Kostya Tyszu

[lbarrow]

How do you guys think he'd fair if he were to make this comeback.
2 years out and getting on slightly.
How do you think he would do against say Steve Forbes?

[dan-b]

It's difficult to say for sure but he's 38 & even had he stayed active I think it's fair to say his skills would have deteriorated by now. So with a 2 year layoff I think a comeback now would be fraught with potential disaster.

[PedroDePacas]

I really hope he doesn't. He retired at the right time.

[mrplow182]

He didn't retire, Hatton retired that Russian fucker......

[Kostya Zoo]

He didn't retire, Hatton retired that Russian fucker......

I don't see it that way. It was a conscientious decision on Tszyu's part to not fight anymore. He still hasn't officiallly retired. And when assessing that fight (or any fight) it's important to consider the external variables (IE - shit that's out of a boxer's control) on fight night. Stuff like judges, location, referee, ring size, etc. I have no doubt that had these variables better favored Tszyu there would have been a different outcome to that fight. And I'm sure he knows it, too. But that's boxing, and I'm over it.

And the tables were turned on Hatton when he fought Mayweather. He was simply set up to lose.

[mrplow182]

He was always gonna lose to Mayweather but he showed no fear and won't retire or go on a hiatus.......

So do you think if Kostya had won a UD or SD he'd have fought on???

[brooklyn1550]

Hatton stops him, Witter stops him, Torres stops him, and Malignaggi outboxes him

Right now, his skills are probably a fraction of what they once were. He's getting older, his inactivity and past injuries would show. I doubt he'd have his signature sharpness and timing.

If he's got a chance at any title holder, it's Gavin Rees

[mrplow182]

Rees has too much stamina and deceptive speed for an old Tszyu in my opinion.......

[Kostya Zoo]

He was always gonna lose to Mayweather but he showed no fear and won't retire or go on a hiatus.......

So do you think if Kostya had won a UD or SD he'd have fought on???

I can't outright say yes to that. He had injuries, he was already 35, would have been 36 by the time he would have had another fight. But on the other hand the division was completely stacked with serious talent at that time (most of which has moved up to 147), and Tszyu loved to challenge himself. I think the most devastating aspect of the loss is that it's a fight that he clearly could have and should have won had it taken place under different circumstances. But he didn't bitch about it, and I admire that. that's just boxing.

And when it happened to Hatton (although I certainly don't think he should have or even could have beaten Mayweather, but let's be honest..the fight was entirely set up to favor PBF) he didn't bitch about it either. So I have a lot of respect for him.

[mrplow182]

So youre kinda saying a Hatton-Tzsyu fight in LA or Atlantic City would have meant an almost 100% surefire win for Kostya?? I know where youre coming from because Hatton did fight on the inside and clinch a lot but Tzsyu whacked Hatton as hard as he could and didn't really shift him so.....

[Kostya Zoo]

So youre kinda saying a Hatton-Tzsyu fight in LA or Atlantic City would have meant an almost 100% surefire win for Kostya?? I know where youre coming from because Hatton did fight on the inside and clinch a lot but Tzsyu whacked Hatton as hard as he could and didn't really shift him so.....
If Cortez reffed it like he was refereeing the PBF-Hatton fight, I would heavily favor Tszyu. Wouldn't you?

[mrplow182]

Of course but Cortez wasnt really playing ball in that fight so the bout between ricky and kostya with him referee-ing is just as unfair as an English ref in the original fight......

How about Richard Steele referees them both in a fight in England???

[Kostya Zoo]

Of course but Cortez wasnt really playing ball in that fight so the bout between ricky and kostya with him referee-ing is just as unfair as an English ref in the original fight......

How about Richard Steele referees them both in a fight in England???

Well I wasn't necessarily claiming that the circumstances completely change who wins, but that they had a huge impact on how the fight played out (IE - Tszyu quitting vs. the fight going to a decision or some other ending). Hatton completely smothered Tszyu, so I feel like with a different referee Tszyu could have won, yes. I can't say for sure but if I had to put money on it, under completely neutral circumstances, of course I'd bet on Tszyu.

[mrplow182]

I still think a 35 year old Tszyu could only have won against that particular Hatton by KO.....

