Kostya Tszyu
Kostya Tszyu is a former professional boxer from Australia who was an undisputed lightwelterweight world champion and considered among the best pound-for-pound fighters of his era. Of Russian, Korean and Mongol descent, the 5-foot-7-inch Tszyu compiled a 31-2 record (1 no contest) with 25 knockouts during his 13-year professional career. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011.
Konstantin "Kostya" Tszyu was born on September 19, 1969 in Serov, Russia, located within the Ural Mountains region. He started boxing as a youth in local gyms and was competing as an amateur in the sport by his teen years.
After impressive early in his youth career, Tszyu was selected for a number of Soviet Union amateur events and also began taking part in international tournaments. He was the featherweight champion at the Junior European Championships in 1986, before competing for Russia at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. He won another European amateur title in 1989 and represented his country at the World Championships in Moscow that year.
Tszyu competed for the Russian national team at the 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle, where he captured the gold medal in the 123-lb. division, defeating fellow Russian Aleksandr Banin in the final. After winning another European amateur crown the following year, Tszyu won the gold medal (over American Vernon Forrest) in the light welterweight division at the 1991 World Championships held in Sydney, Australia. Following the competition, he decided to remain in Australia to build a professional career (and eventually earn citizenship).
Following his gold-medal win at the 1991 World Championships, Kostya Tszyu decided to remain in Australia and turn professional, taking Johnny Lewis on as trainer. In his first pro bout (in March 1992), he knocked out Darrell Hiles in the first round to begin a successful career as a light welterweight. Quick knockouts highlighted Tszyu's early matches, which also included ten-round decision victories over former champions Juan Laporte and Livingston Bramble.
Tszyu faced the tough Mexican Hector Lopez in just his 11th professional bout, but a unanimous-decision win for the Russian-turned Australian earned him further respect in the division. Two knockout wins followed before Tszyu was given a title shot in January 1995, against IBF light welterweight champ Jake Rodruguez. Knocking his opponent to the canvas a number of times, Tszyu claimed the belt after the referee stopped the bout in the sixth round.
The sturdy, muscular Tszyu then topped another former champion, Roger Mayweather, before agreeing to fight the IBF's top contender in Columbian Hugo Pineda. Tszyu suffered a first-round knockdown on the bout, but recovered to win by knockout in the 11th round to retain his title. After a win over an undefeated Jan Bergman, Tszyu signed to fight with Bob Arum and the Top Rank organization in late 1996 to gain more exposure and pursue some of the bigger names in boxing.
The following year began with a no-contest decision with Leonardo Moro Mas, whose handlers claimed the punch that finished off their fighter came after the referee had called for a break. Tszyu then suffered the first loss of his pro career in May 1997, when Vince Phillips knocked him out in the tenth round to capture the light welterweight belt.
Tszyu rebounded with two knockout wins before being given another title shot, as the WBC light welterweight belt had become vacant after Oscar de la Hoya moved up to welterweight. Tszyu became champion for a second time by knocking out Miguel Angel Gonzalez in ten rounds in August 1999. Successful defense of the WBC belt included a win over boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez the following year.
In a bid to unify the various belts in the light welterweight division, Tszyu then won by TKO after seven rounds over WBA champion Shamba Mitchell in 2001. In November of that year, he knocked out Zab Judah in the second round to earn back the IBF crown and become the first boxer in 30 years to unify the light welterweight belts and be named undisputed world champion.
Considered among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world by 2002, Tszyu successfully defended his title a number of times before a shoulder injury forced him to delay a rematch with Shamba Mitchell. The bout was rescheduled for November 2004, and Tszyu scored a third-round knockout to retain the belt and earn "Comeback Fighter of the Year" honors from Ring magazine.
Ricky Hatton took the IBF junior welterweight from Tszyu in June 2005, when the 35-year-old defending champion decided not to continue after the 11th round of a grueling battle. While not officially announcing his retirement in the aftermath, Tszyu has not fought since that loss. He has compiled a professional record of 31-2, with 25 knockouts.
Kostya Tszyu Career Professional Fighting Record
Date | Opponent | Res. | Type |
---|---|---|---|
6/4/05 | Ricky Hatton | L | RTD, 11 |
11/6/04 | Sharmba Mitchell | W | TKO, 3 |
1/19/03 | Jesse James Leija | W | TKO, 6 |
5/18/02 | Ben Tackie | W | UD, 12 |
11/3/01 | Zab Judah | W | TKO, 2 |
6/23/01 | Oktay Urkal | W | UD, 12 |
2/3/01 | Sharmba Mitchell | W | RTD, 7 |
7/29/00 | Julio Cesar Chavez | W | TKO, 6 |
2/12/00 | Ahmed Santos | W | TKO, 8 |
8/21/99 | Miguel Angel Gonzalez | W | TKO, 10 |
11/28/98 | Diosbelys Hurtado | W | TKO, 5 |
8/15/98 | Rafael Ruelas | W | TKO, 9 |
4/5/98 | Calvin Grove | W | KO, 1 |
12/6/97 | Ismael Armando Chaves | W | TKO, 3 |
5/31/97 | Vince Phillips | L | TKO, 10 |
1/18/97 | Leonardo Mas | NC | -- |
9/14/96 | Jan Piet Bergman | W | KO, 6 |
5/24/96 | Corey Johnson | W | KO, 4 |
1/20/96 | Hugo Pineda | W | TKO, 11 |
6/25/95 | Roger Mayweather | W | UD, 12 |
1/28/95 | Jake Rodriguez | W | TKO, 6 |
8/29/94 | Pedro Sanchez | W | TKO, 4 |
5/2/94 | Angel Hernandez | W | TKO, 7 |
1/11/94 | Hector Lopez | W | UD, 10 |
8/23/93 | Livingstone Bramble | W | UD, 10 |
6/18/93 | Robert Rivera | W | KO, 1 |
5/14/93 | Larry LaCoursiere | W | TKO, 1 |
1/30/93 | Steve Larrimore | W | TKO, 2 |
11/13/92 | Sammy Fuentes | W | TKO, 1 |
9/11/92 | Daniel Ricardo Cusato | W | TKO, 7 |
7/23/92 | Juan La Porte | W | UD, 10 |
5/7/92 | Tony Jones | W | TKO, 2 |
4/2/92 | Nedrick Simmons | W | KO, 1 |
3/1/92 | Darrell Hiles | W | TKO, 1 |
KOSTYA TSZYU QUICK FACTS
Birth date: Sept. 19, 1969
Birthplace: Serov, Soviet Union
Weight class: Junior Welterweight
Height: 5-foot-7
Pro fights: 34
Record: 31-2 (1 NC)
Wins by KO: 25
Inducted into Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011
NOTABLE 2011 BOXING HOF INDUCTEES
Mike Tyson |
Julio Cesar Chavez |
Kostya Tszyu |
ADDITONAL BOXING TOPICS COVERAGE
Muhammad Ali |
Joe Frazier |
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
|
Manny Pacquiao |