Kostya Tszyu
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Konstantin Borisovich "Kostya" Tszyu (; rus, Константин Борисович «Костя» Цзю, , kənstɐnʲˈtʲin bɐˈrisəvʲɪtɕ ˈkosʲtʲə ˈdzːʲu; born 19 September 1969) is a
Russian Australian Russian Australians comprise Australian citizens who have full or partial Russian heritage or people who emigrated from Russia and reside in Australia. Early naval contact In 1807 the sloop ''Neva'' sailed to Port Jackson, under the comma ...
former
professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...
who competed from 1992 to 2005. He held multiple
light-welterweight Light welterweight, also known as junior welterweight or super lightweight, is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional boxing In professional boxing, light welterweight is contested between the lightweight and welterweight divisions, ...
world championships, including the
undisputed Undisputed may refer to: Film * ''Undisputed'' (film), a 2002 action-thriller-drama film ** ''Undisputed'' (soundtrack), the soundtrack to the film * Undisputed II: Last Man Standing, a 2006 American martial arts film * Undisputed III: Redempt ...
and lineal titles between 2001 and 2005. Tszyu was an exceptional all-around
boxer-puncher Throughout the history of gloved boxing styles, techniques and strategies have changed to varying degrees. Ring conditions, promoter demands, teaching techniques, and the influence of successful boxers are some of the reasons styles and strategies ...
who relied heavily on accuracy, timing, and carried formidable punching power; he is often regarded as one of the hardest-punching light-welterweights in the division's history. As an
amateur An amateur () is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, autodidacticism, self-taught, user-generated, do it yourself, DI ...
, Tszyu represented the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
, winning a bronze medal in the
lightweight Lightweight is a weight class in combat sports and rowing. Boxing Professional boxing The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) weight class in the sport of boxing. Notable lightweight boxe ...
division at the 1989 World Championships, and gold in the light-welterweight division at the 1991 World Championships. He also won consecutive gold medals at the
1989 File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
and 1991 European Championships. In 1995, Tszyu won his first of many professional world championships at light-welterweight—the
IBF The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Counci ...
title—by defeating
Jake Rodríguez Evaristo "Jake" Rodríguez (born October 2, 1965) is a Puerto Rican former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 1997.. Retrieved July 2, 2016. In 1994 he defeated Charles Murray to become the IBF junior welterweight champion. Two success ...
. Five successful defences were made until an upset loss to
Vince Phillips Vincent Edwards "Vince" Phillips (born July 23, 1963) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 2007. He held the IBF junior welterweight title from 1997 to 1999, notably scoring an upset victory against then-undefeated ...
in 1997, which was Tszyu's first professional defeat. He would spend the next eight years undefeated, winning the vacant WBC title in 1999 and the
WBA (Super) The World Boxing Association (WBA), formerly known as the National Boxing Association (NBA), is the oldest and one of four major organizations which sanction professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Council (WBC), International Boxi ...
title in 2001. Tszyu scored arguably his most famous win that year, when he
knocked out A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...
Zab Judah Zabdiel Judah (born October 27, 1977) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2019. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the IBF and WBO junior welterweight titles between 2000 and 2004 ...
to reclaim the IBF title, as well as the vacant ''Ring'' magazine and lineal titles, thus becoming the first to undisputed light-welterweight champion in over 30 years. In 2005, in what would be his final fight, Tszyu was stopped by
Ricky Hatton Richard John Hatton (born 6 October 1978) is a British former professional boxer who competed between 1997 and 2012, and has since worked as a boxing promoter and trainer. During his boxing career he held multiple world championships at li ...
. Tszyu is considered by many in Australia to be a national sports hero. In ''The Rings March 2010 issue, Tszyu was ranked as the number one light-welterweight of the 2000s decade. In December 2010, he was inducted into the
International Boxing Hall of Fame The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF), located in Canastota, New York, honors boxers, trainers and other contributors to the sport worldwide. Inductees are selected by members of the Boxing Writers Association of America. The I ...
for the Class of 2011. From 2012 to 2013 he coached professional boxers
Alexander Povetkin Alexander Vladimirovich "Sasha" Povetkin (russian: Алекса́ндр Влади́мирович Пове́ткин; born 2 September 1979) is a Russian former professional boxer who competed from 2005 to 2021. He held the WBA (Regular) heavyw ...
,
Denis Lebedev Denis Aleksandrovich Lebedev (russian: Денис Александрович Лебедев; born 14 August 1979) is a Russian former professional boxer who competed between 2001 and 2019. He is a former unified world cruiserweight champion, ...
and
Khabib Allakhverdiev Khabib Mevlidinovich Allakhverdiev (russian: Хабиб Мевлидинович Аллахвердиев; born 8 December 1982) is a Russian former professional boxer of Lezgin descentSerov, a town near the
Ural Mountains The Ural Mountains ( ; rus, Ура́льские го́ры, r=Uralskiye gory, p=ʊˈralʲskʲɪjə ˈɡorɨ; ba, Урал тауҙары) or simply the Urals, are a mountain range that runs approximately from north to south through western ...
, in the former
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
to a
Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...
(
paternal A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. An adoptive fathe ...
)–
Mongol The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member of ...
(
maternal ] A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of gestat ...
) father and a Russians, Russian mother. Tszyu's father was a fitter in a metal factory, whereas his mother was a nurse. As a child, Kostya was
hyperactive Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by excessive amounts of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that are pervasive, impairing in multiple contexts, and otherwise age-inapp ...
, so his father decided to take him to a boxing gym, where he would channel that energy by fighting older boys. He impressed the Soviet amateur team coaches and he was sent to the Soviet Union's amateur boxing travelling training camps, where he visited more than 30 countries while training and fighting in tournaments. He trained with that group 250 days a year, and won various tournaments, such as amateur boxing's world championships. At the
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
n world championship tournament in 1987, he came in second place, and at the
1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...
, he lost in the third round. Tszyu was a member of the Soviet Army, but since he was selected as an ''elite athlete'', he was not required to serve the ordinary duty. He fought at the world championships once again, in Moscow in 1989, where he came in third place. In 1991, he went again to the amateur world championships, this time held in Sydney. This was a trip that would change his life forever. Not only was the third time his charm, but he felt enchanted with the sights of Sydney and its people, and decided he wanted to live in Australia. Following the
collapse of the Soviet Union The dissolution of the Soviet Union, also negatively connoted as rus, Разва́л Сове́тского Сою́за, r=Razvál Sovétskogo Soyúza, ''Ruining of the Soviet Union''. was the process of internal disintegration within the Sov ...
in 1991, early the next year, Tszyu emigrated to Australia with his girlfriend, where they married in 1993 and became Australian citizens, settling in Sans Souci, Sydney. Before marrying her, though, Tszyu had already turned professional, beating Darrell Hiles by a
knockout A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...
in one round on 1 March 1992, at
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
.


