Kostya Tszyu retired from boxing as one of the finest of all junior welterweights when, in 2005, he lost to Ricky Hatton in one of the fights of the year, since when so little of him has been seen. On Saturday, at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida, for the first time in eight years he attended a fight involving his son Tim, who was stopped by the IBF junior-middleweight Bakhram Murtazaliev. On the eve of Murtazaliev-Tszyu, the 55-year-old Russian-Australian Kostya spoke to BoxingScene.

It’s been eight years since you attended one of Tim’s fights. Why is it you’ve travelled to this one?

It happens. I had time – free time. That’s why I came here.

I had free time for myself, from my schedule. I thought, “Why not?”. On Wednesday I’ve got another appointment. I’ve got some work. Four days’ break; cancelled a couple of meetings on the weekend, and go. 

[It’s] enjoyable. I’ll spend some time with the kids. We’ll spend time – they’re still kids for me – and we’ll have a good talk. I won’t put pressure [on Tim]. I want to be just a father – that’s all.

Will it be difficult to not be able to contribute in a boxing context?

No.

Has it been difficult for you to be absent for so much of his and Nikita’s careers?

They know that they’re in my heart all the time.

You must be very proud of Tim’s achievements…

Huge. He’s a good man [first] – that’s important.

As a father, as a person who knows what it’s all about, I have to be 100 per cent confident in Tim’s ability, to give him extra motivation; extra strength. That’s 100 per cent.

Wait for Nikita now. Do you know how many father-sons have been world champion? Not many. It’s very rare. But we’ve never had two sons and the father world champions.

What’s it been like seeing Nikita for the first time in 11 years?

Oh, exciting. He’s a bugger – not bloody answering his phone. That’s the problem. Not only to me – to many people. It’s not easy to call from Russia. It’s only a particular time I’m able to reach him. I get him sometimes at my parents’ place – using Skype we can talk to each other; see each other. Usually he’s not answering. But, it’s good, and I’m hoping a new future – after he’s fully recovered, we’ll go to a training camp together, probably in Thailand.

I love [seeing him]. I miss the kids. They’re still kids for me. We do talk, but not often enough.

Does that make you sad?

Of course. But I can’t change it.

I am an emotional guy. I can be myself in the family, and I’m myself with them. Big-time [emotional]; big-time happy. 

I’m very different to how I used to be.

Why have we seen so little of you since your last fight?

No time. It’s a new life for me. I’ve got a new family; kids. I’ve got two young kids, 10 and eight years old – Alexander and Victoria. [Tatyana is Tszyu’s second wife].

What do you do for a living in Moscow?

I’ve got many, many things. Public speaking a lot. I’ve got a boxing gym; I’ve got a restaurant. I’ve got lots of businesses.

Lots of things. Clothing. Not everything I can say. Some other business stuff.

I’m not a trainer. [But] I’m doing, sometimes, training sessions – private sessions.

Was there any part of you that didn’t want your sons to box?

No. It’s their decision. This is their way. They asked me. I said, “If you want it, I’m on your side”.

It’s their decision. Their lives. I’m very proud [of the] the way they chose a not easy life. They could do it the easy way, but they’ve never done it the easy way. 

How good is Bakhram Murtazaliev?

He’s a good fighter. I haven’t seen him train; I’ve seen him in the ring just briefly, but he’s a good fighter.

He’s a good fighter. He’s a world champion. But to be honest I never wanted my son to fight Russians – but he has, and he’s got, something that’s supposed to be in Tim’s hands. His belt. It’s nothing personal. But he’s got something that’s supposed to be Tim’s.

I never fought Russians. Tim’s Australian, but he’s Russian, and I really want him to fight one day in Russia. All the support he’ll get – he’ll get much bigger support if he doesn’t fight Russians. He handles it very well.

How good a fighter is Tim?

Better. 

Attitude, yes. His attitude is completely right. Not many have got that. 

Earlier in 2024, Ricky Hatton was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame…

I’m happy for him. I’m happy, because he deserves it. He did many good fights. He beat me, and I’m already there.

Do you miss boxing?

Not really. Actually, I do miss it, but at the same time I’m busy enough, and I do a lot of things in Russia, all around boxing, but I’m not officially putting myself there. I’m undercover.

I’ve had my life [in boxing]. I know the value of my life now. I’m happy – that’s the important part. I’m not regretting anything, and I’m satisfied with my life. I enjoyed my life. 

Did you ever come close to returning?

No. My mum – honestly, this is an important message. My mum [Valentina] asked me, “Don’t fight again; don’t do this again – please”, and I said, “Okay". After that fight, she said to me, “Please don’t fight again”, and I did promise to her that I would never fight again. She’s close to 80.

In the context of a retired fighter, how is your health?

I feel good. I live a healthy life – that continues. I don’t drink; I don’t smoke. I enjoy my life; I eat healthy food. I have two young kids – they’re young, and I need to raise them.

I do this [get checked] on a regular basis – twice a year. Fully. Heart; everything. Checking.

How do you think Tim handles the pressure of being your son?

He handles it very well. We’ve discussed this matter – his team – and I said, “Look, what I did, it doesn’t matter. What you do – this matters. We discuss, but I never compare myself with you, and I don’t want you to compare yourself with me – we’re different”. We have different backgrounds; we have different hunger. 

Tim’s doing everything – so much that I’m so proud of. I think it’s very important, when a father is proud of his son – and I am… I’ve already said, the way he conducts himself in the ring, and outside of the ring, makes me enjoy what he’s doing.

I’m 100 per cent confident.

At this stage of his career, [Murtazaliev is] the most important fight.

We won’t talk about next, until we finish this.