When Los Angeles’ media meets for a luncheon in the Cicada’s Restaurant, a good time by all looms a certainty. And that was the scenario with the engaging Kostya Tszyu in the house as guest of Showtime Championship Boxing.

Showtime brass feels like they have a strong candidate for Fight of The Year on their hands when Tszyu defends his undisputed junior welterweight crown against Sharmba Mitchel in the United States Nov.6 at a venue yet to be announced.

The first time they met Feb.3, 2001, Showtime televised the action with Tszyu (30-1, 24 KOs) scoring a TKO in the seventh round over Mitchell (66-3, 30 KOs). However, there was controversy when Mitchell suffered a knee injury and could not answer the bell for round eight. Two judges had the awesome Aussie leading 69-65,and 68-64 while the third judge had it 66-66.

Though he jetted from his home in Sydney, Australia, via New York, to reach L.A., Tszyu was refreshingly at the top of his game in the media quiz.

The Thunder From Down doesn’t mind talking about his age, looking like an eager collegian hung up on boxing.
“ I’m almost 33, but remember I’m a young 33. I have only had 31 fights, I feel fresh and I know I’m hungry for bigger things. I am very anxious to get back in the ring since I have not fought since January 2003, but it makes no sense to fight a tuneup. That would accomplish nothing and it would be a waste of time. Sharmba has done a lot of talking and it’s time to shut him up. Let’s finish business.”

Tszyu is on the round back from that shoulder injury that kept him sidelined nearly 18 months. “My shoulder is fine. I have been testing it and doing heavy work with it for two months. You know me, all I do is train, train, train. Nobody works harder than me.”

Tszyu admits I have people out there always asking when he is going to retire.

“They want to know why I continue to fight after
accomplishing so much. Yeah, I still have some unfinished business in this sport. If I stopped now, I would be quitting and I have never quit anything in my life,” said the proud father of three sons. I work with a lot of young kids at my gym in Australia and the one thing I stress to them ---besides hard work---is to never quit. What kind of example would I be if I quit boxing now?”

Kostya is grateful in declaring “every thing I have in my life is due to boxing. So I will stay in boxing my entire life. I want to give back to a sport that has given me and my family so much. Anyway, I am looking forward to fighting again in the United States for Showtime.”

(Jack Welsh is a syndicated columnist headquartered in Las Vegas and also is a regular contributor to Ringsports.Com and a regular contributor to other national sports publications and websites.)