Tim Tszyu reveals 'sickness' that will drive him to victory over Jeff Horn

Rising star Tim Tszyu 15-0 (11) has revealed the “sickness” that will driver him to victory over Jeff Horn 20-2-1 (13).

The Australian pair will meet in a 10-round junior middleweight bout at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville, Australia on August 26.

The fight was originally scheduled to take place at the same venue on April 22 before the coronavirus pandemic forced the fight to be postponed.

Tszyu said the recent lockdown has only made him more focused and determined on defeating Horn.

“It’s a sickness,” the 25-year-old Sydneysider warned Horn.

Tszyu added he was training three to four times a day in isolation: “Nothing else in my life matters other than boxing.

“Losing is not an option for me. I only win.”

Former WBO welterweight champion Horn, 32, says he has heard all the talk before.

“They’re very serious, and very cocky in the way that they think they’re going to win this fight nice and easy,” Brisbane’s Horn said.

“Tim has never fought the opposition that I have. He’s got relatively little experience in that manner.

“And the only reason that this fight is being made is because his last name is Tszyu.”

Horn is coming off a revenge win over Michael Zerafa on points in a middleweight bout last December in Brisbane, while Tszyu battered Jack Brubaker into submission in four rounds in the same month in Sydney.

Bookmakers have installed Tszyu as a comfortable favourite against Horn, despite his relative lack of experience.

“He’s a hot favourite for this fight,” Horn said. “I’m shocked. I kind of want to turn around and put some money on myself.”

There were fears that the highly anticipated crossroads clash would have to take place behind closed doors, something the promoters were loath to do.

But recent changes to Queensland State Government rules around crowds at sporting events, the fight is now back on.

“We’ve managed to boost the overall capacity to 32,000 with seats going on the ground,” said Horn’s promoter Dean Lonergan.

“With current Queensland restrictions allowing a maximum 25,000 people or up to 50 per cent of the stadium, it’s allowed to put 16,000 people in there with COVID restrictions.

“Thanks to the great work of the Queensland government we are looking forward to one of the biggest fights in the world to take place.

“Not many major fights around the world of this nature can take place because of crowd restrictions and the fact that they can’t generate enough revenue to put these fights on.

“This is a fight all Australia wants to see and waiting a few more months has only added to the excitement and expectation.

“It’s fantastic that this showdown will still be staged at Townsville’s wonderful new stadium and I applaud the Queensland Government and Tourism Events Queensland for their efforts to help reschedule the fight for August 26.”

Tszyu’s promoter Matt Rose was just as delighted as Lonergan that the blockbuster fight is going ahead.

“It’s going to be worth the extra wait because I can assure you this will be a fight for the ages and one Townsville will long remember,” Rose said.