Australian boxing villain Michael Zerafa is “still f***ing confused” as to why Tim Tszyu claims Jermell Charlo ducked him in favour of a fight with superstar Canelo Alvarez.
News broke over the weekend that instead of facing his mandatory challenger Tszyu, Charlo would fight Alvarez in what will be the first fight between two undisputed champions.
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Tszyu, who was pencilled in to fight Charlo in January but is yet to face the undisputed super welterweight king due to the American’s injuries, claimed his rival was avoiding him by going up two weight divisions to fight the Mexican.
But Zerafa, who already has plenty of history with Tszyu, saw it in an entirely different light.
“As much as Tim Tszyu’s in his little bubble and he thinks he’s the man, he’s only known in Australia,” Zerafa told foxsports.com.au.
“There’s so many bigger people over there. Canelo Alvarez, why would you not take that fight? It’s the biggest fight for all the belts. It’s never been done before, two kings fighting each other for a massive pay day.
“I knew it was always going to happen.”
Zerafa added: “They got t-shirts made up, Tszyu v Charlo. It’s time for people to start f***ing realising he’s just spinning s*** and everyone believes it.
“You don’t even have a contracted fight and you’re making Tszyu versus Charlo 2023 shirts, like mate, seriously.
“Then he’s got the face and the nerve to say that he’s (Charlo) ducking Tim, but he’s fighting Canelo Alvarez. You work that out for me, because I’m still f***ing confused.
“He’s sitting there bagging me saying ‘Oh yeah, Zerafa’s taken a step aside fee.’ What did Charlo give him?
“At least I got paid. What the f*** did he get?
“He got jack s***. He got thrown to the curb and got his name pronounced wrong. He’s just in his own little f***ing bubble and everyone believes his s***.”
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Like Tszyu, Zerafa is the mandatory challenger for a world title as he awaits the winner of Danny Garcia and Erislandy Lara for the WBA middleweight strap.
The 31-year-old will also stay active before his world title bout with a tune-up fight on the undercard of Garcia v Lara on August 5.
If all goes to plan Zerafa will be a world champion by the end of the year, although the future is murkier for Tszyu.
He could be elevated from an interim to world champion should the WBO strip Charlo of his belt, or he may have to wait even longer for a crack at the American and take on yet another opponent in a risky move just to remain active.
Should both men win, it could lead to a Tszyu v Zerafa fight but with world title implications, in what the latter described as “the new (Anthony) Mundine versus (Danny) Green” in terms of magnitude.
Even if Tszyu is unsuccessful in his pursuit for a world title whenever that comes and Zerafa is atop the WBA’s middleweight throne, he’d be more than happy to offer the former a shot at boxing glory.
And it could be the fight that Zerafa, a self-professed “villain” who has accepted and embraced the label, swings the Australian boxing community in his favour.
“It’s something I’ve called all along and it’s something I will do in the future,” Zerafa said.
“Styles make fights and I truly believe I’m Tim Tszyu’s kryptonite. He’s said numerous times that I’m an easy fight and I’m a bum.
“If I’m so easy, why wouldn’t he just fight me and just shut me up? If I’m a $50,000 fighter in his eyes, then why does it matter what I’m asking for?
“It’s not coming out of his pocket. He’s just hiding behind his team, behind his promoters.”