Highlights

Schwerin Junior Open (57 kg),
Schwerin Schwerin (; Mecklenburgisch dialect, Mecklenburgian Low German: ''Swerin''; Latin: ''Suerina'', ''Suerinum'') is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Germany, second-largest city of the northeastern States of Germany, German ...
,
East Germany East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...
, April 1986: *Finals: Lost to Jörg Heidenreich (East Germany) by unanimous decision, 5–0 European Junior Championships (57 kg),
Copenhagen, Denmark Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
, September 1986: *1/8: Defeated Manuel Moreno (Spain) by unanimous decision, 5–0 *1/4: Defeated Santo Serio (Italy) by unanimous decision, 5–0 *1/2: Defeated
Daniel Dumitrescu Daniel Dumitrescu (born 23 September 1968) is a retired Romanian boxing, boxer who won silver medals at the 1988 Olympics and 1989 European Amateur Boxing Championships. In 1989 he fled from Romania to Greece and then to Germany, where he stayed ...
(Romania) by unanimous decision, 5–0 *Finals: Defeated Fared Cheklat (France) by unanimous decision, 5–0 Soviet International Junior Tournament (60 kg),
Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the Capital city, capital and the List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia (country), Georgia, lying on the ...
,
Georgian SSR The Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (Georgian SSR; ka, საქართველოს საბჭოთა სოციალისტური რესპუბლიკა, tr; russian: Грузинская Советская Соц ...
, December 1986: *Finals: Defeated Nikolay Dzhachvadze (Georgian SSR) RSC 3 World Junior Championships (60 kg),
Havana, Cuba Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.
, July 1987: *1/4: Defeated D. Boyev (Bulgaria) RSC 3 *1/2: Defeated Eduardo Rivas (Panama) KO 2 *Finals: Lost to
Juan Hernández Sierra Juan Hernández Sierra (born March 16, 1969) is a retired amateur boxer from Cuba, who competed in the welterweight (< 67 kg) division during the 1990s. He represented his native country at three consecutive Leningrad, Soviet Union, December 1987: *Finals: Defeated Serik Nurkazov (Kazakh SSR) by unanimous decision, 5–0 Soviet National Championships (60 kg),
Tashkent Tashkent (, uz, Toshkent, Тошкент/, ) (from russian: Ташкент), or Toshkent (; ), also historically known as Chach is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan. It is the most populous city in Central Asia, with a population of ...
,
Uzbek SSR Uzbekistan (, ) is the common English name for the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (Uzbek SSR; uz, Ўзбекистон Совет Социалистик Республикаси, Oʻzbekiston Sovet Sotsialistik Respublikasi, in Russian: Уз ...
, January 1988: *1/16: Defeated Adylkan Bekbolotov (Kyrgyz SSR) by unanimous decision, 5–0 *1/8: Defeated Vladimir Kravtsov (RSFSR) by unanimous decision, 5–0 *1/4: Defeated Serik Nurkazov (Kazakh SSR) by unanimous decision, 5–0 *1/2: Defeated Samson Khachatryan (Armenian SSR) by unanimous decision, 5–0 *Finals: Lost to
Orzubek Nazarov Orzubek Nazarov (born August 30, 1966 in Kant, Kyrgyz SSR) is a boxer of Uzbek ethnicity, who won the bronze medal at the 1986 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Reno. He is a former WBA Lightweight Champion. Career As an amateur Nazarov ...
(Kyrgyz SSR) by split decision, 2–3 USA–USSR Duals (60 kg),
Moscow, Soviet Union Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million re ...
, March 1988: *Defeated Donald Stokes (United States) on points, 16–8 Pre-Olympic Tournament (60 kg),
Seoul, South Korea Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...
, March 1988: *Finals: Defeated
Andreas Zülow Andreas Zülow (born 23 October 1965) is a retired amateur boxer from East Germany who won a Lightweight gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. He also won the silver medal at the 1989 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Moscow, and ...
(East Germany) by majority decision, 4–1 Soviet International Tournament (60 kg), Leningrad, Soviet Union, June 1988: *1/2: Lost to Julio González (Cuba) on points Summer Olympics (60 kg),
Seoul, South Korea Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...
, September 1988: *1/32: Defeated
Leopoldo Cantancio Leopoldo Cantancio (July 6, 1963 – April 20, 2018) was a Filipino boxer who competed for his native country at the 1984 Summer Olympics and 1988 Summer Olympics. He won a silver medal at the 1986 Asian Games and a bronze medal at the 1990 Asia ...
