Kostya Tszyu makes startling admission amid emotional scenes with sons Tim and Nikita
Tszyu revealed his desire to see his sons box in Russia.
Boxing legend Kostya Tszyu has revealed his desire for Tim and Nikita Tszyu to fight in Russia in the future as his eldest son prepares to take on IBF super-welterweight world champion Bakhram Murtazaliev this weekend. The boxing hall of famer shocked his sons on Thursday by walking into Tim's world title press conference minutes before it got underway in an emotional family reunion.
Kostya snuck up behind Tim, grabbed his shoulders and squeezed, with the Aussie boxer immediately knowing it was his famous father. In a video uploaded to Instagram by No Limits Boxing, Tim is seen lighting up as he feels the famous of hands on his shoulders. He didn't even need to turn around to find out to find out who it was as he knew immediately it was his father.
It was a surprise to both his boys as Tsyzu had told them he wouldn't be able to make this weekend's fight, so his presence came as a pleasant surprise. “Dad only told me this morning he wasn’t going to be here for this,” Tim said. "It’s so typical, man. I'm used to it now. It’s good to see him ... he’s buzzing. The last name Tszyu will live on as the greatest boxing family that ever lived." Kostya then greeted younger son Nikita in the flesh for the first time in 11 years as the pair shared a long, emotional embrace.
Following the encounter Tim recounted how his dad surprised him in exactly the same way after secretly jetting in from Russia prior to his 2016 professional debut - the last time he watched Tim fight live. “I was sitting on the couch that time,” Tim said. "He got my traps pretty good. I think now it’s more of a moment for him,” he said. "I haven’t really missed out on much. He’s the one who has missed out on this journey but I'm just glad now that he’s getting to feel this again."
Kostya Tszyu expresses desire for his sons to fight in Russia
Kostya runs a restaurant in Russia and has other business interests overseas that keep him busy, preventing him from travelling to watch his sons fight live. And to make matters worse very few of Tim and Nikita’s fights are broadcast in Russia, so Kostya often only knows how his sons are going through round-by-round updates via text messages. Occasionally, he Facetimes a family member in order to see them in action but this time he won't have to. And the boxing legend is excited to finally see Tim live in action this weekend as he voiced his desire to watch him fight in Russia in the future.
"He never lived in Russia for long but he has a huge following and great support and, yes, I would love to see him fight in Russia one day," Kostya told The Daily Telegraph. “I will be looking to organise this one day.
"One day, it will happen. Many people want him to fight in Russia and I might just be the co-promoter! He can’t fight without me promoting it.”
Kostya said he only has two days off between now and the end of the year, which doesn’t leave time to travel and see his kids in action but says if they ever needed him to train them he'd drop everything in a heartbeat. "I’m for them every day," he said.
"If they want me, I would be there. But I’m on the side. I don’t have time for it every single day. But, if they say, ‘Please, Dad, we need you, I’ll be there’."
