He may be readying to become Australia’s next brawling king, but Joel Camilleri also wants a crack at Nikita Tszyu, declaring: “He isn’t ready for the world stage … I don’t even know how he’s ranked so high”.
Himself a world ranked middleweight, Camilleri is set to make a shock sporting switch on the Gold Coast next week, throwing down against Issac Hardman for gold in the International Brawling Championships.
Both longtime favourites on the domestic boxing scene, Camilleri and Hardman will challenge for the IBC welterweight title in a September 23 showcase broadcast live on Main Event Australia and Kayo Sports.
IBC 05: Hardman v Camilleri | Wednesday September 23 from 7pm AEST | The World’s fastest growing combat sport returns with a showdown for the ages, as Isaac Hardman takes on veteran boxer Joel Camilleri in the Gold Coast. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
For Camilleri, the brawling crossover comes as the man ranked at No.11 with the WBA also has a December bout penciled in against undefeated Melbourne prospect Mitch Leek.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week however, Camilleri said what he really wants is a Main Event headliner against the younger Tszyu sibling.
He says promoters No Limit could also have plenty of fun with the build for the fight, given how he hasn’t only already fought Tim Tszyu, or for a time managed their family gym at Rockdale, but has even rented out an apartment owned by Tszyu.
Elsewhere, the fighter dubbed ‘Cama KO’ says that while there is no doubting Nikita won last month’s contentious draw against Ben Mahoney – giving him all but three, maybe four rounds – he isn’t yet ready for a championship bout.
“Which is why, right now, a fight between myself and Nikita makes sense,” Camilleri stressed.
“After that Mahoney fight, you can see Tszyu isn’t ready for the world stage.
“I don’t even know how he’s ranked so high.
“Yes, he definitely won the fight.
“I gave Mahoney three rounds. Maybe four maximum.
“And I wasn’t going for Nikita.
“Leading into that fight, I actually thought ‘maybe Benny wins this’.
“But he just didn’t do enough. He sat on the backfoot, and was copping more punches than he was giving.”
While Camilleri is pushing for a showdown with either Tszyu or Michael Zerafa, No Limit have apparently offered up another of their growing stable’s young stars — undefeated Olympian Callum Peters.
While still switching between the amateur and professional ranks, ‘50 Cal’s is already being hailed the Next Big Thing of Australian boxing thanks to an undefeated pro tear of nine straight – including eight via KO.
“But they’re only offering him because Nikita is the next cash cow,” Camilleri continued. “He’s the guy they can’t afford to lose, especially if Tim retires.
“So they’ve got to keep him as high as they can.
“And that’s why he fought Ben Mahoney over me. They thought Ben’s an easier proposition.
“But I want Nikita and let’s be honest, the story is there.
“I’ve fought his brother, I’ve managed the family gym, I even lived in their apartment. It’s the biggest fight Team Tszyu can make for him … that would be a huge fight.”
Currently, No Limit remain in discussions to have Nikita Tszyu make his US debut in December, fighting on the undercard of Mexican-American superstar David Benavidez.
Camilleri, however, is convinced a domestic headliner against himself makes the most sense for a fighter who still isn’t ready for the super welterweight division’s elite.
“Look, Nikita is definitely improving,” he said. “The guy is sharp, he’s strong, but you also saw how even after his last fight against Mahoney, he thought he lost.
“And with the experience I have, I believe that I’ll get over the top of him.
“And that’s not me saying ‘oh, I bash Nikita Tszyu’. He could also catch me.
“But I know for a fact I’m the hardest fight of his life.
IBC 05: Hardman v Camilleri | Wednesday September 23 from 7pm AEST | The World’s fastest growing combat sport returns with a showdown for the ages, as Isaac Hardman takes on veteran boxer Joel Camilleri in the Gold Coast. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
“And if he thinks Ben Mahoney gave him troubles, he’s going to have real issues with me.
“Because Mahoney is an up and down fighter.
“But I’ve got a really awkward style that would give him much more trouble. I can punch, I can move, and I can take punches. And you’ve seen when Nikita fights guys who can take punches … he has trouble.”
Camilleri said even a fight with Mahoney was possible.
“I actually noticed him commenting on my upcoming IBC fight recently, saying Hardman is going to knock me out,” the new brawling title contender grinned.
“And that really is immature.
“He’s only saying that because I made a video saying he lost against Nikita Tszyu. But if Mahoney wants to fight, and doesn’t want to lose his ranking, I’ve also got no problem with us brawling inside a cage.”
Only last week, Australian boxing great Danny Green rescored Tszyu’s controversial IBF eliminator against Mahoney – and said it now made perfect sense for ‘The Butcher’ to head overseas for his hyped American debut.
While admitting several rounds were close, the Main Event analyst eventually scored the fight in favour of Tszyu by two rounds.
During a crazy night on the Gold Coast last week, all three judges came up with different scorecards – 117-111, 115-113, 114-114 — in what was an eliminator for IBF super welterweight champ Josh Kelly.
Tszyu v Mahoney: Full Fight Highlights | 11:21
While Green scored the first two rounds for Mahoney, he then found only two more for the gutsy Gold Coast native – six and twelve.
Tszyu, meanwhile, earned rounds four, five, seven, eight, ten and eleven.
Green determined rounds three and nine too close to split, making his final scorecard for Tszyu: 116-114.
“So it was a tight fight,” he said. “But after rewatching all 12 rounds without commentary, I’ve again scored it in Nikita Tszyu’s favour.
“And by two rounds.
“Because while Mahoney started well, and it did take Nikita a while to come on, once Tszyu started finding his groove through rounds four and five, through that middle section he really started chugging.
“And overall, I think it was his thudding left hands that proved the difference.
“Nikita also went to the body a lot. And you’ve gotta score those shots …”