Nikita Tszyu has revealed why he and his family will never forgive Michael Zerafa’s infamous ‘Micky Hatton’ sledge — while also suggesting it caused Australia’s boxing bad boy to withdraw like a “coward” from a hyped 2021 headliner with brother, Tim.

One of Australia’s greatest boxing feuds is finally set for resolution in 2026 following confirmation Zerafa and Tszyu will throw down in a January 16 blockbuster built on bucketloads of bad blood.

It has now been four years since ‘Pretty Boy’ enraged the Tszyu clan with his unforgettable Micky Hatton sledge, which occurred during the build for what was supposed to be an all-Australian blockbuster with Tim Tszyu.

The remark, made during a ‘Face Off’ interview, was a direct reference to the boys’ Hall Of Fame father Kostya Tszyu, who 14 years earlier had suffered a career-ending loss to the late, great Englishman Ricky Hatton.

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‘Tszyu legacy on the line’ Zerafa | 00:28

“I’m Micky Zerafa,” Zerafa had declared, without prompting. “It’s f***ing Micky Hatton rocking up. I’m taking over.”

Sitting across the table, Tim Tszyu initially appeared shocked by the surprise comments before eventually firing back: “Don’t talk about that fight man. Don’t talk about that.”

Four years on, and Nikita Tszyu certainly hasn’t forgotten.

Initially recalling the incident during Wednesday’s Sydney press conference to announce the fight, Nikita said the “disrespectful” comment is one “I can’t forgive”.

Expanding on why afterwards with Fox Sports Australia, The Butcher recounted his father’s final loss being a “dark” time for the entire family, which included the old man “pissing blood for weeks afterwards”.

Tszyu also surprisingly claimed the sledge – and his older brother’s furious reaction to it – as the reason Zerafa would soon after withdraw from their slated Newcastle pay-per-view event.

Asked if he remembered the moment he first heard the sledge, Nikita replied: “I was on my computer, deep into [university] studies, when the clip came up.

“And my first thought? What a f***ing piece of s***.

“Because that fight of my father’s, it was a dark moment in our family history. A time that wasn’t easy on any of us.

“I mean, boxing is a f***ed sport.

“And for us growing up within that sport, we’ve seen all the trials and tribulations, all the pain.

“And what my dad had to go through in that fight, it was one of the hardest things to watch. I remember he was pissing blood for weeks afterwards.

“So to take a shot at that? To use it as a way of insulting our family?

“It shows the type of character you are.”

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In fact, Tszyu believes that sledge, and the response from his older brother, is why Zerafa chose to walk away from their impending headliner — in what he has previously dubbed a “coward” move.

“And, look, I could be wrong with this,” the 27-year-old continues. “But straight after that Micky Hatton comment was made, you can see my brother’s focus switches.

“You can see it, visibly.

“If you watch Michael too, you can see he also suddenly looks like ‘oh, I’ve f***ed up here, I shouldn’t have said that’.

“And I think that played into why [he withdrew from the fight].

“Again, I could be wrong.

“But I think that while Michael was initially confident about fighting Tim, once he brought that personal matter into it, once he saw my brother’s reaction to it all, he knew it had given Tim a whole new drive.”

“Gotta risk it” – Tszyu on Zerafa clash | 03:12

While Hatton tragically passed away earlier this year, his memory remains tattooed to that unforgettable IBF title bout against Tszyu. Where as a heavy underdog, the popular Brit produced the fight, and win, of his life before a delirious Manchester Arena crowd of 22,000.

The Englishman had famously been up through 11 rounds before Kostya, who was down on the scorecards, failed to emerge from his corner for the final round, with trainer Johnny Lewis throwing in the towel.

While the Hall of Famer never officially announced his retirement that night, or in the days after, it remains the last fight of his prestigious career.

And it was that moment, four years ago, Zerafa decided to revive during his face off with Tim Tszyu inside Fox Sports Australia’s Sydney studios.

Pushed on why the comment had caused such family angst, Nikita continues now: “It pressed a button because we’re boxers, we’re willing to fight each other and take all the punishment that comes with it.

“But to bring somebody’s family into it? That’s different.

“It’s not only unprofessional, but inhuman.

“It was Michael trying to hurt my brother, but in a way that was sad and disrespectful.”

05/06/2005. Ricky Hatton of England (L) battles it out with Kostya Tszyu of Australia during their boxing match in Manchester. Hatton took the title from champion Tszyu on the 11th round. AFP PHOTOSource: News Limited

Zerafa, meanwhile, has long blamed the way the interview was clipped up for causing the outrage, pointing out the fact he also refers to Kostya Tszyu as a legend during the same ‘Face Off’.

However, the Melburnian also repeated the sledge to Main Event’s Ben Damon only last year, declaring: “Micky Hatton is back … Micky Hatton never left”.

“And it’s funny when someone does that, right?” Nikita shrugs. “When they hurl the insult at somebody, then give them praise.

“It’s like ‘what are you talking about? We’ve all heard the insult’.”

When the comment was first aired by Zerafa in the now infamous ‘Face Off’, a shocked Tszyu initially replied that “Pacquaio is going to rock up” — a reference to the Filipino legend who famously beat Hatton in 2009.

“Remember what Pacquaio did to Hatton?” Tszyu then said.

Zerafa: “Remember what Ricky Hatton did?”

At which point, a furious Tszyu said: “Don’t talk about that fight man. Don’t talk about that.”

Zerafa responded: “I’m just saying, remember what happened? You remember what happened in that fight. Micky Hatton’s rocking up ….”

To which Tszyu simply deadpanned: “We’ll see.”

Later, Zerafa added that he was not taking anything away from the Hall of Famer, saying: “You can’t take nothing away, Kostya’s a legend.

“Even if me and Tim completely hated each other, can’t take nothing away from his old man.

“His old man’s a legend and put the sport pretty much on the map (in Australia). Dominated the best in the world. Hall of Famer.”

Zerafa then continued of the Hatton showdown, however: “Looking back on that fight, they fight very similar, him and his old man.

“There’s ways to beat Tim.

“Tim’s human. You cut him, he bleeds red.

“He’s got two arms and a head and has a heartbeat just like me.

“I’ve seen a lot of things going back on Tim’s fights, going back on Kostya’s fights. They’re very similar. Very similar.”