Tszyu\u2019s training revelation as Aussie turns back on 30yr family tradition<\/a><\/p>\nTim Tszyu would be keen to play his dad Kostya in a movie about Jeff Fenech’s life.Source: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n
TSZYU BID TO END FENECH FEUD<\/p>\n
Still on Tim Tszyu, and the former world champ says he\u2019s determined to have Fenech attend his April 5 fight inside Wollongong Entertainment Centre \u2013 despite the Australian legend having boycotted his most recent bout.<\/p>\n
Back in December, Fenech refused to attend Tszyu\u2019s win over undefeated American Anthony Velazquez.<\/p>\n
The Australian boxing great said his absence was due to having zero input into the preparations, despite having initially been touted by Tszyu\u2019s team as a consultant.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Fenech also took aim at Tszyu\u2019s new coach Pedro Diaz, describing footage coming out of the camp as \u201cf***ing worse than anything I\u2019ve seen\u201d.<\/p>\n
Asked this week if he had discussed the criticism with Fenech, Tszyu replied: \u201cNo, we haven\u2019t discussed it, but I know Jeff only wants the best for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a great guy and somebody who says what he feels.<\/p>\n
\u201cJeff and I, we really get along well.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he\u2019s always been incredibly supportive of me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith some of the things that have happened in my life, there hasn\u2019t been a lot of people I could bounce off.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy dad though is one. And Jeff Fenech is another. They\u2019ve always been the two.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd because of that friendship I\u2019d like him there Easter Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t discussed it yet but, yeah, I want him there at my next fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Two huge names revealed for Tszyu card | 02:41<\/p>\n
BIG NASTY\u2019S \u2018TRAUMA\u2019 SLEDGE<\/p>\n
Nelson Asofa-Solomona is promising to inflict \u201ctrauma\u201d on retired Queensland Origin star Jarrod Wallace, and suggests the gloves used in their Easter Sunday rematch will play a massive factor. <\/p>\n
While he may be fighting on the undercard of Tim Tszyu\u2019s April headliner, Asofa-Solomona has vowed to steal the show against Wallace \u2013 who he\u2019s already fought once, and stopped, in a 2023 exhibition bout.<\/p>\n
In fact, Australia\u2019s newest crossover star has admitted surprise at the Queenslander wanting to go around again, and especially after \u2018Big Nasty\u2019 needed less than a round to stop Jeremy Latimore in his recent professional debut. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Jarrod\u2019s name came up for this fight I was shocked,\u201d NAS admitted this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve already fought him once, and won by KO.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd for that fight, we were wearing 18 ounce gloves.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis time around though, we\u2019re fighting in 10 ounce gloves.<\/p>\n
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 16: Nelson Asofa-Solomona walks into the ring ahead of Heavyweight bout against Jeremy Latimore during their Heavyweight bout at Brisbane Entertainment Centre on January 16, 2026 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd against Jeremy Latimore, I couldn\u2019t believe the difference that made.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith my type of power, it becomes a whole different ball game \u2026 and it\u2019ll be a whole different world Jarrod walks into.\u201d<\/p>\n
So as for a prediction?<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce a jab lands, it\u2019s going to bring back some trauma for him,\u201d Asofa-Solomona warned. \u201cAnd this time around, I think [the finish] will be more devastating.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhich isn\u2019t anything personal.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause when nobody wanted to fight me, Jarrod was the first one to raise his hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the type of guy he is. Always up for a challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd now in this situation he\u2019s looking to get some revenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I\u2019m also not going to stray away from what I said when I came into this, and that is me looking for those highlight reel finishes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m looking for knockouts.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what sells and that\u2019s what people are coming to see. So that\u2019s what I\u2019m going to put on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hearn reveals tantalising Aussie card | 16:22<\/p>\n
OPETAIA\u2019S RIVAL\u2019S PHONE DIDN\u2019T RECOGNISE HIM<\/p>\n
American cruiserweight Brandon Glanton has revealed the brutal toll of his recent showdown with Jai Opetaia, admitting his own phone didn\u2019t recognise him in the days after the fight.<\/p>\n
Glanton showed plenty of heart against the unbeaten Aussie champion in his Zuffa Boxing debut, eventually dropping a unanimous decision after a punishing contest.<\/p>\n
But it was the bizarre aftermath that truly drove home the damage he absorbed.<\/p>\n
Posting to social media this week, Glanton said the swelling to his face was so severe that his phone\u2019s Face ID feature failed to unlock for several days.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy phone\u2019s Face ID hasn\u2019t recognised me in three days, but honestly? I could have gone 20 rounds,\u201d he wrote on Instagram.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe heart doesn\u2019t quit just because the eyes decide to take a vacation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt takes a different kind of crazy to step in there, and I love every brutal second of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut for everyone sitting on the couch commenting about how they want to get in the ring\u2026 you ya\u2019ll still wanna box?<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause let me be real with you\u2026 no matter how slick you think your head movement is, eventually you will get this look. It comes with the territory.\u201d<\/p>\n
Opetaia wins ZUFFA title in debut | 01:41<\/p>\n
OPETAIA SUPERFIGHT GONE<\/p>\n
Elsewhere with Opetaia, it appears the big punching southpaw\u2019s hopes of landing a David Benavidez superfight have taken a hit, with the American now declaring he will return to light heavyweight after challenging Gilberto Ramirez for the WBA and WBO cruiserweight straps in May.<\/p>\n
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia recently, new Zuffa Boxing boss Dana White insisted he would be making a showdown between Opetaia, his new client, and Benavidez, telling us: \u201cAbso-f***ing-lutely \u2026 that fight will happen\u201d.<\/p>\n
