Q&A: Kostya Tszyu!

September 30, 2003

By Ray Wheatley -- World of Boxing
Photo: Tom Casino/Showtime

WBC/WBA/IBF jr welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu (30-1, 24 KOs) says his February 7 title defense against Sharmba Mitchell in Moscow is a go. The 140lb division superstar said he is happy with his recovery from a torn achilles tendon in his right leg and plans to fight three times in 2004. The injury forced a postponement of Tszyu's originally scheduled September 27 date against Mitchell. Tszyu also told Fightnews that he is interested in defending against jr welterweight contenders Vivian Harris and Arturo Gatti.

Has there been any new developements in your upcoming February 7, 2004 IBF/WBC/WBA title defense against Sharmba Mitchell in Moscow?
There are a few minor details to be done in the contract, but you can now say that everything is finalized for this fight to go ahead on February 7, 2004.

Is your achilles tendon healing well and have you started running as of this time?
Everything is good. The process of rehabilitation has been excellent. I was at my physio therapist today and he is very happy with the progress. I am running at this time - only 30 minutes at a time. The only thing I am not doing is skipping. I can skip - but it is painful after some time.

You are leaving for Moscow on October 2nd. Is this for the WBC convention or for promotional purposes?
The WBC convention is a big part while I am going there, but also to see everything is 100% for the fight on February 7, 2004. I will be going there with my manager. I will check training facilities. Living facilities etc. I will check everything.

When will you begin full time training for the Mitchell vs Tszyu title bout?
It will be the beginning of November. I will have to start early because I have not boxed for a long time. I must get rid of the rust.

You will import sparring partners from the USA. Do you know which boxers you will use?
I want to have Steve Johnston to help with my training.He is a good friend of mine. Steve is more than a sparring partner - he is a former world champion who can easily win another world title. We are going to help each other. Steve has worked with me many years ago in training. We were amateur boxers during the same period ... I will maybe have former Commonwealth Games middleweight champion Paul Miller also. He is big - strong and moves fast.

Has the WBA and WBC requested you defend against there mandatory contenders?
I do not know what they want. Look what they do for Ocar De La Hoya. He does not fight mandatory contenders. Also I cannot understand that Vivian Harris - who is a good boxer - holds a WBA jr welterweight belt. They should make my belt different if I am a super champion. This would be good for my collection of belts. The WBC is going to order that number one contender Gianluca Branco should meet Arturo Gatti for the right to meet me in title fight. No one should or can strip me of the title.

Could the weather in Moscow (20 degrees below zero) be a problem? Will it prevent you from getting down to 140lb limit?
My weight will be fine.

Who did you think won the Oscar De La Hoya vs Shane Mosley bout?
I am 100% neutral in this bout. After 12 rounds I had it a draw. I had no drawn rounds. Mosley won the last round big.

Shane Mosley originally held the IBF lightweight title before winning welterweight and now holds jr middleweight title. Would you consider fighting Mosley?
I would have to win the welterweight title first. But I could fight jr welterweight contenders Vivian Harris or Arturo Gatti. They are good fights that I could get motivated for. I want to enjoy my fights at the end of my career. I plan on boxing three fights in 2004. I would have been more active in 2003 only for injury to achilles tendon.