-
Jake Michaels
A highly anticipated fight between the undefeated Nikita Tszyu and Michael Zerafa has been agreed upon, with the star Australian pair to finally trade blows on Jan. 16.
The fight, several years in the making and one that will cap months of slander and trash talk, will likely be at catchweight (71.5kg), with a venue still to be determined. Brisbane and Gold Coast are believed to be among the frontrunners to score the blockbuster card, as neither boxer wants to concede a home turf advantage.
There’s been tension between the Tszyu and Zerafa camps ever since the Melburnian withdrew from his scheduled fight in Newcastle with Tim Tszyu, Nikita’s world championship-winning brother, amidst the COVID-19 restrictions in 2021.
Tszyu 11-0 (7 KOs) made a successful return to the ring from a year-long injury hiatus in August, crushing Macedonian challenger Lulzim Ismaili at the ICC Sydney Theatre. The son of Hall of Famer Kostya and brother of Tim showed no signs of rust in his brief appearance in the ring, battering and bruising Ismaili, forcing him to retire on his stool before the beginning of the second round.
That Sydney card also featured Zerafa 34-5 (22 KOs), who looked equally as dominant in his one-sided demolition job of American Mikey Dahlman. The 33-year-old from Melbourne needed just two minutes to capture the WBO Inter-Continental Middleweight title, proving yet again he’s much more than just one of the sport’s biggest trash talkers.
The performances by the Australian pair made a blockbuster meeting by year’s end seem a formality. However, plans were thrown into disarray earlier this month when Tszyu was involved in a car accident and sustained minor injuries, including whiplash, ultimately pushing the showdown back until the new year.
More to follow...