A shoulder injury requiring surgery has KO'd Kostya Tszyu's plans for a triumphant return to Russia
....OFFICIAL STATEMENT

After hours of discussion and debate that were spread over two days, the WBC resolved an exhausting conflict during the morning's general assembly meeting -- to honor and show tribute to super lightweight world champion Kostya Tszyu and his tremendous accomplishments in the ring, and to follow the WBC's rules and regulations regarding his lack of a mandatory world title defense for over two years. The motion was passed by the WBC Board of Governors to create an honorary new category, "Champion Emeritus of the World," for only those fighters who are recognized as the greatest of WBC world champions. Another motion was passed that named Tszyu the first WBC Champion Emeritus of the World and will allow him to carry his WBC championship belt, with his new status, into his next fight. WBC President Jose Sulaiman said, "He is being elevated."

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By Paul Upham:
Undisputed junior welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu has amazed doctors with his recovery from a torn achilles tendon in his right leg and is promising a big year in 2004, commencing on February 7 with his rematch with Sharmba Mitchell in Moscow, Russia and televised by Showtime...... MORE

PHOTO & FULL ARTICLE by PAUL UPHAM AT SECONDS OUT

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By Scott Shaffer

The WBA has ordered Kostya Tszyu, who it recognizes as a "super champion" to defend his super championship against the its regular champion, Vivian Harris. "Hopefully he will step up and fight me,” said Harris, although Tszyu is slated to fight Sharmba Mitchell next and has also talked of moving up to welterweight. A letter written last Thursday by Renzo Bagnariol of the WBA championship committee informed Tszyu's promoter Vlad Warton that "Harris has rightfuly requested the opportunity to fight Mr. Tszyu. Please contact urgently the representatives of Mr. Harris (Main Events) in order to negotiate this mandatory fight." WBA rules provide that a super champion defend against the regular champion every 21 months. Tszyu established his supremacy in the 140-pound division by unifying the three major belts with wins over Mitchell and then Zab Judah. The WBA then created a new lineage (and some confusion) by matching Randall Bailey and Demetrio Ceballos for its regular title, a belt that eventually wound up around the waist of Harris, who has made a remarkable comeback after suffering a stab wound to his stomach during a robbery attempt to defeat two straight world-class boxers, Diosbelys Hurtado and Souleymane Mbaye.
Monday, August 11 2003
http://www.fightnews.com/

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Kostya Tszyu says “Bont or Nothing!”
Campsie, July 4, 2003 —
Bont International signed undisputed World Boxing Champion Kostya Tszyu today to a substantial sponsorship contract. Tszyu will be the new face of Bont for their newly launched summer 2004 sportswear line.

The new collection is available at selected Australian stores. It features comfortable and modern sportswear, using the latest technological advances. The line is designed by fashion designer Rebecca Bont who worked for 8 years in some of Sydney’s top design houses before coming to Bont.

Kostya Tszyu says “Bont sportswear is high quality and looks and feels great!” Kostya knows high quality and performance and demands it in his sportswear. That is why he chose to be associated with the Bont name. Bont is a brand that has the right mix of performance fabrics and is on top of current trends. “It is everything I look for in sports and street wear.” When it comes to sportswear Kostya says, “It’s Bont or Nothing!”

Kostya Tszyu represents Australia internationally as the long standing undisputed super-lightweight champion boxer of the world. Kostya Tszyu truly represents the winning spirit at Bont and together they are a winning combination. Additionally, Bont are extremely pleased to be working with Kostya Tszyu as he has an outstanding reputation as an upstanding member in our community.

Bont International is a 100% Australian owned company. The Bont executives and Tszyu live in neighbouring Sydney suburb and are interested in the welfare of their community. Through this team Australia has been well represented in the international arena and will continue to do so both internationally and locally. Bont has manufactured the world’s best handmade speed and inline skates for 30 years. This proven track record is testament to the quality you can expect from the Bont sportswear line. The sportswear line is created using the newest technologies In-Vent™, Cool Max™, Tactel™, Lycra™, and Ultra Fresh™ antibacterial material

Australia's undisputed world super-lightweight champion, Kostya Tszyu, will come off crutches and have a plaster cast removed from his left leg in a fortnight after rupturing his Achilles tendon in a freakish accident at his Rockdale gymnasium.

