Michael Zerafa has unleashed an expletive-laden rant backstage after his controversial showdown with Nikita Tszyu, claiming it wasn’t his fault the fight was stopped and hinting that he may hang up his gloves.
The blockbuster grudge match, which gripped the nation, ended in bitter anticlimax on Friday night at Brisbane’s Entertainment Centre when the bout was waved off by referee Chris Condon at the start of the third round on the ringside doctor’s advice.
N. Tszyu vs Zerafa | Friday 16 Jan from 7pm AEDT | The trash talk and bitterness come to a head when Nikita Tszyu steps into the ring to face Michael Zerafa in one of the most anticipated fights in Australian boxing history. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
After an accidental headclash, Zerafa developed a cut over his left eye that was attended to by his corner in the break.
The ringside doctor inspected the wound. Zerafa could be clearly seen saying “I cant see”.
Referee Condon had no choice but to wave off the fight as the Brisbane crowd booed loudly.
Backstage, a furious Zerafa told host Ben Damon that it wasn’t his fault.
“I’m over this s**t, man,” he said.
“The doctor came, asked me, covered my eye and said, ‘Can you see?’ I said it’s blurry. He never gave me the opportunity to continue. Nothing, just waved it off. The referee waved it off.”
Zerafa then instructed his cornerman to explain what happened.
“Michael asked me if it was sweet (the cut) and I said yeah, it was nothing,” said the cornerman.
“I didn’t think it’d impair his vision too much, didn’t bleed at all. I thought he was able to continue.”
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“Took the first exit!” Nikita reacts | 05:45
Zerafa then doubled down on his claim he was fine to keep fighting.
“I said I was sweet as. I answered the doctor’s question. He said is there blood in your eye. I said it’s blurry, but sweet. Never gave me the chance… he just waved it off.”
Damon queried Zerafa on his exact choice of words to the ringside doctor.
“You did say to the doctor that you couldn’t see,” Damon said.
Zerafa fired back: “Out of that eye! Because he told me to cover it.
“I was sweet. I was just answering his questions.
“The doctor asked me questions, I just answered the questions. I said it was blurry…
“There was blood in my eye.
“[There was no] Do you want to continue? Do you want to keep going? Nothing.
“Im just as confused and angry as everyone else. It was a tough fight, me and Nikita, I’m over this s**t man.”
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Zerafa then dropped a bombshell as he hinted that Friday night’s bout might be the last time fight fans ever see him in the ring.
“I don’t know if they’re going to see me back in the ring, man,” he said.
“I’m f**king done.
“I’ve bled for this sport. I’ve done everything for this sport. I never get the credit I deserve. It’s bulls**t.
“I feel sorry for Nikita and the fight fans. Myself. Everybody…
“First it was the bulls**t that I didn’t rock up, wave it off, New South Wales doctor. I don’t know. I’m not saying anyone is behind it.”
Damon asked Zerafa if he was alleging “a conspiracy” against him.
“I’m not going to say that,” he said.
“Look at my eye. I don’t know.”
Damon then asked Zerafa if he understood why the crowd was so angry in the aftermath of the bout.
“Took the first exit!” Nikita reacts | 05:45
“I never quit,” Zerafa maintained.
“That’s why I apologised out there. Even Nikita said “yeah, it’s a cut”.
“What do you want me to do?”
“… I had to get escorted out of here. It’s bulls**t, man. I’m over this s***t.”
Zerafa famously upset the Tszyus and thousands and fans after walking out on a 2021 headliner against Tim Tszyu.
Tonight’s result will do little in improving his standing among them.