BOXING LIVE COVERAGE: Follow below for all the build-up and live action from Wednesday’s huge fight night featuring Parker v Opelu, Nikita Tszyu v Bommber and Cam Mooney v Tom Bellchambers
Three days after being sensationally removed from the corner of Devin Haney, popular American boxing coach Rodney Crisler has finally arrived Down Under to end Australia’s Tszyu dynasty.
Famed for having worked with no less than seven world champions – among them Haney, Terence Crawford, Yuri Gamboa and Shawn Porter – Crisler jetted into Melbourne airport this morning adamant his eighth will be undefeated Melburnian Benjamin Bommber.
While he has twice visited Australia previously to corner American boxing megastar Haney against George Kambosos, the Las Vegas native is now back to help Bommber upset rising star Nikita Tszyu.
With stars like Tyson Fury, Israel Adesanya, Tai Tuivasa and Alex Volkanovksi watching on ringside – watch heavyweights Joseph Parker v Faiga Opelu, the return of Nikita Tszyu plus former AFL stars Cameron Mooney and Tom Bellchambers in a pro-boxing debut. LIVE on Main Event available on Kayo & Foxtel, Wednesday 24 May 7PM AEST. ORDER NOW >
Bommber misses weight, Tszyu slams him! | 01:45
His 11th-hour arrival adds another layer to a fight night set to not only include world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, but also famed UFC arch rivals Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira.
It is understood the pair, who only fought for the middleweight title last month — and continue to go at each other on social media — will be sat several rows apart in a VIP section also boasting Australian UFC stars Alex Volkanovski and Tai Tuiavsa.
But still, the biggest story remains Crisler — and his task of helping Bommber cause one of the biggest upsets in Australian boxing.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia shortly after arriving, the trainer explained how the No Limit showdown was the culmination of a bizarre four days that has seen him removed from Haney’s corner before the champ controversially retained his undisputed lightweight crown against Vasiliy Lomachenko.
The popular trainer – who then almost missed tonight’s event altogether after a series of flight delays — also hit back at suggestions from Tszyu that he and Team Mayweather strength coach Curtis Henderson are “hyenas”.
As part of an intense fight week build up, Tszyu suggested the American duo were only talking Bommber up as a future world champion because he is paying them to do so.
“So I know they’ve been dogging me out,” Crisler said. “Saying ‘oh the Americans are this and that’.
“Which is fine.
“I’m not even making money on this trip.
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“I’m just happy to be here helping out because I really believe Benny can be champion.
“And I’m a man of upsets.
“So they’re going to get a taste of Benny Bommber tonight.
“People don’t know but I’ve been working with Benny constantly for some time now.
“Every night he sends me clips and I give suggestions.
“So I know Benny is ready.”
Asked about Tszyu, Crisler continued: “He’s a bully.
“He’s strong, and is going to try and force his will on us. But I’m going to show him a whole part of boxing he knows nothing about.”
Initially scheduled to fly into Melbourne on Tuesday morning, Crisler explained how a series of flight delays almost saw him miss the card altogether.
Instead of touching down a day out from the fight, he arrived after 8am this morning and was whisked straight into camp by Bommber’s manager Marin Jerak.
Crisler also revealed how, only three days ago in Las Vegas, and only moments before one of this year’s biggest fights, he was sensationally removed from the Haney corner by the fighter’s father/trainer, Bill.
While the Haneys have worked together with Crisler for years, and he was still part of celebrations afterwards, the coach was a notable absentee ringside as the champ scored his contentious decision win over Lomachenko.
Just before the crew walked out into the MGM Grand Arena, Crisler was asked to stand aside by Bill for another of his sons.
“At the last minute when we were going out, they told me ‘no, you ain’t going out there Rodney’,” Crisler explained.
“Bill wanted his son instead.
“So I thought ‘OK, I’m just going to sit down and hope that Devin can still hear me’.
“And the first thing Devin said when he came back to the corner before the fight, he said ‘where’s Rod?’. They just said I wasn’t there.