Tszyu was playing a friendly game of indoor soccer when he sustained the painful injury early last month. The following day he was operated on by leading surgeon Dr Leo Pinczewski.

The champion is making a good recovery from his setback and his manager, Matthew Watt, expects Tszyu to have his next fight against the highly rated American boxer Sharmba Mitchell. The bout is dependent on Tszyu's matchmaker, Vlad Warton, organising a suitable date with the American company Showtime between November and the new year.

Tszyu told Watt: "I'm going to come back from this injury. I'm going to prove I'm a legend."

Originally, Tszyu planned to have his next bout in the heavier welterweight division and fight the International Boxing Federation's world champion, Corey Spinks. The fight may still eventuate, but when Tszyu could not receive a guarantee for a challenge for Spinks's world title, he decided to continue in the super-lightweight ranks.

Tszyu wants to claim Spinks's title and then challenge for another "super title" against the winner of the Ricardo Mayorga-Vernon Forrest welterweight bout.

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If the Mitchell fight goes ahead in January, Tszyu would have had just three professional bouts - 20 rounds - in the previous two years. Mitchell, 32, is desperate to avenge a controversial loss to Tszyu in 2001 and said he didn't care when or where the fight was held as long as he got a shot at the champion. "I would like to fight in November and Kostya would like to fight in November," Mitchell said.

"But I've waited such a long time for this and I'm just so happy I've finally got the fight that I'm not going to worry about the delay." Mitchell has cut a swathe through the super-lightweight division, winning all five fights, since a left-knee ligament tear forced him to retire and hand victory and his World Boxing Association belt to Tszyu in the seventh round of their bout in Las Vegas in February 2001.

Mitchell has campaigned loudly for a Tszyu rematch, including calling Tszyu a "bum" and accusing the Russian-born Australian of "running and making excuses". "I trash-talk but I was just trying to get this fight done," he said. "I truly believed he was trying to duck me."

As for describing Tszyu as a bum on US television last year, Mitchell said his reference was not meant as an attack on Tszyu's boxing ability but said "bum" had a different meaning in his hometown of Baltimore. "It's not that he's a bum or anything like that," Mitchell said. "It was a figure of speech of where I'm from."

Mitchell also doesn't think he will be facing a volatile pro-Tszyu crowd when he enters the ring in Moscow's 20,000 seat Luzhki Arena. "It doesn't concern me," he said of fighting in Russia. "It's not really to Kostya's advantage either."

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"He's looking at three or four super fights, but I don't read too much into it because a below-par performance would put paid to that," he said.

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Click here for Story by Paul Upham at Seconds Out

By Dan Rafael, USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2003-06-05-tszyu_x.htm

Undisputed junior welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu is going home and former champion Sharmba Mitchell will be there to greet him. For the first time in his 11-year pro career, Tszyu will fight in his native Russia when he meets Mitchell in a rematch on Sept. 27 in Moscow (Showtime).

PHOTO:
Sharmba Mitchell, right, takes a left from Kostya Tszyu during their fight Feb. 3, 2001. By John Gurzinski, AFP

"The deal is done," Showtime boxing boss Jay Larkin told USA TODAY on Thursday, shortly after concluding negotiations with Tszyu promoter Vlad Wharton and Mitchell promoter Gary Shaw.

"Everybody has agreed," Larkin said. "It is as done as anything can be. Everything has been ironed it. There are no outstanding issues."

The fight will be officially announced Monday.

"I'm really proud of Kostya Tszyu," Shaw said. "I think it etches in granite that he is a true champion when he chose not to duck Sharmba Mitchell. He didn't have to fight him. I think this is what boxing is supposed to be about, the best fighting the best."

Tszyu (No. 1 USA TODAY, 30-1-1, 24 KOs), who has lived in Australia since turning pro in 1992, has said many times that he wanted to fight in Russia before retiring.

Mitchell (No. 5, 52-3, 27 KOs) lost his belt to Tszyu in a February 2001 unification fight when an injured knee prevented him from continuing after the seventh round. Tszyu went on to knock out Zab Judah to become undisputed champion.

Mitchell has vigorously campaigned for a rematch with Tszyu. Since knee surgery following the loss, Mitchell has won five consecutive fights, including a dominant points win against Ben Tackie last month. He also won an easy decision against Vince Phillips, the only man to beat Tszyu.

