FIGHTLINE BY DOUG FISCHER
Fights only last a matter of minutes, but fighters are connected to each other by chains that extend for decades – even centuries – into the past. Their bond is a lineage built face-to-face: A young prospect struggles with the skills of an aging veteran whose nose was once broken by a fighter now enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. In that way, muscle memory carries knowledge and boxers face a piece of everyone their opponent has fought, everyone those people fought, and so on. This month’s Fightline comes to us from Edward Mizner of Los Angeles, who has connected the father-and-son duo of Kostya Tszyu and Tim Tszyu . Kostya was an ultra-talented boxer-puncher from Serov, Russia, who dominated the junior welterweight division as an amateur and professional during the 1990s and early 2000s. He is among the most accomplished Russian amateurs of the Soviet era, winning gold medals at the 1989 and 1991 European Championships, the 1990 Goodwill Games and the 1991 World Championships – the last of which he captured by soundly outpointing future two-division world champion Vernon Forrest. His final amateur record is recorded as 259-11. Just a few months after winning the world amateur title, Tszyu relocated to Sydney (host city of the tournament) following the dissolution of the U.S.S.R. to pursue Australian citizenship and a pro career. With a unique look (Eurasian features and rattail braid) and fighting style (careful but aggressive stalking behind a low guard), Tszyu instantly attracted attention. Bolstered by accelerated matchmaking, it didn’t take long to create a buzz with his exceptional speed, power and punch accuracy. He turned pro in March 1992 and had earned the No. 10 spot in The Ring’s 140-pound rankings by November following victories over former featherweight titleholder Juan Laporte (UD 10) and future 140-pound beltholder Sammy Fuentes (TKO 1) in his fourth and sixth bouts, respectively. Tszyu won the IBF title in his 14th bout in 1995 and defended four times before suffering a shocking 10th-round stoppage defeat to Vince Phillips in The Ring’s 1997 Upset of the Year. However, Tszyu rebounded with a 13-bout win streak that included the formidable titleholding trio of Miguel Angel Gonzalez (TKO 10), Sharmba Mitchell (TKO 7) and Zab Judah (TKO 2). Completing this trifecta in 2001 crowned Tszyu as the first undisputed champion since Takeshi Fuji in 1968. Tszyu also defeated Rafael Ruelas (TKO 9), Diosbelys Hurtado (TKO 5), Jesse James Leija (TKO 6), faded legend Julio Cesar Chavez (TKO 6) and Mitchell in a rematch (TKO 3). The 7½-year run was ended by Ricky Hatton in 2005.
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HATTON TKO 11 TSZYU JUNE 4, 2005
MAYWEATHER TKO 10 HATTON DECEMBER 8, 2007
Tszyu retired with a 31-2 (25 KOs) record shortly after the Hatton loss and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011. His son Tim turned pro at 21 in the middleweight division in December 2016. Despite Tim’s late start and limited amateur experience (most of it in the under-17 category), the younger Tszyu was able to emulate his father’s distinctive style (albeit with lesser power and accuracy) and quickly advanced to the 10-round level. By this time, he had settled in the 154-pound division.
MAYWEATHER UD 12 PACQUIAO MAY 2, 2015
HORN UD 12 PACQUIAO JULY 2, 2017
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He cracked The Ring’s junior middleweight rankings at No. 10 in September 2020, a month after stopping former welterweight titleholder and fellow Aussie Jeff Horn (TKO 8). Over the next two years, Tszyu climbed to the No. 1 spot with victories over rugged title challengers Dennis Hogan (TKO 5) and Takeshi Inoue (UD 12); crafty veteran Terrell Gausha (UD 12); former beltholder Tony Harrison (TKO 9); and contenders Carlos Ocampo (KO 1) and Brian Mendoza (UD 12). However, Tim fell hard from his perch in 2024, dropping a blood-soaked split decision to Sebastian Fundora and suffering a shocking third-round stoppage to Bakhram Murtazaliev. He was written off by much of the boxing world following a rematch stoppage by Fundora last year. But a fire still burns in Tszyu, who returned to the middleweight division and scored a 12-round unanimous decision over former unified welterweight champ Errol Spence Jr. in July. There are multiple paths linking Kostya and Tim, whose primes are separated by 25 years, but Mizner found a Fightline that connects them with four boxers. Can you find a faster route? If so, or if you have another Fightline you’d like to submit, send it to comeoutwriting@gmail.com. And remember, some fighters can be linked on paper by jumping forward and backward in time, but to be a true lineage, the fights must come in chronological order.
TSZYU TKO 8 HORN AUGUST 26, 2020
96 RINGMAGAZINE.COM
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