Never again: Why Nikita won’t open for big bro anymore after ‘best performance yet’

Nikita Tszyu has overcome a swollen right eye, plenty of family pressure and, apparently, a stuff up in his walkout song, to eventually secure a convincing TKO win on the undercard of big brother Tim’s world title fight.

Opening up the main card against tough Tasmanian Bo Belbin, Tszyu copped a big right hand early before responding to eventually win, and with his eye already closing, by stoppage in the fourth. Jeff Fenech, Alexander Volkanovski and Paul Kent agreed on Main Event’s coverage it was Tszyu’s best performance yet as he improved to 5-0 (4 KOs).

Speaking afterwards, the younger of the Tszyu brothers admitted to having felt pressure opening for his sibling’s hyped WBO championship fight against American Tony Harrison – and said he preferred they never share a card again.

“If I’d lost, it would’ve been a horrible headspace for Tim,” the 25-year-old conceded. “There was no other way (but winning) … that stayed in my mind the whole time.”

In some perfect timing, Nikita was actually headed backstage at Qudos Bank Arena after his win when Tim entered the building with his own, small entourage.

The pair embraced, with Nikita saying “the main meal is coming”.

Asked about the eye, which was already swelling by the time he got backstage, Tszyu described it as “a little annoying” but “part of the business”.

“And, honestly, I’m actually happy it happened,” he said. “Because now I know what it’s like to have that distorted perspective of being in a fight and losing vision.

“It was a good experience. Good lesson.

“(Laughs) I’ve just got to keep my front hand up.”

And as for the Belbin right hand that landed early?

“It was kind of a shock,” he conceded, “Like ‘wow, OK this guy has got some power’.

“But it’s good that it hit me on the top of the head, not the chin.

“The first round was supposed to be a feel out round but we kind’ve got in a firefight.

“And I learned you don’t get in a firefight with this guy, the boxing ability can take care of it.

“And once I felt comfortable with the jab things started to follow.

“Things started going in my direction.”

Tszyu also revealed the truth to his delayed walkout, which saw the young fighter stood, back to the Main Event cameras, and stalling for several minutes as his song played.

So as for what was going on?

“They messed up my song,” he laughed.

“I don’t know if you could see, but I was telling Glenn (Jennings, manager) ‘they’ve got the wrong song’.

“My mate, he’s an ex-DJ and made a special mix.

“But I think they just copied one from Spotify. I was like ‘what the hell guys?’

“I honestly did not mean that delay but I had to come out to the part I intended to.”

Tszyu looked composed early before dominating in a fourth round where he, first, dropped Belbin before then finishing with a barrage of head and body shots.

Still, the fighter who has now opened his professional career with five straight wins said he doesn’t want to fight on the undercard of his brother again.

“I wasn’t the the biggest fan of it,” Tszyu revealed of the preparation.

“I was very isolated from everyone.

“I was training at 10 o’clock in the morning compared to Tim training at two o’clock in the afternoon.

“I was in the gym virtually by myself. Very lonely camp.

“So again, good lesson, good experience to have.

“But honestly I’d prefer to keep our fights separated.”

Tszyu added the event also put more strain on the boy’s uncle Igor, who coaches both fighters.

“I imagine that was a very tough thing for him as well,” Tszyu said. “He had two styles to dissect and create game plans for.”

So what message had Tim given him beforehand?

“Be smart and have fun,” Nikita said.

“That’s the main stuff -- if you don’t have fun then what’s the point?

“And I do try and enjoy myself.

“First three fights, I was a little too serious.

“My music was too serious

“Wasn’t the stuff I like to come out to.

“I was coming with the mindset of ‘I’ve got to kill this guy, I’ve got to smash him, rip his throat out’.

“But now I’m coming out to the music I like. I’m in a nice headspace, jumping around.”