‘It’s a sickness’: Obsessed Tszyu on why he will beat Horn – Sydney Morning Herald

Unflinching resolve runs in the family. The 25-year-old Sydneysider, whose father is former light welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, was in the tropical north on Monday to confirm his August 26 date with Jeff Horn in Townsville. The weather did not reflect his ice-cold intentions.
In what will be easily Australia’s biggest domestic fight of the year, Tszyu (15-0-0) has been installed as favourite against 32-year-old Horn (20-2-1), the former WBO welterweight champion. Horn’s last outing was a rugged redemption victory over Michael Zerafa, an accomplished Victorian middleweight who stunned him in the first of their double at that weight.
Horn has won a world title at welterweight, was less than convincing at middleweight but now settles into what he sees as the perfect compromise: super welterweight. It’s a division he believes he can be most effective in as he settles into the final phase of his career.
Jeff Horn is coming off a rough and tumble series of fights against middleweight Michael Zerafa.Credit:Getty Images
Given he’s beaten Manny Pacquiao and been in the ring with the likes of Terence Crawford, Horn struggled to understand why he was listed as an outsider, in his own state, against a fighter who has taken care of domestic opponents in good style but is about to take a significant leap in class.
“Hes a hot favourite for this fight,” Horn said. “Im shocked. I kind of want to turn around and put some money on myself.”
That’s about as angry or threatening as Horn gets before a fight, which makes the personality clash between the pair intriguing. The Queenslander is used to being taken lightly but, with many clearly believing he is a spent force facing a rising star, his motivation levels are returning to pre-Pacquiao days.
He was pilloried for his preparation for the first Zerafa fight and needed all of his resilience to beat him the second time. He insists the pain was worth the gain. It has given him a new lease of life as a fighter.
‘Im still around and still have the fight left in my belly and Ill show that against Tim Tszyu.’
Jeff Horn
“The second time, with all the talk, what happened in that fight, it was gold for me to get that win. It proved to the world Im still around and still have the fight left in my belly and Ill show that against Tim Tszyu,” Horn said.
“I look at his career and I dont feel like hes been tested fully. The tough opponents he has fought have been at the Australian level. That might be a telling factor. Anyway, I’m always happy to beat up a New South Welshman.”
Horn loves the idea of himself at super welterweight, where he believes he can maximise his advantages. He was a bully of a welterweight but lost that physical presence at middleweight, a division where he didn’t have to work especially hard to stay under the limit.
He wants that pressure back, because it makes him a better fighter. He will need to be in superb shape against Tszyu, who never cuts corners.
“I feel like its the most comfortable division for me. You have to watch the weight and be very professional to get down there. The body has grown a bit since the welterweight days but it hasnt grown enough to be an effective middleweight. This is bang on,” Horn said.
“It was easy to make the weight

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