However, during an appearance on Inside The Ring this week, Benavidez outlined his plans to unify the light heavyweight division against Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev \u2013 even if he becomes a cruiserweight champion next up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been telling you guys I wanna get Bivol and then Beterbiev,\u201d Benavidez said. \u201cThose are the two fights I want for myself and I know all the world of boxing wants to see.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo now that I can make 175 comfortably, I feel like we gotta make that happen first. We got this fight, we\u2019re gonna get these belts first and then we\u2019re gonna go back down, then gonna come back up.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause like I said, I already had cards I wanted to play. I wanna take care of that first.\u201d<\/p>\n
Why is Tim Tszyu taking this fight?! | 02:00<\/p>\n
BOBBY KNUCKLES CONFIRMS JULY COMEBACK<\/p>\n
Aussie MMA star Robert Whittaker has locked in a July return, confirming he\u2019s got a fight lined up for his big move to light heavyweight \u2013 but that\u2019s all we know for now.<\/p>\n
Australia\u2019s first UFC champion made the decision earlier this year to leave the middleweight division and reinvent himself at 205 pounds.<\/p>\n
Whittaker has been putting in the work across the ditch at City Kickboxing, training alongside a stacked group that includes old rival Israel Adesanya.<\/p>\n
During an interview with Combat TV on Thursday, Bobby Knuckles revealed he would be back in the Octagon in July, but didn\u2019t give any more details.<\/p>\n
When pressed recently by Fox Sports Australia on who he\u2019d like to fight first, Whittaker said there\u2019s a few big names he\u2019s been eyeing off.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know me, I\u2019ll fight anyone,\u201d said Whittaker.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I like the idea of Dominick Reyes and Jan Blachowicz. I even like Magomed Ankalaev. I want to fight all of these guys!\u201d<\/p>\n
The only fighter he said he wasn\u2019t \u201cpumped\u201d about matching up with was Czech enigma Jiri Proch\u00e1zka \u2013 but nobody can really blame him for that.<\/p>\n
Boxer on debut pulls off big KO | 00:20<\/p>\n
DRAGONS GREAT WANTS CROSSOVER FIGHT<\/p>\n
St George Illawarra great Matt Cooper has laughed off suggestions he only wants to fight Nelson Asofa-Solomona for cash, while also suggesting Australia\u2019s newest crossover star doesn\u2019t have the IQ or speed to beat him.<\/p>\n
Despite being aged 46, Cooper is a longtime trainer of both boxing and Mixed Martial Arts, and told The Punch Podcast this week he\u2019s too fast for the 130kg heavyweight.<\/p>\n
The Dragons premiership hero also stressed NAS was \u201cscared\u201d to face him — despite being 16 years younger and several kilos heavier — while also rejecting claims he is only fighting to make some coin off the former Melbourne Storm enforcer.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh man, it\u2019s not about cash,\u201d Cooper cackled. \u201cI don\u2019t need cash. I just want to fight. I\u2019d be a good opponent and … I\u2019ve got too much speed for the big fella. He\u2019s got power, but I don\u2019t know if he\u2019s got the IQ or the speed.\u201d<\/p>\n
So as for NAS fighting Jarrod Wallace next?<\/p>\n
\u201cAh, look, Wallace is a brawler,\u201d Cooper continued. \u201cBut Nelson has already knocked him out. And knocked him out with 18 ounce gloves on. So I don\u2019t know how he will go. Nelson is fighting guys he knows he\u2019s going to beat to get his wins up. They\u2019re scared to fight me because they know I might beat him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Garcia v Barrios Fight Highlights | 02:52<\/p>\n
JDM KO THREAT<\/p>\n
Australia\u2019s Jack Della Maddalena returns to the Octagon in May for the first time since losing his UFC welterweight crown \u2013 and with his latest Brazilian rival vowing to knock him cold.<\/p>\n
Speaking on Ariel Helwani\u2019s show this week, Carlos Prates insisted a big win over \u2018Della\u2019 in Perth will put him in pole position for his own title shot.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will knock JDM out,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot of people like me, and I have a lot of fans. There\u2019s talk about whether I deserve it or not, but I think I do. Of course, I will knock JDM out, and then I will have knocked out two former champions. So who deserves it more than me?\u201d<\/p>\n
VOLK\u2019S \u2018REAL MAN\u2019 CLAIM<\/p>\n
Alexander Volkanovski has received praise for trying to pitch Movsar Evloev into a UFC title fight, with the Russian declaring this week: \u201cThat\u2019s how real champions talk\u201d.<\/p>\n
Currently on an unbeaten run stretching 12 years and 19 fights \u2013 including all nine inside the Octagon \u2013 Evloev faces Englishman Lerone Murphy, also undefeated, in Sunday\u2019s UFC London headliner.<\/p>\n
For several months now, Volk has suggested whoever wins the London scrap should become next contender for his crown. <\/p>\n
Speaking with MMA Fighting this week however, Evloev said that while both he and Murphy are yet to taste defeat, neither has been promised anything by the UFC in victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, nothing like that,\u201d Evloev said when asked if a title shot was guaranteed should he win. \u201cIt looks like it\u2019s a contender fight [though]. If I win or Murphy wins, I don\u2019t see no excuse to not give a title shot to the winner of this fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked about Volk\u2019s push for the winner to face him, he added: \u201cLook, that\u2019s how real champions talk. I was waiting for him, nothing [disrespectful] but this guy is a real man. He\u2019s fighting with the best and that\u2019s why he became the best featherweight of all time.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This is Fox Sports Australia\u2019s combat sports column Fighting Words, where we give you all the latest news…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":548483,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[447],"tags":[703,49,48,82],"class_list":["post-548482","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-boxing","tag-boxing","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/548482","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=548482"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/548482\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/548483"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=548482"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=548482"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=548482"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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