Tim Tszyu went fishing within 90 minutes of his incredible KO win over Mexican Carlos Ocampo and by August will effectively go into lockdown for a $300,000 US camp to prepare for American megastar Jermell Charlo.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia on Monday, Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings revealed his undefeated star will spent eight weeks in Las Vegas before fighting Charlo for all four of his super welterweight titles – which is being discussed for around the middle of October.
While the WBO has put a September 30 deadline on the showdown between the pair, it’s understood there is room to go a month later if the two camps agree.
Already, Team Tszyu are sourcing sparring partners and gyms that they can lockdown to prevent spying from Charlo’s crew.
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“We have to be really careful about where we train, who can attend and how much information gets out,” Jennings said.
“We won’t be disclosing much.
“This is the highest stakes and it’s a sad reality about boxing at the highest level that you have to take these precautions.
“But any advantage the other mob can get they would be taking.
“So we’ll be very cautious and the gym partners, and sparring partners, we’re already speaking with over there understand that.
“Those that have a role will be in the gym and anyone who doesn’t won’t be welcome.”
Jennings said he had learned from working with Kostya Tszyu at the height of his career that rival camps will go to all sorts of lengths to get information on rivals.
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“So if we don’t know you, you can’t be there,” he said.
“It’s a far bigger deal now too than even with Kostya because there were no iPhones back then, no social media … but now you can dump information from one camp to another in the space of seconds.
“We’ll give Tim as much protection as he needs to win those four belts.
“We can’t afford to lose this fight because of some small thing we’ve been lazy on, that’s not good enough.”
Asked for a cost, Jennings said there would be an outlay of anywhere between $200K and $300K across the eight weeks in the world’s fight capital.
“So it’s serious dollars,” he said.
“We don’t cut corners. We do things properly.
“Obviously nothing is cheap in America, and we’ve got coach, chef, our team, and all the remedial people who we have work on Tim who are located over there in the US.
“And then the sparring partners at this level, they’re on good coin as they should be.
“But even there, I don’t want to discuss exactly who we’ll be using otherwise there are opportunities for people to … well, let’s just say do the wrong thing.
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“But the sparring partners will be very high level, and multiple sparring partners to keep Tim guessing and on his toes.
“We’re already discussing potential guys and there’s plenty of interest.”
Incredibly, Tszyu went fishing within 90 minutes of his stunning KO win of Ocampo with a small crew of friends including younger brother Nikita.
From there, the group then travelled to The Star for an after party organised by promoters No Limit, where Tszyu mingled with fans, family and friends.
Early the next morning, the fighter was spotted demolishing a brekkie burger at The Elk Café on Broadbeach with his grandfather Boris.
Asked about the fishing, Jennings said: “The place we rented at Broadbeach Waters had a jetty out back and quite often throughout the week we put a line in.
“We kept three fishing rods down there and caught a few fish too.
“So after the fight, it was still daylight so Tim went back to the house for a quick shower then a few off them went down to the jetty for a sit in the sun and to throw the line out.
“Tim doesn’t mind a fish.
“It’s a nice distraction from all the noise.
“He was fairly relaxed afterwards and it was great for him to just sitting in the sunshine with his friends reflecting.”
Asked about his 77 second KO, and what it represented, Jennings continued: “Tim’s an evolving machine and what you’re starting to see is that he’s getting bigger, stronger, more mature … he’s no longer a boy now, it’s Tim Tszyu the man.
“And with that comes a degree of confidence, which is in turn a key to the power we saw.
“You could see from that first right hand he threw, it changed everything for Ocampo.
“He knew immediately that Tim is a monster now.
Tszyu makes light work of Ocampo | 02:21
“And he still hasn’t hit his peak which is exciting.
“And moving forward I think you’re going to see him cause a lot more of that damage and earn a lot more quick finishes.
“And then with this next Charlo fight, (a win) puts him at the absolute top of the tree.
“Tim would be considered on par with his father and maybe even pass him.
“And I don’t say that lightly.
“But in Australian terms, it would likely be the greatest achievement we’ve had in boxing since Kostya. And worldwide, there really is nothing more (to achieve) … when you’re undisputed there is nothing more above you, it’s all about keeping your titles then.”