Nikita Tszyu is already back in training for what now shapes as a potential American debut before Christmas – and after finally sitting down to rescore his controversial IBF world title eliminator against Ben Mahoney.
Only three weeks on from the contentious Gold Coast headliner – where the fight between himself and Mahoney was declared a draw – Tszyu has rewatched, and properly scored, a bout he initially declared he lost.
Yet despite those comments made immediately after the fight, and while still inside the ring, ‘The Butcher’ now believes the scorecards should have read his way by eight rounds to four.
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Elsewhere, Tszyu has also opened up on a proposed US debut this December, ongoing issues surrounding his left hand, and headlines surrounding his last fight over supposed “snappy” interviewing behaviour.
But first, the Mahoney draw — which was scored 117-111 Tszyu, 115-113 Mahoney and 114-114.
“I scored it eight-four,” Tszyu said at a Sydney press event on Wednesday. “I gave him the first two rounds and then the last two rounds.
“But everything else, I thought my forward pressure, control of the ring, landing the heavier punches … for me that’s how I favour boxing.”
So your opinion has changed considerably since the fight?
“Yeah, it’s changed,” Tszyu continued. “In the heat of the moment, you kind of forget. It’s hard to be a judge when you’re there in the ring.
“You feel every little touch.
“When you look back at it, a simple touch of the head doesn’t look like much, but in the ring it can feel like a lot more than it really is.
“It’s the same when I watch back my sparrings.
Will Nikita Tszyu be U.S. bound in 2026? | 00:52
“Some days when I think I did bad, I’ve done much better than I thought. Then days where I thought I did good, I’ve done worse than I thought.
“[Laughs] So I’m not a good judge.”
Later, Tszyu added of the Mahoney performance: “Overall, I had good moments of control.
“I wasn’t as controlling as I could be. And didn’t have the ring presence that I wish I had.
“But I still had him on the backfoot pretty much the whole fight.”
Told Mahoney thought he won, Tszyu continued: “I haven’t been on social media so I don’t know what anyone has been doing. But everyone has their own way of processing things and dealing with the results.”
Any regrets with what you said in the ring?
“No, I don’t regret it,” Tszyu continued. “Because it was what I felt at the time.
“There was some disappointment with the way I fought. I felt I could’ve done a lot better.
“But this happens. You don’t always have your best nights. And there are a lot of things to improve on but overall I’m quite happy I got to do twelve rounds.”
So as for what he put the off night down too?
“I dunno,” he shrugged. “You guys [in the media, said] I seemed a little bit off. A little bit snappy at everyone.
“I saw there was a lot of articles going around, a lot of talk around my attitude.
“But I dunno, sometimes we’ll be good, sometime maybe we’ll be s***.
“Can’t be happy-go-lucky all the time.
“And it was nothing personal against you guys.
“Honestly, my wife and I watch a lot of comedies. And we like sarcastic comedies.
“So I was just doing the stuff I’ve been learning, the one liners.
“[Laughs] But I’m not good at sarcasm, obviously. I say it with a straight face.”
Elsewhere, Tszyu said he was also happy with the way his troublesome left hand had gone not only throughout the fight, but his camp preceding it.
“That was surprising,” he said. “I didn’t mess it up at all which is unusual.
“[Laughs] Although you know how I said my blisters and my knuckles had been sweet? It flared up a couple of days later.
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Tszyu v Mahoney: Full Fight Highlights | 11:21
“I thought ‘ah, I’ve f***ing jinxed myself’. But then we got it back under control right before the weigh ins.
“But I’m not talking about injuries because I don’t want to jinx myself.”
So what’s next?
“I hear there is something lined up at the end of the year,” he said of what has long been touted as a placement on the undercard of David Benavidez’s next fight.
“But whether it’s international or another domestic fight, I’m not sure.
“But I have started training again this week.
“I don’t get told much until things are signed.”
Asked if he was ready for the States, Tszyu continued: “I hope so.
“I think I can figure it out. I know this fight was a great learning curve for me and has put things into perspective.
“I need to be a lot more professional with the way I do things.
“I can’t be landscaping so close to the fight. I can’t be woodworking so close to the fight.
“They’re bad habits I do.”
Elsewhere, Tszyu also suggested he had enjoyed fighting before a Gold Coast crowd that had been in favor of Mahoney.
“I actually enjoyed that,” he said. “I’ve always been the favourite. Always had the crowd on my side.
“But you have to learn that it’s not always going to be like that.
“When you go overseas, most likely everyone will be against you. You’ll have to face adversity. Have to face the boos.
“So that was also a new experience for me.”
Tszyu also stressed he still has no issue making the super welterweight limit.
“My issue this time around, I started checking my weight two weeks too late,” he said. “So I started off heavier than usual and had to cut a little extra. But overall, it still felt manageable.
“[On the scales] I always look like a scarecrow. Always look like I’m on death row.
“That’s just how I’ve always been.
“My body has a different thing with water. But I know how to rehydrate properly and get all the nutrients back in. I usually feel good a couple of hours later.”