(Philippines) KO 1 *1/16: Defeated Sean Knight (Barbados) RSCH 1 *1/8: Lost to
Andreas Zülow Andreas Zülow (born 23 October 1965) is a retired amateur boxer from East Germany who won a Lightweight gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. He also won the silver medal at the 1989 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Moscow, and ...
(East Germany) by split decision, 2–3 Soviet National Championships (60 kg), Frunze,
Kyrgyz SSR The Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic (Kirghiz SSR; ky, Кыргыз Советтик Социалисттик Республикасы, Kyrgyz Sovettik Sotsialisttik Respublikasy, ky, Кыргыз ССР, Kyrgyz SSR, russian: Киргизск ...
, January 1989: *1/2: Defeated Yevgeny Burchak (RSFSR) *Finals: Defeated
Orzubek Nazarov Orzubek Nazarov (born August 30, 1966 in Kant, Kyrgyz SSR) is a boxer of Uzbek ethnicity, who won the bronze medal at the 1986 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Reno. He is a former WBA Lightweight Champion. Career As an amateur Nazarov ...
(Kyrgyz SSR) RSC 3 Golden Belt Tournament (60 kg),
Bucharest, Romania Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...
, April 1989: * (no data available) European Championships (60 kg),
Athens, Greece Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
, May–June 1989: *1/8: Defeated
Andreas Zülow Andreas Zülow (born 23 October 1965) is a retired amateur boxer from East Germany who won a Lightweight gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. He also won the silver medal at the 1989 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Moscow, and ...
(East Germany) by split decision, 3–2 *1/4: Defeated George Cramne (Sweden) by unanimous decision, 5–0 *1/2: Defeated Dave Anderson (Scotland) by walkover *Finals: Defeated
Daniel Dumitrescu Daniel Dumitrescu (born 23 September 1968) is a retired Romanian boxing, boxer who won silver medals at the 1988 Olympics and 1989 European Amateur Boxing Championships. In 1989 he fled from Romania to Greece and then to Germany, where he stayed ...
(Romania) by majority decision, 4–1 World Championships (60 kg),
Moscow, Soviet Union Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million re ...
, September 1989: *1/8: Defeated Mark Ramsey (England) on points, 22–3 *1/4: Defeated Bo Espensen (Denmark) RSCH 2 *1/2: Lost to
Andreas Zülow Andreas Zülow (born 23 October 1965) is a retired amateur boxer from East Germany who won a Lightweight gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. He also won the silver medal at the 1989 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Moscow, and ...
(East Germany) on points, 14–17 Bulgaria–Europe Duals (60 kg),
Varna, Bulgaria Varna ( bg, Варна, ) is the third-largest List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, city in Bulgaria and the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and in the Northern Bulgaria region. Situated strategically in the ...
, November 1989: *Defeated
Emil Chuprenski Emil Todorov Chuprenski ( bg, Емил Тодоров Чупренски; born 14 September, 1960 in Sofia) is a retired boxer from Bulgaria, who competed for his native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea Seoul (; ...
(Bulgaria) RET 2 Mayor's Cup (63,5 kg),
Manila, Philippines Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
, November 1989: *1/4: Defeated Nelson Factoranan (Philippines) KO 1 *1/2: Defeated
Andreas Otto Andreas Otto (born 5 October 1963) is a German boxer. He competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics for East Germany, and the 1992 Summer Olympics for Germany. At the 1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Ga ...
(East Germany) by decision *Finals: Defeated Shannan Taylor (Australia) by unanimous decision, 5–0 King's Cup (63,5 kg),
Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated population ...
, February 1990: *Finals: Defeated
Andreas Zülow Andreas Zülow (born 23 October 1965) is a retired amateur boxer from East Germany who won a Lightweight gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. He also won the silver medal at the 1989 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Moscow, and ...
(East Germany) on points, 17–7 USA–USSR Duals (63,5 kg),
Moscow, Soviet Union Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million re ...
, April 1990: *Defeated
