![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Tszyu showed a noticeably more aggressive side after making weight on the Gold Coast, firing up during an intense staredown with his Aussie rival ahead of Wednesday night\u2019s blockbuster IBF super-welterweight world title eliminator.<\/p>\n
After what has largely been a respectful build-up between the pair, things suddenly felt very different with little more than 24 hours remaining until they step inside the ring.<\/p>\n
Tszyu and Mahoney both successfully made weight before coming together for one final face-off.<\/p>\n
And this time, Tszyu was about as serious as fight fans have ever seen him.<\/p>\n
The unbeaten Sydneysider marched towards Mahoney and got right in his face, with the pair going head to head as officials watched closely.<\/p>\n
Tszyu was visibly fired up throughout the exchange, with Mahoney pushing his head away part way through as tensions threatened to boil over.<\/p>\n
Nikita Tszyu and Ben MahoneySource: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n
Asked by host Ben Damon if he had any final words for his opponent, Tszyu wasn\u2019t interested. <\/p>\n
\u201cI have nothing to say,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are going to fight tomorrow night.\u201d<\/p>\n
It continued what has been a noticeable change in demeanour from the usually relaxed – and sometimes eccentric – 28-year-old throughout fight week.<\/p>\n
And speaking moments later, Tszyu explained exactly what had brought that side of him out.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt always happens after the weight cuts,\u201d Tszyu said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe torture brings something out of me. The fight\u2019s just around the corner.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked what had tipped him over the edge during the staredown, Tszyu\u2019s response offered some insight into what\u2019s going through his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe realisation that we are fighting tomorrow,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wants to put pain on me. I want to hurt him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will be victorious.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoxing, yes it\u2019s a sport, but to me it\u2019s life or death.\u201d<\/p>\n
And it wasn\u2019t only Tszyu who sensed something had changed.<\/p>\n
Journalist Peter Badel, who has covered the Tszyu family for years, said he had never seen \u2018The Butcher\u2019 quite like this.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never seen that level of ferocity from Nikita Tszyu,\u201d Badel told Main Event.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s usually very measured and controlled at faceoffs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that there was a bit of a headbutt there and almost like he wanted to start something\u2026 I reckon a firecracker is going to go off tomorrow.<\/p>\n
\u201cI reckon Nikita The Butcher is in assassin mode and I think he realises the gravity of this fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is catastrophic if he loses\u2026 and I believe Nikita Tszyu comes out tomorrow night with possibly one of the most savage performances of his career.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nikita Tszyu set for U.S. debut? | 02:42<\/p>\n
Australian boxing legend Danny Green agreed, suggesting the switch Tszyu has spoken so often about throughout his career was now almost fully flicked.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe looks mean and angry,\u201d Green said.<\/p>\n
By contrast, Mahoney appeared completely unfazed by the sudden change in Tszyu.<\/p>\n
While Tszyu looked ready to fight there and then, the unbeaten Queenslander remained relaxed throughout the weigh-in.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe knows I\u2019m not scared of him,\u201d said Mahoney.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of tension between us.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody would think I\u2019m a fighter. I\u2019m like this 24\/7, but I\u2019ll turn on the moment I walk out. I\u2019ll turn it off the second I get out of there.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can expect an angry Mahoney tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mazoudier slams ‘dog’ Jermall Charlo | 02:12<\/p>\n
The contrast between the two Aussie pugs wasn\u2019t lost on No Limit boss George Rose either.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe intensity stepped up to a whole other level,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re absolutely starving and as cranky as they can be.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce that bell rings tomorrow night they are going to be going for the kill.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe confidence I saw from both fighters\u2026 this is going to be an absolute banger.\u201d <\/p>\n
And on Wednesday night, we\u2019ll finally find out which man has got it right.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Nikita Tszyu has finally flicked the switch. And judging by an explosive final face-off with Ben Mahoney on…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":867553,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[571],"tags":[64,63,802,85],"class_list":["post-867552","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\/867552","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=867552"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/867552\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/867553"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=867552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=867552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=867552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}