Ironically, Tim Tszyu could have informed the ring ref in Las Vegas that he couldn’t see, leading to the bout not happening and potentially saving him from further punishment and a potential loss that negatively affected his career.
“I just don’t understand the cowardly act… him. [Zerafa] he said ‘I can’t see, I can’t see’ like three times [to the ringside doctor] and I feel like that type of response shouldn’t come from a boxer. I just don’t,” said Tim Tszyu.
Michael Zerafa (left) and Nikita Tszyu clash in Brisbane.Credit: Getty Images
Zerafa apologized to the crowd and said he was ready for a rematch, but Nikita Tszyu was not impressed by his actions.
“He got the pin in the fight. I’m honestly at a loss for words,” Nikita Tszyu told Kayo Sports.
“It’s annoying that he saw an escape hatch and just took the first way out.
“Like, yeah, it’s a cut, yeah, it’s for the eye, but didn’t he really want this fight? He’s been calling for it for so long. He took the first exit. Once the headbutt happened, I could see him panic a little bit.
Michael Zerafa told a doctor that he could not see out of his left eye, but later retracted that statement.Credit: Getty Images
“He wasn’t happy about it, but it’s boxing, you get cuts. Look at my brother.” [Tim]he had a bloody syringe [against Fundora].”
In a post on social media, Zerafa expressed his disappointment at how the match ended and doubled down on his claim that he was not asked if he could continue despite referee Condon explaining to him that it would be declared a no contest.
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“It’s hard to accept that I never asked if I could continue, nor was I given the opportunity to try,” Zerafa wrote. “When you prepare for months, put your body on the line and make the sacrifices required at this level, to have this decision completely out of your hands is incredibly frustrating.”
After being asked at the post-fight press conference if there was the potential to withhold Zeraf’s payment for his actions, promoter George Rose of No Limit Boxing said they intended to honor the contract.
“We’re always going to honor our contractual obligations, we’re going to do the right thing no matter what, we’re going to do what the contract says,” Rose said.
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