Terron Millett Terron Millett (born June 28, 1968) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2003, holding the IBF light welterweight title from 1999 to 2000. As an amateur, he was a National Golden Gloves champion. Amateur career Mil ...
(United States) by unanimous decision, 3–0 Soviet National Championships (63,5 kg),
Lutsk Lutsk ( uk, Луцьк, translit=Lutsk}, ; pl, Łuck ; yi, לוצק, Lutzk) is a city on the Styr River in northwestern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Volyn Oblast (province) and the administrative center of the surrounding Luts ...
,
Ukrainian SSR The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ( uk, Украї́нська Радя́нська Соціалісти́чна Респу́бліка, ; russian: Украи́нская Сове́тская Социалисти́ческая Респ ...
, April 1990: *1/2: Defeated Vasily Kirilov (RSFSR) *Finals: Defeated Aleksandr Banin (Belarus SSR) by decision Goodwill Games (63,5 kg),
Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...
, July 1990: *1/4: Defeated
Vukašin Dobrašinović Vukašin Dobrašinović (born 15 July 1964) is a Montenegrin boxer. He competed in the men's light welterweight event at the 1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and com ...
(Yugoslavia) by walkover *1/2: Defeated
Terron Millett Terron Millett (born June 28, 1968) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2003, holding the IBF light welterweight title from 1999 to 2000. As an amateur, he was a National Golden Gloves champion. Amateur career Mil ...
(United States) by unanimous decision, 5–0 *Finals: Defeated Aleksandr Banin (Soviet Union) by unanimous decision, 5–0 Swedish International Tournament (67 kg),
Göteborg, Sweden Gothenburg (; abbreviated Gbg; sv, Göteborg ) is the second-largest city in Sweden, fifth-largest in the Nordic countries, and capital of the Västra Götaland County. It is situated by the Kattegat, on the west coast of Sweden, and has ...
, December 1990: *Finals: Defeated Sergey Pogosov (Soviet Union) RSC 3 Soviet National Championships (63,5 kg),
Kazan Kazan ( ; rus, Казань, p=kɐˈzanʲ; tt-Cyrl, Казан, ''Qazan'', IPA: ɑzan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Volga and the Kazanka rivers, covering a ...
, Tatar SSR, February 1991: *1/2: Defeated Vasily Kirilov (RSFSR) *Finals: Defeated Oleg Nikolayev (RSFSR) by unanimous decision, 5–0 USA–USSR Duals (63,5 kg),
Spokane, Washington Spokane ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is in eastern Washington, along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south of the Canada ...
, March 1991: *Lost to
Vernon Forrest Vernon Forrest (February 12, 1971 – July 25, 2009) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2008. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the WBC, IBF, ''Ring'' magazine and lineal welterweig ...
(United States) by split decision, 2–3 European Championships (63,5 kg),
Göteborg, Sweden Gothenburg (; abbreviated Gbg; sv, Göteborg ) is the second-largest city in Sweden, fifth-largest in the Nordic countries, and capital of the Västra Götaland County. It is situated by the Kattegat, on the west coast of Sweden, and has ...
, May 1991: *1/16: Defeated James Pender (Scotland) on points, 21–0 *1/8: Defeated Darren McCarrick (England) RSC 1 *1/4: Defeated Attila Arslan (Turkey) RSC 2 *1/2: Defeated
Vukašin Dobrašinović Vukašin Dobrašinović (born 15 July 1964) is a Montenegrin boxer. He competed in the men's light welterweight event at the 1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and com ...
(Yugoslavia) on points, 26–6 *Finals: Defeated
Andreas Zülow Andreas Zülow (born 23 October 1965) is a retired amateur boxer from East Germany who won a Lightweight gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. He also won the silver medal at the 1989 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Moscow, and ...
(Germany) on points, 33–11 World Championships (63,5 kg),
Sydney, Australia Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and List of cities in Oceania by population, Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metro ...
, November 1991: *1/8: Defeated Albertano Caballero (Mexico) RSC 2 *1/4: Defeated Aníbal Acevedo (Puerto Rico) on points, 29–10 *1/2: Defeated Moses James (Nigeria) on points, 25–4 *Finals: Defeated
Vernon Forrest Vernon Forrest (February 12, 1971 – July 25, 2009) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2008. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the WBC, IBF, ''Ring'' magazine and lineal welterweig ...
(United States) on points, 32–9


