He is on the brink of a world title fight and Tim Tszyu is planning on putting on a "spectacular" show in Newcastle tonight just to prove he is ready for it.
Tszyu will put his undefeated record on the line when he takes on Brisbane-based Irishman Dennis Hogan at a packed Newcastle Entertainment Centre.
As the pair squared off for the last time before the fight at yesterday's weigh-in at the Civic Theatre, Tszyu made his intentions clear, warning Hogan he would be "taking him to somewhere that he hasn't been before".
Asked about the prospect of winning the fight, Tszyu said: "This is the only option I've got - there's no such thing as make or break. It's the only option - winning and in spectacular fashion."
Responding to claims from Hogan that he believes he can knock Tszyu out, the 26-year-old son of Australian boxing royalty Kostya Tszyu said: "The main thing is I'm more confident here [pointing to his head]. I don't believe, I know. That's the difference in this fight."
Only 10 grams separated the fighters on the scales for the WBO Global super welterweight title bout with Tszyu coming in slightly lighter at 69.3 kgs. Both fighters said they would be seven kilos heavier by the time they step into the ring. A win for the Australian would boost his record to 18-0 and set him up as the mandatory challenger to WBO world champion Brian Castano.
Underdog Hogan is planning to ambush those plans, saying the fight is "everything in the world to me right now" but there is also a threat from the Irishman not to step into the ring at all unless a dispute over a betting sponsor between his camp and promoters No Limit Boxing is resolved beforehand.
Hogan is sponsored by Pointsbet and wants the betting agency's logo emblazoned on his shorts for the fight. But No Limit Boxing, who look after Tszyu, claim they have an exclusive deal with Sportsbet and that won't be compromised.
"It's stipulated in his contract," promoter Matt Rose told the Newcastle Herald.
Hogan said after the weigh-in he is prepared to "go home" and not fight at all with court action also talked up as a possibility if the situation is not resolved.
"I don't care. I'm not coming out unless I've got my sponsors on there [the shorts]," Hogan said. "That's the deal that we've done. It's unacceptable. I'll be wearing them or I won't be there.
"Let me know by tonight so I can go home tomorrow if not. They [Pointsbet] have supported me through the pandemic, through hard times. I'll wear them now when I'm about to have my glorious moment."
The 36-year old Irishman, who has fought 32 times for 29 wins admitted the fight was "make or break" for him.
"It really just gets me back to where all my dreams lie and what I've visualised for a very long time. Tomorrow night, I'm just going to get in and do what has to be done. I'll out-box him every single round but I'll probably win in a knockout."
Tszyu's Newcastle-based manager Glen Jennings is quietly confident of victory.
"Tim's got the DNA but that doesn't guarantee anything. You still have to work hard, you've got to really want it and Tim lives and breaths it," he said.