[doomeddisciple]

Look at Tszyu's fight with Hatton - At the time of Johnny Lewis pulling the pin the scores were - 105-104, 106-103, 107-102

Now - Say that fight was in Vegas - With a proper referee - Tszyu gets credited for a knockdown in the 7th-ish round when he caught Hatton on the belt lin with a legal shot and was waved off as a low blow and then dock a point from Hatton for that ridiculous ball shot and the scores are then favouring Tszyu on one card, a draw on the other and a razor thin margin to Ricky going into the last round.

I could go on - But Tszyu handled it with class - No excuses and gave Hatton his props straight after the fight.

Anyone thinking that if the fight was on neutral ground or in Australia - Hatton would be off in the sunset by now.

Tszyu will not fight again IMO, he's too big now and too far removed from his ferocious training regimine and enjoying life to fight again.

Tszyu has never been overrated either. He had to earn his props and it took a LONG time for America and the rest of the world to see how special he was at his peak.

Say what you want about the Phillips loss - But look at what he DID afterwards, not what he said - What he went out and achieved.

13 fights against 7 former world champions, with 11 stoppage victories and unifying the division over the vastly overrated Zab Judah who is STILL given more excuses than KT ever got from the boxing media.

Say what you want about Phillips - Phillips fought the fight of his life that night - He absorbed some HUGE rights and when KT saw what happened - He went back to his basics and achieved what he achieved.

[mrplow182]

Hatton beat Phillips and Tzsyu.....and don't gimme no crap about they were shot cos Hopkins, Calzaghe, RJJ can still walk the walk......

Hatton has only ever been beaten by the best of the best in recent times...and I believe he's one of the better body punchers in todays sport

[doomeddisciple]

You're comparing Vince Phillips circa 2004 to the one that KO'd Tszyu in 97 or to Hopkins, Jones Jnr or Calzaghe?

[Bodysnatcher]

I think Kostya would be embarrassed by people making excuses for him against Hatton.

The man is a straight up warrior who knew Hatton's style, knew he'd be fighting on Hatton's home patch and knew everything about the challenge.

You can see all that in the way he accepted the defeat - the man is pure class.

[mrplow182]

Its 6 years between the Hatton and Tszyu Vince phillips fights and calzaghe is better now than he was 6 years ago so hell yeah im comparing it....he shouldnt and wouldnt have fought hatton if he didnt think he could win

[stuistylee]

no i dont think we need 2 c kt get whacked by some1...i dont think things would go well 4 kt...

[doomeddisciple]

Its 6 years between the Hatton and Tszyu Vince phillips fights and calzaghe is better now than he was 6 years ago so hell yeah im comparing it....he shouldnt and wouldnt have fought hatton if he didnt think he could win

What the hell does a 40 year old Vince Philips when he fought Hatton, 34 when he fought Tszyu - Have to do with Calzaghe, who improved over a 6 year period?

That's like saying Roberto Duran was better in 2000 than he was in 1980 because he had 20 years to improve, I'm more than happy to keep providing you rope to hang yourself with...

[mrplow182]

i wasnt saying 6 years as in he should improve by then...im saying he hadnt detiriorated to the point where he was merely prime for the taking....philips was and is a bum anyway......he was crying all the was back to america after ricky pummelled him

[doomeddisciple]

i wasnt saying 6 years as in he should improve by then...im saying he hadnt detiriorated to the point where he was merely prime for the taking....philips was and is a bum anyway......he was crying all the was back to america after ricky pummelled him

So he wasn't deteriorated to the point where he was merely prime for the taking, but he was always a bum...hmmm

[RafaelGonzal]

the injuries and inactivity take away that sharpness a fighter needs at the elite level. Tszyu' inactivity was due to a shoulder injury then an achilles rupture. These injuries at that stage in his career 32 or 33 yrs old then the 2 year layoff of course it had an effect. Then he fights 1 fight vs Mitchell then takes on Hatton. In Hattons backyard with an English ref. The body shot was a clear valid knock down. Then Hatton takes advantage of this and hits Kostya with a low blow. Tszyu before the injuries and layoff and on nuetral gorunds kO' Hatton inside 10.
Hatton easy.