‘That’s not my name, bro’: Tszyu’s furious Muhammad Ali moment during tense TV face off

Tim Tszyu looks ready to revive Muhammad Ali’s famed ‘What’s My Name’ moment after continually being baited by American Tony Harrison in a heated TV showdown.

As part of the build up to Sunday’s hyped WBO championship bout at Qudos Bank Arena, Tszyu and Harrison sat with Main Event’s Ben Damon for the traditional fight week Face Off interview.

While the super welterweights enjoyed several strong exchanges throughout the 30 minutes, the most intense back-and-forth came late when Harrison, asked for a last word by Damon, continually referred to his rival as ‘Timothy’.

Since arriving Down Under last week, the former world champ has often muddled Tszyu’s surname – calling him Tim Ta-Zoo – while also mocking the 28-year-old for being nothing like his Hall of Fame Father.

Early on in the interview, Harrison even suggested the face of Australian boxing was only in this position because of his old man, saying of what was initially supposed to be a showdown for all four belts against Jermell Charlo: “C’mon man, that’s a last name thing.”

However, it was Harrison’s continual references to the Sydneysider as ‘Timothy’, even after being corrected, that clearly angered Tszyu and saw his demeanour visibly change.

The episode revived memories of a famed 1966 TV interview involving Ali and rival Ernie Terrell, who referred to the heavyweight champ by his original name -- Cassius Clay.

Come fight night, a furious Ali would punish Terrell through 15 rounds, while shouting “What’s my name”.

All of which could be worth remembering on Sunday.

Asked for some final words in this week’s Face Off interview, Harrison started: “Tim, Timothy …”

“Tim,” the Aussie shot back.

“Timothy,” his rival grinned.

“Tim,” Tszyu replied again, unimpressed.

At which point, Harrison offered up yet another Timothy.

“That’s not my name,” Tszyu deadpanned.

“I told you, Timothy,” the American replied, seemingly convinced that it was.

“That’s not my name, bro.”

“I know Timothy is not his name,” Harrison continued, looking now towards Damon. “But for me to call someone Tim, it’s like his nickname. That means I know him, or he’s my boy.

“He ain’t my boy.”

To which Tszyu said. “That’s my full name bro, Tim.

“Tim,” Harrison started, “Timothy …”

At which point, Tszyu suddenly looked every bit a fighter dubbed ‘Soul Taker’.

With the Aussie, first, shaking his head, before then staring holes through Harrison while the American finished his final thoughts to camera.

So what chance Tszyu now evokes those memories of Ali in ’66?

When the champ, midway through a heated back-and-forth with Terrell in an interview being overseen by the legendary Howard Cosell, suddenly shouted at his rival: “Why do you call me Clay? You know my right name is Muhammad Ali”.

Terrell, clearly confused, especially given many media outlets were still referring to Ali by his original name, responded: “I met you as Cassius Clay. I’ll leave you as Cassius Clay.”

But the champ wasn’t finished.

“It takes an Uncle Tom Negro to keep calling me by my slave name,” he said. “You’re an Uncle Tom.”

Terrell, understandably, was furious at the slight.

“You have no right to call me an Uncle Tom,” he said, with the pair then almost coming to blows in the tiny TV studio.

Just as Tszyu, you have to reckon, was ready to go at the end of his Harrison showdown.

An interview which, some 30 minutes earlier, had effectively opened with the American questioning how the son of boxing great Kostya Tszyu was even here.

Asked if Tszyu deserved to have initially been fighting division king Charlo for all four belts, Harrison replied: “Hell, no.

“Why?

“In all honesty, why?

“What ranking did he go down? What contender?”

To which Tszyu responded: “What else could I have possibly done, man? I’ve beaten everyone that’s put in front of me.”

“Amen,” Harrison replied.

“Amen to promotion. Amen to management.

“You done your job.

“But why is he next up? C’mon playa.”

Tszyu: “So you think I shouldn’t fight for a world title?”

Harrison: “That’s exactly what I’m saying”.

Tszyu: “For a world title?”

Harrison: “No, no, no, for all of them.

“I didn’t think you should be next up to fight for all of them.”

Tszyu: “Why?”

Harrison: “You could’ve named a bunch of guys (who were more deserving).

“Tim has fought and beat everybody they told him to beat. But he hasn’t crossed the pond to beat guys like me.

“Guys from America that really possess the talent structures to give him problems. He hasn’t faced those guys.

“So to be next up to fight for everything?

“C’mon man, that’s a last name thing.”

Tszyu: “Nah man. It can’t be a last name thing.”

Harrison: “Why not?”

Tszyu: “I’ve fought 21 opponents and got rid of all of them.”

At which point Harrison, kicked off again …