"Sharmba has said repeatedly this is the fight he wants," said Jeff Fried, Mitchell's attorney. "It means more than just a title to him. It's unfinished business. He truly felt at 100% he would have beat Tszyu last time."

Said Shaw, "Sharmba is 100%. There are no excuses. He worked his way back."

Although Larkin wouldn't reveal terms of the deal, he said Mitchell, of Washington, D.C., was getting a premium purse for agreeing to go to Russia. Mitchell made $900,000 for the first fight but will make less for the rematch.

"He believes he'll win, but yes, there's a price to pay to get him to go," Larkin said. "He didn't want to go to Moscow or Australia, but that was one of the terms."

Said Fried, "Would our preference have been to fight domestically? Yes. But when the opportunity arises you jump at it. Inside the ring, it's all the same."

Larkin said the fight will be held the Luzhki, a 20,000-seat indoor venue in Moscow.

Shaw said fighting far from home won't rattle Mitchell.

"I want to get Sharmba there early," Shaw said. "We'll walk the streets, meet the people, let them know and like Sharmba so when the fight starts Sharmba will have some of his own fans there."

Mitchell has experience fighting overseas and on hostile territory. When he won his 140-pound title in 1998, he did it in France against hometown hero Khalid Rahilou.

"Sharmba has good experience leaving the country to get a title," Shaw said. "He knows he has to go get it."

News Links
Up and at 'em for Kostya Tszyu - The Buzz at Seconds Out
: Jay Larkin discusses Tszyu's future
: Tszyu responds to Spinks challenge
: More talks for Tszyu-Spinks

Tszyu announced a bold plan to move up from the junior welterweight (63.5kg) division he has dominated for five years to Spinks' welterweight (66.68kg) division.

And he nominated Spinks, the International Boxing Federation's (IBF) welterweight champion, as his preferred opponent. "We think that's great news," Cunningham said. "Kostya wants the fight, Cory wants the fight so now we need the promoters to make the fight happen."

Don King promotes Spinks while Vlad Warton negotiates Tszyu's fights. The two major stumbling blocks to a Spinks-Tszyu bout for the IBF title appear to be money and the location.

Tszyu has indicated he wants his next fight staged in Russia but the Spinks camp rules that out, nominating New York or Las Vegas as the preferred location.

"He's challenging us for our title so we are going to have to be paid well," Cunningham said. "And we aren't going to Russia, the fight won't happen in Russia."

Tszyu said if he beats Spinks he would like a shot at the winner of the July 12 bout between World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council welterweight champion Ricardo Mayorga and the division's former champ, American Vernon Forrest.

But Cunningham predicted if Tszyu was to beat Spinks it could lead to the biggest fight and payday of Tszyu's career - a world title bout against boxing's golden boy and super welterweight (69.85kg) champ, Oscar De La Hoya.

That would give Tszyu a chance at owning world-title belts in three divisions. "If Tszyu comes up to welterweight and wins a title I'm more than sure Bob Arum (De La Hoya's manager) would probably throw big money at him to fight De La Hoya," Cunningham said.

©2003 AAP

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By John Trent
Special to The Washington Post
Monday, May 19, 2003; Page D03

RENO, Nev., May 18 -- Sharmba Mitchell did all the things expected of a boxer preparing for his IBF junior welterweight title elimination bout with Ben Tackie -- a bout that Mitchell won by unanimous decision Saturday night.

Mitchell, 32, of Takoma Park, spent long hours in the gym, did the requisite roadwork and . . . played the drums?

"I definitely stayed busy," Mitchell said with a wink after the fight, which should clear the way for a rematch with undisputed junior welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu. Tszyu defeated Mitchell in February 2001. "I trained . . . and I worked out on my drums for at least an hour. Each time you play a set, and you play two hours straight . . . shoot, it's got to be doing you some good."

Mitchell hopes that the relentless drumbeat he played before a Showtime audience Saturday -- which featured an 11th-round knockdown of Tackie (the first time Tackie had been floored in a professional career dating back nearly nine years) -- will get the attention of Tszyu.

"It feels great to be [the] number one [contender] again," said Mitchell (54-4). "Now if I get the belt, I'll be even more happy. Tszyu should know that I'm here. I have the number one position. The ball is in his court now. I don't think he's going to duck me. I think he'll be a real champion, and he'll fight me."