“So he was off.
With stars like Tyson Fury, Israel Adesanya, Tai Tuivasa and Alex Volkanovksi watching on ringside – watch heavyweights Joseph Parker v Faiga Opelu, the return of Nikita Tszyu plus former AFL stars Cameron Mooney and Tom Bellchambers in a pro-boxing debut. LIVE on Main Event available on Kayo & Foxtel, Wednesday 24 May 7PM AEST. ORDER NOW >
“And then straight after the fight, he said he needed to talk to me.
“Him and I sat down and he said the decision, it wasn’t his call, that he didn’t know I wasn’t in the corner until he asked for me and I wasn’t there.
“Devin told me ‘I needed you in that corner’.
“All I could say was ‘well, that was your daddy’s call, he wanted your brother in there’.
“But Devin has told me it will never happen again.
“So it’s in the past now.”
While the Haney result drew widespread criticism across the boxing landscape – with many going so far as to label it a robbery – Crisler disagrees.
“Everyone is saying ‘robbery, robbery’,” he shrugged.
“But I’ve watched it back three times already and there is no way Loma beat Devin.
“It was a close fight, a chess match, but Devin won out.
“And watching the work I did with him, it was perfect.
“The bodywork Devin did, that was all me. The hooks, that was me too.
“I was proud of Devin, and now Benny Bommber gets his turn.
“I’m excited for tonight.
“I know the other guy is strong, he’s this and that.
“And while I’m not willing to give you the game plan right now, when you watch tonight you’ll say ‘Ok, that’s what they were talking about’.
“It’s going to be special.”
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Elsewhere, No Limit CEO George Rose has joked he made need to hire “an extra security guard or three” after UFC arch rivals Adesanya and Pereira confirmed they will be attending tonight’s hyped boxing card at Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne.
Only a month after Adesanya reclaimed the UFC middleweight crown from Pereira via brutal KO, the pair are set to reunite for a card co-headlined by Joseph Parker and Nikita Tszyu.
Rose confirmed the pair – who have now fought four times, and continue to trade insults online – will be sat ringside with fellow combat stars including Fury, UFC featherweight king Volkanovski and Mt Druitt cult hero Tuivasa.
While little is known about Pereira’s presence Down Under, Adesanya is attending to cheer on fellow New Zealander Parker — who faces Faiga ‘Django’ Opelu in the main event.
“We’ve had confirmation from both Adesanya and Pereira that they’re wanting to attend which is great,” Rose said.
“But it also means I’ll have to hire an extra security guard or three.
“Obviously we know the pair aren’t mates.
“They’ve fought four times and even now, a month on from their last UFC title fight, they’re still going at each other on social media.
“But if they want to be at a No Limit fight we’ll make sure they have a great night.
Rose added that apart from having the Gypsy King walk out with Parker, Tim Tszyu would also be in the corner of younger brother Nikita.
“So I reckon it just might be the best collection of fighters Australia has ever had in the one room,” Rose said.
“To have one of our boxing events attended by both Tyson Fury and Israel Adesanya – they’re two of the biggest names in combat sports.
“Nobody knows a competitive fight better than the fighters themselves and we’re happy the guys are supporting what we do with their presence.”
We’re too close: Fury won’t fight friend | 01:06
FULL CARD (from 6pm AEST)
Joseph Parker VS Faiga ‘Django’ Opelu, 10 rounds, heavyweight
Nikita Tszyu vs Ben Bommber, 6 rounds, super welterweight
Cam Mooney vs Tom Bellchambers, 3 rounds, heavyweight
Joel Taylor vs Ben Horn, 6 rounds, 68.5kg catchweight
Jayde Mitchell vs Max Reeves, 8 rounds, 78.5kg catchweight
David Nyika vs Louis Marsters, 5 rounds, cruiserweight
Campbell Somerville vs Isaias Sette, 5 rounds, super welterweight
Luke Gersbeck vs Jack Moore, 5 rounds, 69.0kg catch weight
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