After keeping his word and defeating tough and talkative Spaniard Oscar Diaz to get closer to a world title shot in a controversial fight, an ecstatic Nikita Tszyu is chasing larger fish.
In their super-welterweight bout on Wednesday night in Newcastle, Tszyu decisively stopped him in the sixth round to extend his undefeated record to 13-0.
But the way the Aussie struck his opponent twice when he was on one knee during the fight’s final knockdown infuriated Diaz’s corner.
Tszyu apologised right away after Diaz’s cornerman was spotted yelling at him and making violent gestures. Tszyu might have been penalised for delivering the hits.
Ben Damon commented, “His corner is furious about the punches after he took the knee.”
After the victory, Tszyu gave an explanation for his behaviour.
Pictured: On Wednesday night, Nikita Tszyu punched his opponent Oscar Diaz while he was down, committing one of boxing’s cardinal sins.
The Australian hit two shots while Diaz was on his knees, leaving the Spaniard’s corner completely enraged. “It was just a split-second reaction,” he remarked. “I didn’t see his knees were on the ground.” He appeared to be hunched over, and in my experience, people who are hunched over tend to continue punching.
Nikita is now just one victory away from securing his own chance at worldwide success after forging his own route while living in the shadow of his Hall of Fame father Kostya and fellow world title-winning sibling Tim.
After only three rounds in the previous two years due to left-hand surgery, the 28-year-old was simply glad to earn some extra time in the ring rather than gloating or worrying about his next fight. “Good to get the rounds in,” he said. Tszyu remarked, “It’s good to feel the energy of a crowd and to get a sweat up.”
Tszyu’s potential next targets include superstar Keith Thurman and fellow American Tony Harrison, whom Tim KO’d in 2023 to win the WBO super-welterweight title.
After brutally breaking Diaz’s undefeated record, Tszyu began his most recent match ranked sixth with the IBF and is now predicted to rise as high as No. 3 in the division’s hierarchy.
In the seventh round, Diaz was unable to get out of his corner and gave Tszyu a victory that puts him much closer to a world crown.
Due to a hand injury that kept him out of the ring, the 28-year-old Australian was in great form as he made up lost time.
With a thorough performance at the “Tszyu-Castle” Entertainment Center, the so-called “Butcher” exceeded all expectations.
The home favourite dominated from the first bell, looking physically formidable and in the greatest shape of his career.
He downed the Spaniard with a huge left in the second round after landing multiple strikes in the first.
Despite the barrage of blows to Diaz’s head in round three, Tszyu persisted in his assault, which only made Diaz—known as “The Bull” or “El Toro” after winning all 16 of his prior fights—smile wryly.
But there was only so much his chin could withstand.
In the sixth stanza, Tszyu dropped the European with a devastating left-right bombardment, and Diaz ultimately gave up after surviving another intense combination in round five.
Tszyu’s victory raises the home record of the most well-known boxing family in the country to an amazing 54-0, with Kostya (18-0) and Tim (23-0) on Australian soil.
Rahim Mundine defeated Lance McDonald via unanimous points in a five-round super-welterweight bout on Wednesday night’s undercard, maintaining another son of a gun’s perfect professional record.
Mundine has won three times since making his debut four years prior, when the expectations were quite low.
However, the 24-year-old son of former triple world champion Anthony Mundine was unable to break free from his divisive father’s shadow.
“My dad’s the most hated athlete ever in this country,” he declared as the Newcastle crowd jeered and booed him after the three judges gave him the victory 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47.
“He’s a really tough competitor, but I won easily.” I got images that were cleaner.