Mitchell, who took 13 months off from boxing after the loss to Tszyu, including rehab after knee surgery, said he thinks about the Feb. 3, 2001 loss practically every day. Mitchell had torn ligaments in his left knee before the fight but fought anyway. The first three rounds were close, and after seven rounds (when the fight was stopped because of Mitchell's knee) Tszyu narrowly led, 68-64, 68-65 and 66-66.

"I think about it all the time," Mitchell said. "Having it stopped because your body goes out on you . . . it's just a freak of nature. There's nothing you can do about it, except climb my way back up and now . . . I'm here."

Mitchell, known for his quickness, said in a rematch with Tszyu he might not move as much.

"I could have made him miss by just being there and just circling the ring," he said.

Although Mitchell won easily on Saturday, he had high praise for his opponent, Tackie, who despite the accuracy of Mitchell's left hand kept pressing the attack forward.

"Tackie's definitely a tough guy," Mitchell said. "You can hit him with a thousand punches, and he won't go anywhere. I did something [Saturday with the knockdown] that a lot of guys couldn't do, so I'm pretty proud of it."

By Ray Wheatley -- World of Boxing

Have you any thoughts of moving up to welterweight and challenging Corey Spinks or Ricardo Mayorga?
KT: I asked Vlad Warton (Tszyu's promoter) to make an offer to IBF welterweight champion Corey Spinks. He said they refused to fight me. I do not know myself as I have not spoken to these people. I have not seen him fight. I did read on the internet that he said he will fight anyone. It would be a great fight and a new challenge for me. I would like to fight Spinks then the winner of the Mayorga vs Forrest.

]

By Paul Upham: Seconds Out
It’s been nearly four months since he defended his undisputed junior welterweight crown against James Leija in front of a huge crowd in Melbourne, Australia. But the time has now come and a rested and ready Kostya Tszyu is back in training and looking to continue to dominate those who enter the ring with him. A tanned and refreshed Tszyu has been working out daily in his home gymnasium in the Southern suburbs of Sydney after returning from a relaxing trip with his young family in Fiji.

Any thoughts of retirement are light years away and a rejuvenated Tszyu is looking for some great fights to cap off his career.

“I don’t care who I fight,” said Tszyu, in a tone that reminds you that he is the undisputed champion of the world, truly believing that he can defeat anyone in or around his weight class.

While he really wanted an exciting clash with Arturo Gatti, which now seems out of reach with “Thunder’s” decision to face Micky Ward a third time and sign a three fight deal with HBO, which conflicts with Tszyu’s own Showtime deal, “I wanted the Gatti fight, but that is boxing, what can I do?” asks Tszyu.

Scheduled to return to the ring in September on Showtime television in the USA, there is a chance it could be sooner in either Russia, the USA or Australia. The leading candidates are Vivian Harris or a Sharmba Mitchell rematch, pending his May 17 fight with Ben Tackie. There is also that pesky lone defeat to Vince Phillips to avenge if the opportunity ever arose. Again the words resonate in the air, “I don’t care who I fight,” as long as it does not cost him his WBC, WBA or IBF titles or his Showtime television contract.

Whether playing with his sons Nikita and Timophey, or gently rocking new daughter Anastasia to sleep, Tszyu looks at peace with the world, but talk to him about being back in the ring and the fire enters his eyes. The 33 year-old is just not ready for his retirement yet. Neither is wife Natasha.

While promoter Vlad Warton, trainer Johnny Lewis and team manager Glen Jennings remain, Tszyu is in the process of changing his personal management, which he hopes to resolve shortly. He apologises to his fans who have not been able to contact him or hear from him via his website which is being re-vamped and will soon be relaunched under a new name. “We have some exciting ideas for the future,” he says with a smile.

BACK TO MAIN | CURRENT TSZYU NEWS | CONTACT US | TOP OF PAGE

By Paul Upham: May 11 2003
IBF No.2 Sharmba Mitchell, 51-3 (29), and IBF No.9 Ben Tackie, 24-3 (15), face off over 12 rounds in an IBF junior welterweight eliminator on May 17 at the City Centre Pavilion in Reno, Nevada on Showtime, with the winner receiving the No.1 ranking and a mandatory shot at Kostya Tszyu. Both men have lost to the undisputed champion in the past and are willing to face off to earn a rematch.

“First of all I just want to thank God for getting me through this training camp and giving me the health to fight on this card,” said Mitchell. “I would like to thank Gary Shaw and Showtime for bringing me back and letting me fight on this card. For some reason, they keep bringing me back to fight. I guess the fans like to see me fight.”

