Unbeaten Australian boxer Tim Tszyu is ready to take on Japanese challenger Takeshi Inoue next Wednesday in Sydney.
The super-welterweight is undoubtedly the star of Australian boxing, and he’ll be looking to add to his 19-0 record against Inoue who has lost just once in his career.
With Inoue perhaps being Tszyu’s most fancied opponent yet, the Australian explained what his rival's best trait is.
“His awkwardness, he’s quite awkward and he brings a pressure that I haven’t seen before,” Tszyu said on SEN 1170 Afternoons.
“It’ll be interesting to see how I adapt, but I’ll get the job done, no problem.”
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Inoue said he was confident of knocking out Tszyu, saying he doesn’t have a strong guard that he can get through.
In response to those comments, Tszyu told SEN host Jimmy Smith that he’ll let his fists do the talking.
“Talk is talk, talk is cheap, when we get into the ring, I’ll let the fists do the talking,” Tszyu said.
“It’s quite simple, whatever he thinks now, it’s all going to disappear once we step in the ring.”
With Inoue’s best trait being his “awkwardness”, Tszyu revealed what he thinks his own key to victory is.
“I think my IQ and how I adapt to everyone in the ring, whoever they put in front of me,” he explained.
“I sort of figure out a way to beat them.”
With Inoue firing shots at Tszyu ahead of the fight, the Australian refused to get into a war of words, saying he’s not going to be someone he isn’t just to generate increased intersest.
“Look, I’m not a sh-- talker, I don’t need to talk smack about people,” Tszyu said.
“I enjoy the fighting, I understand what’s involved, the media commitments and all of that stuff.
“But I’m not going to be someone I’m not, I’ve said that since the beginning that I’m going to be true to myself and whether people like it or they don’t, that’s their problem.”
Tszyu takes on Inoue at approximately 10pm next Wednesday at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena.
Listen to the full chat here.