revealed his client could be back in the ring as soon as April, adding Tszyu\u2019s troublesome left hand also came through the brief encounter without issue.<\/p>\n

Only days after American boxing great Paulie Malignaggi talked of salvaging a rematch between Tszyu and Zerafa, \u2018The Butcher\u2019 has now stressed any future showdown between the pair will never happen. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI can tell you categorically, there will be no rematch,\u201d Jennings said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that is from both the team and Nikita himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t feel it\u2019s necessary.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also don\u2019t feel that a rematch is deserving or that it\u2019s in the best interests of Nikita moving forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere also wouldn\u2019t be an appetite for it.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiven Michael\u2019s behaviour and the way this all ended, it just wouldn\u2019t be the right thing to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that\u2019s why Michael Zerafa won\u2019t be spoken about by our team again.\u201d<\/p>\n

MORE BOXING NEWS<\/p>\n

\u2018FEEL SORRY FOR HIM\u2019: Tszyu\u2019s classy video after Zerafa backlash goes \u2018too far\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

ANALYSIS: Zerafa set boxing world ablaze… and exposed Tim\u2019s sliding doors moment<\/a><\/p>\n

“He made a very, very bad mistake” | 00:50<\/p>\n

All of which comes after Zerafa brought a premature end to last Friday night\u2019s hyped No Limit headliner<\/a>, and after being cut over the eye following an accidental head clash in round two of their Brisbane Entertainment Centre blockbuster. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Prior to the third round starting, Zerafa was presented to ringside physician Dr Alan Saunders, saying \u201cI can\u2019t see \u2026 I can\u2019t see \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

As a result, referee Chris Condon waved the fight off, declaring a No Contest.<\/p>\n

Yet moments later, as boos and beers rained down onto the ring, Zerafa told Main Event\u2019s Ben Damon that he had no idea why everyone was booing him, given he had said only that his vision was blurry \u2013 and urged the officials to allow him to continue.<\/p>\n

In the days since, Zerafa has not only been blasted by some of the Australian fight game\u2019s biggest names, or issued an apology<\/a>, but also suggested he suffered a \u201cshattered\u201d eye socket and damaged retina.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he\u2019s robbed Nikita Tszyu of a moment,\u201d Jennings said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s also taken away from all the focus and hard work required to make it.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think back prior to the fight, and how many people were either tipping against Nikita, or being critical of us for even taking the fight, saying it was too early.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he took the risk, and committed 100 per cent in every department.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo to have that robbed from you by someone\u2019s actions who aren\u2019t honourable? It\u2019s a hard pill to swallow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tszyu v Zerafa fight controversy | 02:20<\/p>\n

After a brief pause, Jennings continued: \u201cI also want to stress it wasn\u2019t only Nikita robbed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was everyone in attendance.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd everyone watching on at home.<\/p>\n

\u201cAustralia was robbed of what should\u2019ve been a really historic moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, we also believed a win against Zerafa was going to elevate Nikita to a whole new level and we already had a heap of plans in place.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd again, when you\u2019ve done everything right, who has the right to take that from you in such a callous and cowardly way?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels like Nikita had run a marathon and, just as he was crossing the finish line, somebody went and moved it.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a separate\u00a0interview with Code Sports, Nikita also said there would be no rematch.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely not,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m closing the book on it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just disappointed for everybody involved.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m gutted for everyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd not just me and my team, but everyone who bought a ticket, everyone that bought a pay-per-view and everyone who\u2019s followed the five-year drama between Zerafa and our family.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t under my control, but I\u2019m just sorry for the way it played out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, Jennings also rejected a suggestion doing the rounds of the cut being premeditated, which was linked to a video of Zerafa\u2019s partner Selin asking referee Condon in a pre-fight rules meeting how the main event would end if there was an injury.<\/p>\n

“Took the first exit!” Nikita reacts | 05:45<\/p>\n

\u201cNah, no conspiracy,\u201d Jennings said. \u201cI was in that meeting; a simple question that\u2019s only come to light now because of the outcome. But being premeditated? I don\u2019t draw that conclusion or put any stock in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Importantly, Jennings said Tszyu had walked away from the brief Zerafa encounter without any health issues, and added there was also no recurring problem with the hand issues which kept the southpaw sidelined for a year following surgery.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cNo injuries at all,\u201d the manager said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hand came through nicely and Nikita is effectively good to go already.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo without giving you a specific date right now, I can say the turnaround should be reasonably quick.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously we have to give a break.<\/p>\n

\u201cNikita was in camp for five months, sacrificed Christmas with family, so he\u2019ll now take a couple of weeks off before jumping back into the gym.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen from there, we will determine with No Limit what dates are available and where we fit.<\/p>\n

\u201cLate April or May would be doable.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt all depends on when he gets back into the gym and who the opponent is.\u201d<\/p>\n

But is Tszyu for now being done with domestic rivals?<\/p>\n

Zerafa explodes in WILD post fight rant | 03:24<\/p>\n

\u201cGood question,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd given where Nikita is at, how many fights are left here for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cNikita Tszyu has now elevated in his superstar status.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s very, very quickly moving to the top of Australian\u00a0boxing.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd had this fight gone as planned, it would have skyrocketed him to the number one spot, I believe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would\u2019ve rolled straight into the global market.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut now? He\u2019s had three rounds in 18 months.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we\u2019ve still got work to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause you\u2019ve got this scenario where Nikita Tszyu is both a superstar and a rookie.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich means we have to find a balance there, and find the right person.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to put Nikita in with a bum. But I also don\u2019t want him in with a former world champion at this particular point in his career.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked about Tszyu\u2019s thoughts now almost a week on, his manager continued: \u201cNikita is a laidback character, so I can\u2019t say he was angry about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t say he gets overly angry about anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut there was total disappointment.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd total disbelief. The idea of somebody quitting in this sport, it\u2019s just not an option. Personally, I think Michael has been a lost soul for some time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think boxing is right for him anymore. I think he needs to move on to something that isn\u2019t so hostile.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Nikita Tszyu says there is no way he will ever rematch Australia\u2019s boxing bad boy Michael Zerafa, declaring…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":429592,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[571],"tags":[64,63,802,85],"class_list":["post-429591","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\/429591","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=429591"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/429591\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/429592"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=429591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=429591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=429591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}