“I thank Showtime for giving me this opportunity after I lost to Kostya Tszyu in my last fight. I am in shape. I am ready for the fight,” said Tackie. “When I get in the ring, whatever happens is going to happen.”

The co-feature to the Mitchell-Tackie fight will be exciting rising super middleweight star Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy up against Anwar Oshana over 12 rounds. Promoter Gary Shaw is very pleased with the quality of the match-ups for the fans.

“We are very excited to be presenting what I consider a great double-header,” he said.

“Those that know everything we have gone through to get Sharmba Mitchell this shot at the mandatory No.1 and the history of it know that we fought a battle and we won on behalf of Sharmba. I believe it is going to be a terrific fight. Ben Tackie, I don’t believe has ever been knocked out. I believe that Sharmba Mitchell, instead of just trying to win the fight would have to try to knock Ben Tackie out to make a huge statement. I know the winner will be the No.1 mandatory facing Kostya Tszyu and that would be a score to settle for both of them.”

Since his February 2001 TKO7 loss to Tszyu when he suffered a knee injury, Mitchell has been adamant that he must secure a rematch with the undisputed champion and has been fighting regularly to get to the No.1 ranking.

“It has been somewhat frustrating waiting for another title shot, but I do not let it get to me,” said Mitchell. “Right now I take it one day at a time. If the opportunity comes, it comes. We are taking the necessary steps to get to that point. Tszyu is running and make excuses. We have to corner him. I cannot look at that fight just yet because I have a tough fight against Tackie. After this fight, you can ask me all the questions you want about Tszyu and getting my belt back.” In his last two performances, Mitchell has logged impressive wins over Vince Phillips (W12) and Carlos Vilches (TKO4).

“I have been anxious to get back into the ring (since beating Vilches),” said Mitchell. “Training is going great. It is hard all the time, and it is hot as heck down here (Takoma Park, Maryland). I have just been focusing on fighting this fight. I never look past the guy I have in front of me.”

While he is totally focused on beating Tackie to get to Tszyu, there is a possibility that even if Mitchell becomes the IBF No.1 that he may not get the rematch he so badly desires.

“If Tszyu retires, that will show you what kind of champion he is,” he said. “Champions clean up their messes and fight other champions. I wish we could go back to the old days when champions fought the top contenders, not the No.18 ranked fighter.”

That said, his promoter Gary Shaw was not so sure that the undisputed champion has any intention of retiring just yet or avoiding Sharmba Mitchell. “I don’t really think Kostya is ducking Sharmba Mitchell,” said Shaw. “He is being the champion and he is fighting his mandatories and at the same time we have got to do what we have got to do through the legal route of getting to the No.1 mandatory.

“I think Sharmba will have a shot against Kostya Tszyu, but he has got to beat Ben Tackie. He has got a tough fight on May 17 and I don’t mean that as a promoter. I have a lot of respect for Ben Tackie. If you knock Ben Tackie out, you have done a hell of a job. If you beat Ben Tackie you have done a hell of a job. Tackie stayed there for 12 rounds against Kostya Tszyu. Zab Judah didn’t stay there for two. This is a real fight that the fans are going to benefit from seeing and a real meaningful fight because the winner is going to get a shot at Kostya Tszyu. But I wouldn’t dis’ Kostya. He is doing his mandatories one at a time.”

If 32 year-old Mitchell does beat Tackie to become the IBF No.1, just don’t expect him to sit around waiting for a world title shot. “I am always going to stay active,” he said. “I know my opportunity will come up, and I think it will come up soon. I do not think Gary Shaw wants to have a great fighter sitting around. I do not like to fight tomato cans. I like to fight great fighters. That is what brings the best out of me.”

As for 29 year-old Tackie, this is his first fight back since taking a terrible 12 round beating from Tszyu a year ago. But the Ghana warrior will just fight whoever he has to just to get another world title shot.

“In order to be a champion, you have to fight the tough guys,” he said. “I have no fear. I want to fight Mitchell.”

Having watched each others fights with Tszyu, Mitchell and Tackie have both taken something away for this fight.

“I looked at the fight and thought Tszyu was a world beater. Every fighter is different. I do not know that I can say Tszyu looked better or faster against Tackie than he did against me,” said Mitchell. “Against me, it was a whole different story. It was two different fights and two different styles. Tackie stood there in front of Tszyu with no defence. He did not really move. He did what Tackie does.”

