‘100 levels under’: US rival claims Tszyu is ‘way short’ of ‘f***ing beast’ father

Tony Harrison insists Tim Tszyu is “way short” of his legendary father’s calibre as the war of words between the two rivals continues.

Tszyu’s father, Kostya, is one of the greatest Australians to ever step between the ropes and was a former unified light-welterweight world champion.

Although Tim cannot match his father’s feat just yet, a victory over Harrison on Sunday at Qudos Bank Arena will help him book a date with unified super welterweight champ Jermell Charlo later this year.

However, Harrison believes Tszyu will never emulate what his father was able to do in the ring.

“Kostya Tszyu was a man, he was a beast,” Harrison said.

“Kostya Tszyu was a f***ing beast.

“Kostya Tszyu came over here [to America] and proved he was a beast. He fought Zab [Judah]. He proved he was a beast, man. He fought the guys that were considered the best guys in the sport.

“Tim is way short of that. He is way short of that.”

Harrison then doubled down on his claims in an interview with News Corp,taking aim at his rival’s supposed heightened levels of discipline compared to his old man.

“He’s probably getting stories from people around him saying how undisciplined his father was, he probably does tick those boxes in terms of discipline and hard work, but is he better skilled than his father? F*** no,” Harrison said.

“He is 100 levels under his father, he ain’t a patch on his father.

“Everything is not about hard work and discipline, you’ve got to have skills. Everything has got to line up, you can’t have one without the other.

“His father had to have some kind of discipline and hard work to become champion and beat the guys he beat, it was crazy. Talent levels, he is light years under his father, light years.

“He’s not even a surface level of what his father was. His father was dangerous, man, and had heavy hands too, so you can’t force me to believe his father was undisciplined.”

The American has also repeatedly dismissed Tszyu’s ability throughout the build-up to the fight, even describing the Aussie’s fighting style as “basic.”

However, Harrison is looking forward to seeing whether Tszyu really belongs in the upper echelons of the vision and deserves a crack at Charlo.

“I think this right now is the first time he’s stepped in to fight a guy of my calibre, or our calibre,” Harrison said.

“I’m top five. I’m a top five in this division for like eight years. He hasn’t fought nobody top five.

“But, to figure it out, you call out me and that’s the perfect way to figure it out.

“I think he figured it out the right way but the wrong way. I think you called the wrong fighter out.

“You got to figure it out, dude.”