1992 Olympics

He was the only Soviet boxer to win a gold medal at the 1991 World Championships in Sydney. Immediately at the Championships he was approached by local boxing promoters, and he has decided to pass up the
1992 Summer Olympics The 1992 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1992, ca, Jocs Olímpics d'estiu de 1992), officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad ( es, Juegos de la XXV Olimpiada, ca, Jocs de la XXV Olimpíada) and commonly known as ...
in favor of a professional career. A week later he had signed with Australian promoter Bill Mordey as his manager and
Johnny Lewis Jonathan Kendrick Lewis (October 29, 1983 – September 26, 2012), also credited as Johnny K. Lewis, was an American film and television actor. He played Kip "Half-Sack" Epps in the first two seasons of the FX (TV channel), FX series ''Sons of A ...
as his trainer in Sydney. Tszyu finished his amateur career with 270 fights, 259 wins, 11 losses, no stoppages and no draws. His professional debut was scheduled to take place in January 1992. Mordey described Tszyu as the best boxer he had seen in the past decade.


Professional career

Tszyu started raising his quality of opposition almost immediately. In his fourth professional bout, he met the former WBC
Featherweight Featherweight is a weight class in the combat sports of boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and Greco-Roman wrestling. Boxing Professional boxing History A featherweight boxer weighs in at a limit of . In the early days of the division, this ...
Champion Juan Laporte, decisioning him over ten rounds. In his sixth bout, he beat contender
Sammy Fuentes Sammy Fuentes (born February 18, 1964) in Loíza, Puerto Rico Loíza (Spanish pronunciation: ) is a town and municipality on the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico, north of Canóvanas; east of Carolina, Puerto Rico; and west of Río Grande, P ...
by a knockout in the first. Fuentes would go on to win a world title years after being handily beaten by Tszyu in 1993,
Steve Larrimore Steve Larrimore (born 14 February 1963) is a Bahamian former professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 2001. As an amateur, he competed at the 1979 Pan American Games, 1982 Central American and Caribbean Games, 1982 Commonwealth Games, the 19 ...
, Larry La Crousiere and Robert Rivera, went to Australia to fight Tszyu, and none lasted more than two rounds. The only man to last more than two rounds with Tszyu in 1993 was
Livingstone Bramble Ras-I Alujah Bramble (born Livingstone Bramble on September 3, 1960) is the former WBA Lightweight boxing Champion of the World. Bramble was raised on Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. He became the first world champion from Saint Kitts and Nevi ...
, a former World
Lightweight Lightweight is a weight class in combat sports and rowing. Boxing Professional boxing The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) weight class in the sport of boxing. Notable lightweight boxe ...
Champion, who lost by decision to Tszyu at
Newcastle, New South Wales Newcastle ( ; Awabakal: ) is a metropolitan area and the second most populated city in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It includes the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie local government areas, and is the hub of the Greater Newcastle area, w ...
. In 1994,
Héctor López Héctor Headley López Swainson (July 8, 1929 – September 29, 2022) was a Panamanian professional baseball left fielder and third baseman who played in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees from 1955 to 196 ...
, Angel Hernandez (who had just come off of a loss after challenging
Julio César Chávez Julio César Chávez González (; born July 12, 1962), also known as Julio César Chávez Sr., is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 2005. A multiple-time world champion in three weight divisions, Chávez was liste ...
for the WBC belt), and Pedro Chinito Sanchez from the
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
tried to beat Tszyu, but Tszyu beat Lopez by a decision in ten, Hernandez by a knockout in seven, and Sanchez by a knockout in four. After the win against Sanchez, Tszyu was ranked number one in the
light welterweight Light welterweight, also known as junior welterweight or super lightweight, is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional boxing In professional boxing, light welterweight is contested between the lightweight and welterweight divisions, ...
division.