“I learned something from both of them,” said Tackie. “I think I can handle Mitchell’s style with no problem at all.”

Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, in association with Budweiser, Circus Circus, the El Dorado, Harrah’s and Silver Legacy Casino, will promote the event with the Showtime telecast featuring the two 12 round fights commencing at 10.15pm Eastern.

With Kostya Tszyu’s opponent for his next Showtime date in September still yet to be confirmed and Showtime Vice-President Jay Larkin watching closely to see if the winner of this fight deserves a rematch, there is tremendous pressure on both Mitchell and Tackie to win and look good doing so.

“I know Mitchell has fought many fights and is an experienced boxer, but I know I can come out with a victory on the 17th,” said Tackie. “I know he is a southpaw, and I have been training hard against southpaws.”

“I do not like to make predictions or predict knockouts. I know how to do one thing, and that is win,” said Mitchell. “Every fight is different and every fighter is different. I am going to use a different game plan against Tackie. Anytime I step in the ring, I do the best I can.”

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"Most of the votes so far have gone in favour of the situation," Sulaiman said.

Kostya Tszyu Looks Ahead After Defeating Leija

By Curtis McCormick
www.boxingtalk.com

Three weeks ago, Kostya Tszyu, the " Thunder From Down Under", recorded his twelfth straight victory, defeating a game Jesse James Leija. In stopping Leija after six rounds, Tszyu further solidified his hold over the most competitive weight class in boxing. Boxingtalk.com recently had the good fortune to speak with the Undisputed 140lb Champion Of The World and you won't want to miss what one of the best fighters on the planet had to say, as he discussed the Leija fight, possible opponents, sanctioning bodies and much, much more.

While boxing is no longer viewed as a major sport in the United States, it's popularity abroad remains high. When Tszyu and Leija entered the ring on January 19th at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne, Australia, over 30,000 fans were in attendance. Considering that Australia is home to roughly 20 million people, just one fourteenth that of the United States, it's plain to see how popular Kostya Tszyu is and the sport of boxing remains, Down Under.

Tszyu, 30-1 (24), describes fighting in his adopted homeland for the first time in almost five years, "It felt great and it was so good to know that many people were behind me. It was amazing to be home again because I had been fighting in the US for a long time. While I have great support in America, I was fighting American fighters and most of the fans would be cheering for their own guys, which I understand. In Melbourne there was tremendous support for me, 30,000 screaming fans, who at the same time gave a really good welcome to Jesse as well."

The fight itself was a tense, edgy affair. Unlike his previous bout against Ben Tackie, Tszyu stalked Leija and was clearly intent on giving his partisan audience a thrilling knockout victory.While Leija enjoyed some success, staging a brief offensive in round three when he backed Tszyu onto the ropes, he spent most of his energy on maintaining distance and trying to counter. Leija was able to hit Tszyu at times, most notably with a few overhand rights, but he was largely unable to penetrate Tszyu's defense.

Tszyu seems to have highlighted specific skill attributes in recent fights. Lethal one punch power dropped Zab Judah before two rounds were over. Razor sharp boxing never allowed Tackie to gain much of a foothold. Against Leija, Tszyu displayed remarkable defense. He slipped or blocked most of Leija's attempts to keep him off, as steady pressure tightened the noose more each round. The fight was awkward, however, as Leija made Tszyu miss a fair number of left hooks and clinched Tszyu many times, whenever the action got too close.

"I feel my performance against Jesse wasn't my best," said Tszyu. "But at the same time, I am pleased with it because I fought against a great guy and a great, great boxer. He trained hard and was prepared very well for this fight, I knew he would be good. I expected a tough, interesting fight and also something new (Leija's style) for me, and that's what I had."

After six rounds, Leija declared that he was unable to continue with the broken eardrum he had suffered a couple of rounds earlier. By this time, Tszyu and Leija had traded hard shots and it seemed that the smaller Leija was finding it increasingly difficult to keep Tszyu at bay. "After six rounds, I had been getting closer and closer to Jesse," said Kostya. "He's a great warrior and does not give up easily. His eardrum was already busted and he probably knew as well as I did that it was just a matter of time before my big shots landed."

