Tony Harrison reckons, in Detroit, a man gets his shirt off at the park for only two reasons.
“Business or b****es,” he cackled Friday morning in the Sydney sunshine, all black cap, gold chain and tattoos popping from all over his bare torso.
Which is some line, sure.
But not all of it.
Watch undefeated Aussie superstar Tim Tszyu return to the ring for his biggest fight yet versus USA’s former world champion Tony Harrison for an Interim WBO Super Welterweight title LIVE Sunday March 12. ORDER ON MAIN EVENT ON KAYO SPORTS >
Or more specifically, misses that third reason why this walking, talking American headline — not to mention the only man to ever beat Jermell Charlo — went shirtless for the biggest media preview to Sunday’s WBO world title showdown with Tim Tszyu.
A reason he never really spoke about on stage, either.
No, when Harrison arrived, sans shirt, at a press conference promoting his Tszyu blockbuster — and a fight shaping to be Australia’s biggest in almost 20 years — he talked only, and loudly, about the first two reasons, which involve pick-up basketball and picking up a date.
“When they see me on that sideline with my shirt off,” he said of his park hoops days, “they knew I had next. That I meant f … ing business”.
And if it wasn’t sport?
“B****es,” he grinned.
‘Business or bi*****’ | 00:32
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And just in case anyone missed it, Harrison soon doubled down again.
“Business or b****es,” he cackled. “And this one? I think Tim knows why my shirt is off.”
Yet roughly an hour later, when off stage, and deep in a media scrum, the former world champ offered up a third reason for fronting said presser in such stark contrast to his suited Australian rival.
And just like so much of this past fortnight, it was to goad Tszyu.
Or as Harrison prefers, Ta-Zoo.
Same as the American has continually referred to Australia’s No. 1 fighter as Timothy, belittled his record, even likened Tszyu’s fight style to that of Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robots.
But the whole shirt off routine?
Harrison said that had everything to do with Tszyu’s bold claim a week ago – during their initial face off at the Creed III premiere – that he would not only beat Harrison, but break his bones.
Which is why, the American now explained, he arrived with that torso exposed.
“You think I’m frail? Can break every bone in my body?” fired the man dubbed Super Bad.
“OK, which one?
“Pick it.
Harrison laughs off Tszyu’s KO threat | 02:15
“Visualise it champ.
“Because that’s where it started, in your head. And it ends there, too.”
Asked specifically by Fox Sports Australia if he considered Tszyu a powerful enough puncher to break bones, Harrison shot back: “Whose bones has he broke already?”
Um, that’s what we’re hoping you might answer.
“So then my question to you,” Harrison continued, “is whose bones has Tim broken already?
“In 21 fights, how many bones has he broke?
“C’mon, man, who …”
At which point, a journalist interrupted to name Dennis Hogan, whose tongue Tszyu punched so hard, it split in half.
“Who?” Harrison fired back.
Dennis Hogan.
“Who?” he now shouted, incredulous.
“See what I’m saying? The props that Tim’s got, the other guys that he’s breaking and we’re parading them in Australia … c’mon man, stop it.”
While Tszyu may not have a big history breaking bones, the undefeated super welterweight is definitely a chance of breaking records Sunday – with initial Pay-Per-View buys suggesting his bout is tracking to be the most watched since Anthony Mundine versus Danny Green in 2006.
Elsewhere, reports also surfaced Friday suggesting the division’s undisputed king, Jermell Charlo, will be ringside for the bout as a guest of Showtime.
While the news of Charlo jetting into Sydney surprised promoters No Limit, Tszyu suggested the man he was supposed to fight back in January – and still has next, with a win – would likely be making some changes come Monday morning, regardless of whether he watched live or via TV.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he decides to move up after this,” Tszyu grinned. “Headlines on Monday, Charlo vacates and moves up”.
Which brings us full circle to Harrison’s ribs — if the fighter dubbed Soul Taker can break ‘em?
According to Team Harrison, Tszyu has his work cut out, with the Detroit native’s head coach and brother, LJ, revealing it has never happened in his 32 years on earth – either inside or out of the ring.
So as for the Aussie being first?
“When I think of Tim Tszyu, I don’t think power puncher,” said the coach who, it must be noted, has spent two weeks doing little but praise the virtues, and dangers, of his brother’s rival.
“But even in his last fight against Terrell Gausha, when he got to land, Tim couldn’t go and make the dunk.”
Asked if his brother had ever broken a bone in the ring, LJ thought for a moment before replying: “Never.
“I can’t even remember him breaking a bone as a kid. The only person who even got it over him was me … (laughs) and that’s when I was outweighing him by 50 or 60 pounds”.
Tszyu makes elaborate & bizarre entrance | 01:46
After initially arriving on stage, and then waiting on Tszyu who was chauffeured in via an oversized red pick up truck, Harrison accused his rival of behaving like a ‘diva’
“He got out of that car like a diva,” the American cackled.
“You had somebody open the door for you. He’s just different man. I’m not knocking him, I’m just opposite.”
Quizzed later himself about the Harrison sledging, Tszyu shrugged: “Part of the game.
“We’ve dealt with so many different personalities. Some are boring, some are flamboyant, some are fun, some are comedians … there’s everyone.
“You just have to know how to deal with it.
“And I’ve let him go on.
“He says a lot of things. Some make sense, some don’t.”
And as for both his rival and Charlo mispronouncing Tszyu, as if they have little idea who he is?
“They know,” he said simply. “They all know, man.”