WBC light-welterweight champion

In 1995, he received his first world title shot when he fought
IBF The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Counci ...
Light Welterweight Champion
Jake Rodríguez Evaristo "Jake" Rodríguez (born October 2, 1965) is a Puerto Rican former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 1997.. Retrieved July 2, 2016. In 1994 he defeated Charles Murray to become the IBF junior welterweight champion. Two success ...
at
Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
. Tszyu became world champion by knocking Rodriguez out in the sixth round. He then defended the world title, beating former
Super Featherweight Super featherweight, also known as junior lightweight, is a boxing weight classes, weight division in professional boxing, contested between and . The super featherweight division was established by the New York Walker Law in 1920, although firs ...
and Light Welterweight World Champion
Roger Mayweather Roger Mayweather (April 24, 1961 – March 17, 2020) was an American boxing trainer and former professional boxer who competed from 1981 to 1999. He was a two-division world champion, having held the WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight ti ...
by a decision in 12, Hugo Pineda by a knockout in 11, Cory Johnson by a knockout in four and Jan Bergman by a knockout in six. After this string of defences, Tszyu became a highly touted world Champion by many boxing magazines, and many articles about him appeared on '' The Ring'', ''
KO Magazine ''KO Magazine'' was a popular United States boxing magazine. It was first published in 1980, to compete with '' The Ring''. It was founded by Stanley Weston, long-time publisher of numerous boxing and pro wrestling titles. ''KO Magazine'', nickn ...
'' and other
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
boxing publications.


Title defences

1997 began for Tszyu when his defense against Leonardo Moro Mas was declared a no contest because Mas' camp protested that the blow that finished their fighter in the first round was actually thrown after referee Joe Cortez had called for a break. Undecided whether it was or was not after Cortez called for a break, the IBF and the
Nevada Athletic Commission The Nevada State Athletic Commission (also known as the Nevada Athletic Commission or NSAC) regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of Nevada, including licensure and supervision of promoters, boxers, kickboxers, ...
decided to declare it a no contest instead. For his next bout, however, Tszyu wasn't as lucky, and he lost for the first time, losing by a knockout in ten rounds to
Vince Phillips Vincent Edwards "Vince" Phillips (born July 23, 1963) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 2007. He held the IBF junior welterweight title from 1997 to 1999, notably scoring an upset victory against then-undefeated ...
, who also took with that, Tzsyu's world championship. After beating former world champions
Calvin Grove Calvin Grove (born August 5, 1962) is an American former professional boxer who was the Featherweight champion of the world. Professional career Grove turned pro in 1982 and in 1988 captured the IBF featherweight title with a TKO over Antonio R ...
(KO 1) and
Rafael Ruelas Rafael Ruelas (born 26 April 1971) is a Mexican former professional boxer, best known for his knockout loss to Oscar De La Hoya. Professional career Shortly after a TKO in 10 over Jorge Páez in 1992, Ruelas earned a shot at IBF lightweight ti ...
(KO 9), Tszyu was given another world title try, when the WBC's belt became vacant in 1998 following
Oscar De La Hoya Oscar De La Hoya ( , ; born on February 4, 1973) is an American boxing promoter and former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2008. His accolades include winning 11 world titles in six weight classes, including the lineal championshi ...
's move to the
welterweight Welterweight is a weight class in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like Muay Thai, taekwondo, and mixed martial arts also use it for their own weight division system to classify the ...
division. Tszyu found himself twice on the canvas in round one of his fight for the interim belt against Diosbelys Hurtado, but recuperated to beat Hurtado by a knockout in five. He became world champion once again in 1999 by knocking out former world champion Miguel Ángel González in ten, and twice retained it in 2000, beating
Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
's fringe contender Ahmed Santos in eight, and a 38-year-old Mexican legend
Julio César Chávez Julio César Chávez González (; born July 12, 1962), also known as Julio César Chávez Sr., is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 2005. A multiple-time world champion in three weight divisions, Chávez was liste ...
, the former world champion, in six at
Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...
. Kostya was interviewed by Ray Wheatley on YouTube in 2011 and stated he regards his win over Miguel Angel Gonzalez as his best ever performance.