Since Tszyu is the WBC and IBF Champion as well as the WBA's "Super" Champion, he shoulders many obligations to those sanctioning bodies. His next fight must be a defense against a mandatory challenger from one of those three alphabet organizations, but it's not yet clear which challenger from which organization.

Tszyu explains the complicated process, "We have to speak with the sanctioning bodies and then they have to speak to one another before a particular mandatory opponent is selected. As far as were concerned, the organizations have to agree that whatever fight I have next, it has to be one that the fans want to see. Whomever I fight next, all the organizations will receive sanctioning fees, so I don't think it really makes a difference to them in this regard. I would rather just fight for one organization, as it would be less complicated and I'd get charged less, but at the same time, you have to pay the price to be undisputed champion."

Recently there has been difficulty with the mandatory challenger selection process of the IBF. Those difficulties seem to be working themselves out, thanks to Boxingtalk.com Assistant Editor Gregory Leon's efforts. Gregory broke a world wide exclusive on how Arturo Gatti was initially selected for the mandatory challenger spot, despite the IBF not following their own set of rules concerning how mandatories are selected. Gregory's story touched off similar articles on the subject in the media and the end result was that the IBF has decided that Arturo Gatti and Sharmba Mitchell must fight an eliminator, with the winner becoming the mandatory challenger for Tszyu's IBF title.

At the time of interview, Tszyu was not aware of the IBF controversy, but did feel that Arturo Gatti deserved the number one spot, as had been initially announced. "In some respects I do agree that Gatti should be the number one contender," said Kostya. "He's proved how good he is and won some fights against great opposition. He's also proven that he's a great opponent for a world title fight."

Tszyu carries a very deep respect for the sport of boxing and as the father of two boys, is very concerned about how fighters conduct themselves in and out of the ring. This concern is evident when asked which mandatory challenger he hoped to fight next, "Gatti. I'd love to fight him, he's a great guy," said Tszyu. " That's the same reason I was so happy to not only fight Leija, but happy to see Jesse at the press conference and after the fight as well. Gatti, like Leija, is a great personality and a credit for the sport. Both of them are great examples for young kids."

While there has been speculation that Tszyu will go to welterweight and campaign for that division's undisputed title for the last phase of his career, Kostya said that nothing is definite on that yet. "I don't know yet if I will move up," he said. "I'm making weight no problem. If I do move up, it's going to be good, but at the same time, we'll have to see after the next fight and perhaps we will consider something different like that."

Taking a look at the welterweight division, Ricardo Mayorga now holds two of the three major belts at welter after his stunning upset of Vernon Forrest. Should Michele Piccirillo get past his rematch with Cory Spinks and successfully defend his IBF belt, a unification match between Mayorga and Piccirillo (both Don King signed fighters) is a distinct possibility. If that occurs and a single unified champion emerges at welter, an ideal situation would present itself for Tszyu to step up in weight and challenge. If Mayorga is the opponent, his wild swinging rushes may suit Tszyu's compact powerful style well. Should Piccirillo get into the ring with Kostya, the Italian fighter will be taking a big step up in class. WBO titlist Antonio Margarito may figure into this mix, as he is coming off of an impressive knockout out Andrew "Six Heads" Lewis.

Kostya Tszyu has achieved a great deal in his career so far, from amateur to professional. At 33 years old, he's the most dominant light welterweight since Julio Cesar Chavez was in his prime, and may well be considered one of the best ever before he's done. How much longer will he keep fighting? "I don't know, it's very hard to say," said Kostya. "I've been planning my retirement for the last three or four years. After each fight, I've been saying 'this may be my last one', but after I've had some time off from training, I'll start thinking 'probably, this isn't the time to retire'. I'm happy with myself and I can still fight. I have great support behind me and a good family behind me. How long I'll continue depends a lot on the business side of things, about how much longer I want to keep dealing with the business side of this."

Boxingtalk.com would like to thank Kostya Tszyu and Kate Morton for making this article possible.

Direct all comments and questions for Curtis McCormick to thommaspointrd@aol.com

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By Paul Upham: Seconds Out
Taking everything into consideration, undisputed junior welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu's first defence of his WBC, WBA and IBF titles in his home country against the tough Jesse James Leija was a resounding success on Sunday afternoon. Over 30,000 people turned out at the Telstra Arena in Melbourne to see the humble and well-liked champion who had not fought in his adopted country since April 1998.

