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<\/p>\n
Combined, the two Aussies are unbeaten in 31 fights \u2013 with Tszyu ranked at No.5 with the IBF, while Mahoney is at No.7.<\/p>\n
And given the top two spots on that same rankings list are currently vacant, No Limit has declared the all-Australian showcase a world title eliminator for Englishman Kelly.<\/p>\n
Speaking this week however, Tszyu revealed that just like old brother Tim, he isn\u2019t a fan of the IBF\u2019s contentious rehydration policy for championship bouts — which involves fighters again stepping onto the scales on fight day, when they are unable to be more than 10 pounds (4.5kg) over the initial limit. <\/p>\n
Nikita Tszyu celebrates victory against Oscar Diaz during the WBO International Super Welterweight Title bout at Newcastle Entertainment Centre on May 06, 2026 in Newcastle, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u2018The Butcher\u2019 said the only way he could compete safely under this ruling would be if he moves up a division to middleweight.<\/p>\n
As a result, the hyped southpaw said he wouldn\u2019t do it at super welterweight. <\/p>\n
Back in 2024, Tim Tszyu also vowed he would never again compete for an IBF title after being brutally stopped by then champion Bakhram Murtazaliev.<\/p>\n
Speaking weeks later with reporters, Tim revealed he had been seriously compromised by having to not only weigh in twice before the fights, but also have no more than 10 pounds separating his two appearances on the scales.<\/p>\n
Asked this week why he was OK with the ruling that his brother has vowed to never compete under again, Nikita Tszyu surprisingly replied: \u201cI\u2019m not OK with it.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I wouldn\u2019t do it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI could only do [the consecutive weigh-ins] if I fought at middleweight. But I couldn\u2019t safely rehydrate at super welterweight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tszyu was then asked if watching his brother\u2019s torturous preparation for Murtazaliev — where he also wound up throwing the towel on fight night — influenced his decision, the fighter replied \u201cyeah, a little\u201d.<\/p>\n
Teremoana vs Savage Fight Highlights! | 09:39<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I also just don\u2019t like the sound of it,\u201d he continued. \u201cI like to rehydrate comfortably.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter weighing in, I don\u2019t want to then be thinking about a second one.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to be relaxed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to drink as much water as I need and get the electrolytes back into me without the thought of doing another weigh-in the next day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked exactly what all this means for his own world title push, and Tszyu \u2013 who is also ranked No.5 for WBO champ Jaron \u2018Boots\u2019 Ennis \u2013 couldn\u2019t say for sure.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook, I don\u2019t know,\u201d he conceded. \u201cEventually that would all be for my management to work out.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut from my point of view, I don\u2019t feel comfortable with it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf that particular ruling was enforced by all [four major] organisations then it would be a different story.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it\u2019s not. It\u2019s only enforced by one.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf everyone enforced it, I\u2019d have to move up a weight class.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I\u2019d be happy for that [rule] as a middleweight. But at the moment I\u2019m at super welterweight so \u2026 I dunno.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite having turned professional only four years ago, Tszyu is suddenly one of the hottest names anywhere in Australian boxing.<\/p>\n
Now readying for what will effectively be his fourth fight in 12 months, the hyped Sydney southpaw is being linked to potential title fights against all three division champions \u2013 including Kelly, Ennis and WBC king Sebastian Fundora.<\/p>\n
Zerafa vs Ortiz Full Fight Highlights | 09:40<\/p>\n
Fundora, of course, also beat Tszyu\u2019s big brother twice, making for an incredible build up.<\/p>\n
Back in April, UK promoter Eddie Hearn also opened up to Fox Sports Australia about the prospect of having \u2018The Butcher\u2019 face \u2018Boots\u2019 \u2013 suggesting he would even consider bringing Ennis Down Under to defend WBA and WBO gold.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, there has also been suggestions the younger Tszyu sibling could instead face the No.1 IBF contender Brandon Adams, while Murtazaliev also sits above him in the IBF and WBO rankings. <\/p>\n
Only last week, former world champion Harrison also tossed his name into the mix, saying he would be keen to again throw down against Australia\u2019s No.1 fight family after losing to Tim Tszyu in 2023.<\/p>\n
And on that last challenge in particular, Nikita has offered a wonderfully unique response.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomebody sent me a clip where Tony said he\u2019s going to give me a spanking,\u201d the fighter grinned.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I mean, c\u2019mon Tony, don\u2019t tempt me like that. He doesn\u2019t want me coming at him with an erection \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
But as for a Harrison fight being possible?<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, anything is possible,\u201d Tszyu continued. \u201cRight now, I don\u2019t want to think too far ahead of my next fight. But if the business side of things make sense, and I\u2019ve made the correct progression first then anything is possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA – MAY 06: Nikita Tszyu celebrates victory against Oscar Diaz during the WBO International Super Welterweight Title bout at Newcastle Entertainment Centre on May 06, 2026 in Newcastle, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
One fighter Tszyu won\u2019t be facing however is Zerafa, who famously withdrew from a January domestic headliner in only the third round, claiming he couldn\u2019t see.<\/p>\n
More recently, Australia\u2019s longtime boxing bad boy has signed with Hearn\u2019s Matchroom stable, and only last week stopped Venezuela\u2019s Alejandro Ortiz on the Gold Coast.<\/p>\n
In the build up to that fight, Hearn suggested a rematch between his new client and Tszyu would be bigger than even their first fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd for Eddie, he\u2019s signed Zerafa, so he\u2019s trying to get the biggest fights for him,\u201d Tszyu shrugged.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut that ship has sailed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve already come out publicly and said I\u2019m not doing that fight again. I\u2019ve moved on. And I have to be a man of my word and hold on to that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Currently, there are several moving parts at the top of the super welterweight division.<\/p>\n
While Kelly and Ennis are being talked up for a unification bout later this year, Hearn has suggested Tszyu could be a potential title challenger for either man.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really like Nikita Tszyu, think he\u2019s an exciting fighter,\u201d the UK promoter told us in April.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he\u2019s going to be putting himself into a position very soon to be challenging for a world title.<\/p>\n
‘A new chapter!’: Zerafa scores TKO | 01:01<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd maybe that\u2019s Josh Kelly.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut don\u2019t forget also that we\u2019ve got Jaron Ennis \u2026 and I\u2019d love to bring a big name American fighter over to Australia. So maybe that\u2019s the fight with Nikita Tszyu, who knows?\u201d<\/p>\n
There has also been talk of Nikita Tszyu making his US debut later this year, while Tszyu\u2019s promoters have already spoken with Harrison about potentially again travelling Down Under for a fight.<\/p>\n
The former world champion, who once beat Jermell Charlo, has won consecutive fights since losing to Tszyu, and has also talked up the possibility of fighting Zerafa. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut if this fight with Mike Zerafa doesn\u2019t work,\u201d he said last week, \u201cI will go finish what I started with Nikita.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I think that\u2019s another good fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI match up well with him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI honestly think it\u2019s too early for him. I think it\u2019s a fight like they\u2019re moving him a little too fast.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m too seasoned for him.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he is a young buck and he\u2019s full of testosterone.\u201d<\/p>\n
And as for taking him on in Australia?<\/p>\n
\u201cListen, I don\u2019t want to fight him anywhere else,\u201d Harrison smiled. \u201cThis is like my second home. I\u2019ve already got \u2018mate\u2019 down \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Nikita Tszyu has thrown a surprise twist into any potential blockbuster with IBF super welterweight champ Josh Kelly…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":860436,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[571],"tags":[64,63,802,85],"class_list":["post-860435","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\/860435","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=860435"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/860435\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/860436"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=860435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=860435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=860435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}