Undisputed light-welterweight champion

Tszyu then began pursuing his wish to unify all the belts. In 2001, he began by facing WBA Champion
Sharmba Mitchell Sharmba David Mitchell ( ; born August 27, 1970) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2006. He held the WBA light welterweight title from 1998 to 2001, and the IBF interim light welterweight title in 2004. Profe ...
, taking the belt by a TKO after seven rounds (Mitchell suffered a knee injury in training, and during the bout). His next fight was against the
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
Turk,
Oktay Urkal Oktay Urkal (born 15 January 1970) is a Turkish-German former professional boxer. He is a former European super lightweight and welterweight champion, and a multiple time world title challenger. Amateur career As an amateur, Urkal won the silve ...
. Tszyu finished 2001 by recovering his IBF belt in a unification bout with the current champion
Zab Judah Zabdiel Judah (born October 27, 1977) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2019. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the IBF and WBO junior welterweight titles between 2000 and 2004 ...
, by a knockout in the second round. A small melee inside the ring followed that fight when Judah attacked referee Jay Nady for what he felt was a premature stoppage, reacting by throwing his corner's seat at the referee and even trying to choke Nady with his glove at one point. However, replays clearly show Judah walking on wobbly legs. As a result, Tszyu became the first man in 30 years to unify the belts in the light welterweight division. Tszyu in 2002 had only one bout, beating the top-ranked contender of all three of his belts, Ben Tackie of
Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
by a decision in twelve rounds. Tszyu lost only one round on only one of the judges scorecards in a masterful display of boxing. On 19 January 2003, Tszyu began the year by retaining his title against former world champion
Jesse James Leija James Leija (born July 8, 1966), best known as Jesse James Leija, is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2005. He held the WBC super featherweight title in 1994, and challenged twice each for world titles at lightwe ...
by a knockout in six. After the fight, held in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, Tszyu announced that fight could be his last in
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, due to pressure from promoters to fight in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
(The win against Leija came on the birthday of Tszyu's son.).


Tszyu vs. Mitchell II

His first fight in 2004 was supposed to have been held on 7 February in a rematch against Sharmba Mitchell. It would have been Tszyu's first fight as a professional in Moscow, but Tszyu injured his shoulder during training. He had successful surgery to correct the problem, but the injury further extended his absence from the ring. The WBA stripped Tszyu of his title for choosing to fight Mitchell instead of their regular champion,
Vivian Harris Ivan Vivian Harris (born June 17, 1978) is a Guyanese former professional boxer who competed from 1997 to 2018. He held the WBA super lightweight title from 2002 to 2005. Amateur career After Harris arrived in the U.S., he began his amateur ...
, while the WBC stripped Tszyu for refusing to fight their mandatory,
Gianluca Branco Gianluca Branco (born 20 September 1970) is an Italian former professional boxer who competed from 1995 to 2014. He held the European super-lightweight title twice between 2001 and 2009, the European Union welterweight title from 2012 to 2013, ...
. On 6 November, he and Mitchell finally had their
rematch ''Rematch'' is the first US-released Sammy Hagar compilation album. After Sammy left Capitol Records for Geffen in 1981, and after Rick Springfield had a hit with the Hagar-penned "I've Done Everything for You", this collection was released to ...
, with Tszyu knocking Mitchell out once again, this time in three rounds. Tszyu was voted comeback fighter of the year by
Ring magazine ''The Ring'' (often called ''The Ring'' magazine or ''Ring'' magazine) is an American boxing magazine that was first published in 1922 as a boxing and wrestling magazine. As the sporting legitimacy of professional wrestling came more into questio ...
.


Dethroned by Hatton

He next fought on 5 June 2005, against British boxer
Ricky Hatton Richard John Hatton (born 6 October 1978) is a British former professional boxer who competed between 1997 and 2012, and has since worked as a boxing promoter and trainer. During his boxing career he held multiple world championships at li ...
, Tszyu lost this fight and his world title by RTD (
Referee technical decision A corner retirement or corner stoppage – abbreviated "RTD (Retired)" by BoxRec – are terms used in boxing to describe a fight that ends when, during any rest period between rounds, a boxer refuses to continue or their corner pulls them out, ...
) after retiring on his stool at the end of the 11th round. He was also behind on all three cards (by 1, 3 and 5 points).


