![\"Nikita](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/eea3270be7215cf9b674fc315d90531f.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nNikita Tszyu is being backed to fight for a world title as early as this year, while Michael Zerafa insists his middleweight title aspirations are well and truly alive.<\/p>\n
The pair face off at Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Friday night, with 33-year-old Zerafa (34-5, 22KO) the more experienced of the pair and 27-year-old Tszyu (11-0, 9KO) already a rising star of the super-welterweight scene.<\/p>\n
No Limit boss George Rose has no doubt the younger boxer has a realistic chance at a world title this year.<\/p>\n
“A bloke of Nikita’s talent, anything is possible with him,” Rose told AAP.<\/p>\n
“This fight in particular is a massive step up for him in terms of the experience and calibre of opponent. It will be a good sign of where he is at and what he is capable of.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nikita Tszyu has a 11-0 professional record, with 9KOs. (Supplied: No Limit Boxing)<\/p>\n
“He is already world-rated and in a position in his rankings where he could fight for a world title and become a world champion this year. If the current world champion wanted to fight him, he is capable.<\/p>\n
“The scene on Friday night is a great test. There will be 10,000 screaming fans split either way. There are people that hate him. There are people who love him. This will be a telling tale.”<\/p>\n
Tszyu acknowledged that taking on a hardened fighter like Zerafa at this stage of his career was a big risk and one that not everyone was keen on seeing him take.<\/p>\n
“It’s a big moment,” Tszyu said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“This is a very big test in my career. It’s a test that a lot of people probably would say that I shouldn’t be taking. It’s too risky at this point.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“There’s a lot of questions that come with this fight. Will Michael’s experience be just too much for me? Or can my youth kind of be the thing that propels me forward?\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I have confidence in myself. My team has confidence in me. These kinds of moments where you’re expected to lose \u2026 being able to break the narrative of his experience will be too much for me and for me to overcome that will be a monumental moment in my career.”<\/p>\n
Zerafa had his one and only world title chance when he fought WBA champion Erislandy Lara in 2024, but was knocked out.<\/p>\n
He said beating Tszyu was the next step towards achieving his goal.<\/p>\n
“I’m highly world-ranked and that is my goal, to be a world champion,” Zerafa told AAP.<\/p>\n
![\"Michael](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/e1049a7e263883ee81ad165cf40d2ce4.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Michael Zerafa has fought for a world title before, but came up short. (Supplied: No Limit Boxing)<\/p>\n
“I fought for a world title but fell short. We want to get back there. It is purely business for me.”<\/p>\n
He added later that his “next one” will be for a world title, presuming he beats Tszyu.<\/p>\n
“There is no pressure on me. I’ve been there, and I’ve done it. I’ve fought all around the world and fought for world titles and basically won all the titles,” he said.<\/p>\n
“My next one is the world title. So, after Nikita, hopefully the promoters can keep their promise and get me that world title.”<\/p>\n
Rose said he understood Zerafa’s thinking.<\/p>\n