The deafening roar from the crowd as Tszyu (pictured by the author) made his ring entrance to the sound of his theme song “Something Worth Fighting For”, sung by Russian vocalist Larissa Dolina, sent chills up the spine as a see of fans in red “Tszyu Crew” t-shirts rose to their feet and greeted their champion. It has been a long road back for Tszyu, 11 years removed from his professional debut in the same city on the undercard of Nelson-Fenech II, but a final destination where all the pain, suffering and heartache was swept aside in a gush of adulation that has rarely been seen for one sporting individual.

Leaving the arena after the win, Tszyu had little time to spare and after the official formalities and media commitments, it was off to the “Tszyu Crew” after fight party in a function room in the Telstra Dome. Around 2000 fans waited for about 90 minutes for their hero to arrive to thunderous applause that rattled the stage.
Tszyu stood upon a chair and raised his fists in triumph, a beaming smile on his relatively unscathed face. The 33 year-old was interviewed on the stage and willingly took the microphone to talk directly to his fans, the ones who have meant so much to him over the years. It was a special time not only for the Tszyu Crew who had been able to see their champion live in action, but a time for Tszyu to look out onto the smiling faces and see that he had made a difference.

With the undisputed title around his waist, such a tremendous and emotional day would have made for the perfect time to retire with his greatness and legend intact. “Yes, this would be a perfect time to retire,” agreed the pig-tailed one, “but I have to go home to my family and enjoy myself and then think about the future.”

Tszyu is not one to speculate on the future when there are other priorities at hand and after a fourteen-week preparation for this fight, it will be some time before he makes any official announcement on whether he will fight again.

The question is about finding the right time to leave and while every boxing world champion has planned to depart on top, the unforgiving grate of the sport and the allure of the money and fame has foiled many a great fighter.

Just as heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis tries to untangle the riddle of pending retirement, Tszyu must also deal with the enticing fact that he is a long way ahead of the field in the 140lbs division. There are so many fights out there for him, but so few that would see him not starting as a short priced favourite.

Ricky Hatton is not experienced enough and has yet to prove himself against a quality top 10 contender, while Sharmba Mitchell's mouth earns him no respect in the champion’s eyes even if he took the spotlight for a rematch after his win over Vince Phillips. Old foe Zab Judah sits on the shelf, in dispute with former promoter Main Events in an attempt to jump ship to Don King’s stable.

A super fight that the fans would most like to see is Tszyu against Arturo Gatti, a potential pay-per-view bonanza for the Showtime network and one that their Senior Vice-President wants to see made. It's no secret that Showtime boss Jay Larkin wanted Gatti or Micky Ward up against Tszyu on January 19 instead of Leija, but the two tough sluggers decided to rematch first with “Thunder” Gatti prevailing.

The push is on and a real storm is brewing – Kostya Tszyu “the Thunder from Down Under” against Arturo “Thunder” Gatti. The dark clouds are circling with Mandalay Bay and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and Madison Square Garden in New York the leading contenders for a lighting strike. All that is needed is for Tszyu to elect to continue his career.

After spending time with the Tszyu Crew, it was back to his luxury hotel room overlooking the Yarra River, for a private party with family, friends and his team. The mood was buoyant, but with not one mention of the future, after much hard work, this is always a time to be savoured, along with spicy chicken, salads, fruit, wine and plenty of Russian vodka and cognac.

A copy of the Tszyu-Leija battle on video tape arrived and the room sat and watched quietly as the undisputed champion, with only a graze over his right eyebrow and a bag of ice on his right shoulder as evidence of battle, sat on the lounge watching every punch, every move, analysing his performance until the end of sixth round.

“I’m happy with the fight,” he said with a tired smile, as more friends arrived to pass on their congratulations.

The party was over at 10pm and the champion retired with his thoughts and his undisputed title reign in tact. Ice on his shoulder and no doubt the future on his mind, even if would not reveal his leanings publicly or privately at this time. Monday morning arrived in Melbourne with the smell and sight of bushfire smoke. The champion’s smile beamed through in the hotel lobby as the team caught an 11am flight to Sydney to be greeted by family, friends and a small group of media.

With oldest son Timophey walking by his side and a gleam in his eye, he greeted his wife Natasha, young son Nikita and daughter Anastasia. This mission was now complete and only 33 year-old Kostya Tszyu knows if there will be another that leads him back to the ring.