Potential comeback

On 30 January 2007 rumours spread of a Tszyu comeback. However, there was no confirmation. In April 2010, rumors about a possible comeback of Tszyu spread again. He continued to train and stays in shape since his 2005 loss to Ricky Hatton. On 19 April 2010, Tszyu appeared on Long Lunch Today, an Australian TV program. During the show, he denied his retirement and said he would return if a fight with
Shane Mosley Shane Mosley (born September 7, 1971), often known by his nickname "Sugar" Shane Mosley, is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2016. He held multiple world championships in three weight classes, including the IBF l ...
,
Manny Pacquiao Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. (; born December17, 1978) is a Filipino politician and former professional boxer. Nicknamed "PacMan", he is regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He served as a Senator of the Philip ...
or
Floyd Mayweather Jr. Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr. (''né'' Sinclair; February 24, 1977) is an American boxing promoter and former professional boxer. He currently owns a team in the NASCAR Cup Series named The Money Team Racing. As a professional boxer he competed b ...
could be made.


Personal life

Tszyu married Natasha Anikina on 24 September 1993. He has three children; Anastasia,
Nikita Nikita may refer to: * Nikita (given name) * Nikita, Crimea, a town in Crimea * Nikita the Tanner, a character in East Slavic folklore Film and television *''Little Nikita'', a 1988 film * ''La Femme Nikita'' (film), also known as ''Nikita'', a 19 ...
and Tim. Nikita and Tim are both boxers. Tszyu initially moved with his family to Moscow in 2008, but they returned to
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
,
New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. In September 2012, Tszyu left his family in Australia while he moved full-time to live in Russia. Tszyu is now married to Tatiana Averina, with whom he has two children, and runs a restaurant in Moscow. Tszyu is an animal lover who owns several pets including Viking, a
rottweiler The Rottweiler (, ) is a breed of domestic dog, regarded as medium-to-large or large. The dogs were known in German as , meaning Rottweil butchers' dogs, because their main use was to herd livestock and pull carts laden with butchered mea ...
who has been Tszyu's companion since he arrived in Australia; Jake, his pet
diamond python ''Morelia spilota spilota'' is a subspecies of carpet python (''Morelia spilota''), popularly known as the diamond python. It is a medium to large snake, found in coastal areas and adjacent ranges of south-eastern Australia. It is the most south ...
; canaries and
fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...
. Tszyu appeared with the animals on the pet show ''
Harry's Practice ''Harry's Practice'' was an Australian lifestyle television program that was broadcast on the Seven Network between 2 December 1997 and 2003. In New Zealand, the show was broadcast on TV ONE. The show was hosted by veterinarian Harry Cooper, w ...
'' in 2002.


Legal disputes

Tszyu has been in several court battles with his managers. Most recently, his ex-manager Susie Bennell took him to court, alleging Tszyu owed her money. Tszyu was also ordered to repay $3.5 million to his former manager Bill Mordey in an unrelated civil suit.Tszyu's cash fight
ninemsn.com.au (16 March 2007) In journalist Paul Kent's biography of long time trainer
Johnny Lewis Jonathan Kendrick Lewis (October 29, 1983 – September 26, 2012), also credited as Johnny K. Lewis, was an American film and television actor. He played Kip "Half-Sack" Epps in the first two seasons of the FX (TV channel), FX series ''Sons of A ...
, allegations were made that Tszyu had underpaid Lewis for his services. The dispute was settled out of court.


Professional boxing record


Video albums


References


External links

* *
Konstantin Tszyu Partial Record
(Amateur Boxing Results) {{DEFAULTSORT:Tszyu, Kostya 1969 births Russian emigrants to Australia Australian people of Korean descent Australian people of Mongolian descent Australian people of Russian descent Russian people of Korean descent Russian people of Mongolian descent Australian male boxers Soviet male boxers Olympic boxers of the Soviet Union Boxers at the 1988 Summer Olympics International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees People from the Sutherland Shire Naturalised citizens of Australia World Boxing Association champions International Boxing Federation champions World Boxing Council champions Boxers from Sydney Living people Russian male boxers AIBA World Boxing Championships medalists The Ring (magazine) champions World light-welterweight boxing champions Goodwill Games medalists in boxing Competitors at the 1990 Goodwill Games Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees