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<\/p>\n
And then, the kicker.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis kid here,\u201d he says, nodding across the room to Tim Tszyu, \u201che\u2019s punching every bit as hard as his dad\u201d.<\/p>\n
Which is some statement, right?<\/p>\n
Especially when you recall, say, Zab Judah doing the stanky leg. Or Julio Ceasar Chavev being stopped for only the second time in his career by that ponytailed assassin dubbed The Thunder From Down Under.<\/p>\n
Yet now on the eve of Sunday\u2019s blockbuster showdown with American superstar Errol Spence Jnr, Fenech insists \u2018The Phoenix\u2019 is not only punching as hard as he once felt from the old man, but will use said power as part of the greatest ever version of himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd, look, I don\u2019t like bringing up Kostya,\u201d Fenech continues, speaking with Fox Sports Australia during Wednesday\u2019s media day at the fighter hotel. \u201cBut what I\u2019m trying to tell you is this: Timmy Tszyu can really punch.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kostya Tszyu lands a punch on American “Jesse” James Leija during the WBC WBA IBF 140 pound World title fight in Melbourne, Australia. (AP Photo\/Steve Holland)Source: APTim Tszyu connects with a punch against Brian Mendoza during the WBO super-welterweight world title bout between Tim Tszyu and Brian Mendoza at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on October 15, 2023 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Only four days out from what will be a sold out Sydney headliner, Fenech has opened up on the changes he and Tszyu have made in eight weeks together.<\/p>\n
Which is among the biggest stories of fight week.<\/p>\n
Understanding that after having dumped not one, but two coaches since September last year \u2013 both uncle Igor Goloubev and then Cuban Pedro Diaz \u2013 Tszyu has now aligned with the man whose previous clients have included the likes of Mike Tyson, Danny Green, Sakio Bika, and Vic Darchinyan.<\/p>\n
Already, there has been plenty of debate around exactly what Fenech\u2019s presence will mean for the former world champion, with plenty questioning if Tszyu will be asked to adopt the same aggressive, inside fighting style that made the Marrickville Mauler a four-division king.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely not,\u201d Fenech says now when that question is put. \u201cMy only goal is to bring out the best fighting version of Tim Tszyu.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause until now, Tim is a fighter who has done everything on his own. And done it in the hardest of ways.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, the people in his corner previously have known nothing about the sport. And still, he\u2019s become a world champion anyway.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe used to go back to his corner between rounds and there wasn\u2019t a word about what he should or shouldn\u2019t be doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kid just went out there and fought.<\/p>\n
\u201cYet now when he comes back to the corner? He\u2019ll breathe, then be told what\u2019s needed next. And when you\u2019ve got the ability Tim has, it will make things so much easier.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd, yeah, I know in the past I\u2019ve called [Tszyu\u2019s old team] clowns and whatever. Which at the time, may have upset Tim.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he realizes now that what I was saying, it was never to hurt anyone. He understands that my only concern ever has been helping him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tszyu permanently moves to middleweight | 01:07<\/p>\n
Asked what had taken place in previous camps that he needed to overhaul, Fenech continues: \u201cLook, I don\u2019t want to talk about any of that.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut this has been a training camp, not a concentration camp. And Tim has changed immensely \u2026 this is a completely different kid from the one who first walked into the gym on day one.\u201d<\/p>\n
One man excited to see the Fenech influence on Tszyu is popular American analyst, and former world champion, Paulie Malignaggi.<\/p>\n
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia, Malignaggi suggested more than making changes to Tszyu\u2019s fight style, the greatest impact the Hall of Famer has will be on the mindset, and confidence, of his fighter. <\/p>\n
\u201cBecause you look at Tim Tszyu\u2019s most recent fight against Denis Nurja,\u201d Malinaggi says, referencing what was an April decision win. \u201cIn that contest, Tim was clearly superior and could\u2019ve looked to go get it. Could\u2019ve upped things a little more.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he never did.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that\u2019s where I think Fenech comes in. Because, yeah, there are going to be some technical things he brings to his game against Errol Spence.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut when I look at Fenech as a fighter, as a person, I think the biggest difference he makes with Tszyu might just be the mental toughness, the mental warfare, even that gamesmanship Fenech always seems to carry.<\/p>\n
\u201cCertainly, Jeff had that as a fighter.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd with everything I have seen from Tim recently, that\u2019s the one thing I would like to see more. Having that seek \u2018n destroy mindset.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I\u2019ll be shocked if Fenech doesn\u2019t bring a Tszyu who attempts that.\u201d<\/p>\n
And as for what Fenech himself makes of those questions about Tszyu adopting his famed inside fighting style?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not about fighting on the inside,\u201d Fenech says simply. \u201cIt\u2019s about where Tim finishes with his punches, and then being in a position to punch again.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause how many fights have we seen Tim hit someone \u2013 one, two \u2013 and then, when they\u2019re just about gone, he stops?<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, no, I\u2019m not teaching him to be Jeff Fenech. I\u2019m teaching him to punch naturally.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd when your body is in the right position, that becomes your mindset. I\u2019m trying to ensure that with Tim there is a second attack, then a third attack.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, why would you punch someone three times in the face and jump back? That lets them recover, lets them see where I am.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I\u2019m trying to get Tim into those positions where punching someone three times, becomes six times, then twelve times.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tszyu v Spence Jr. – Tense Face-Off | 03:21<\/p>\n
Fenech also insists Tszyu already has the gas tank required for such assaults.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf anything, Tim has been training too much,\u201d the Hall of Famer continues. \u201cBut for this one, I want him arriving into the fight with energy.<\/p>\n
\u201cSame as one of the things we\u2019ve really been working hard on is fighting for all three minutes of a round.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot 90 seconds, then letting your rival off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Fenech says real change is also taking place outside the ring.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve known Tim since birth,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo the first thing I brought him was somebody who has his back 24 hours a day. This means he doesn\u2019t have to talk with anyone about anything. Or argue with anyone anymore.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny of that, and Tim knows just send \u2018em to me. That\u2019s lifted a weight from his shoulders.\u201d<\/p>\n
So as for what impact you can have on a fighter in eight weeks?<\/p>\n
\u201cLook, you can\u2019t change everything,\u201d Fenech concedes. \u201cBut some of the stuff I\u2019ve seen this camp, my goodness.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlus, my main job has been getting him mentally prepared.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it comes to the physical stuff, Tim Tszyu already trains incredibly hard.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo the first few weeks were all about the mental side. And while we\u2019re still training our backsides off, we\u2019re also now ensuring that Tim is happy every day.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re having a laugh in camp, going to dinner, we\u2019ve even got his granddad Boris laughing his head off. It\u2019s really good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then after a short pause, Fenech goes again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m confident Tim Tszyu will be a different fighter this Sunday,\u201d he says. \u201cNot crazily different, but he doesn\u2019t need to be.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut some of the things he\u2019s been doing behind the scenes, I\u2019m really confident Australia is about to see the greatest version of Tim Tszyu ever.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jeff Fenech can still feel the power Kostya Tszyu once carried in his famed fists. \u201cOh, yeah,\u201d the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":816084,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[571],"tags":[64,63,802,85],"class_list":["post-816083","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\/816083","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=816083"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/816083\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/816084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=816083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=816083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=816083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}