Nikita Tszyu Shares Honest Assessment of Ben Mahoney Fight
The Australian boxer initially accepted the result after a closely contested 12-round bout with Ben Mahoney, but a closer look at the bout offered him a different perspective.
Nikita Tszyu initially believed Ben Mahoney had done enough to beat him when their IBF super-welterweight title eliminator ended in a draw last month.
The judges saw it differently, though not unanimously. One scorecard went to Tszyu, another favored Mahoney, while the third had the bout level, resulting in a split draw. Tszyu has since watched the contest back, and his view of what happened over those 12 rounds has changed.
Nikita Tszyu Changes his View
The 29-year-old admitted he did not have much confidence in his initial assessment.
“I’m not a very good judge,” Tszyu told to the Australian Associated Press
After reviewing the fight again, Tszyu said he had himself ahead by a comfortable margin. He scored it 7-3 and suggested 8-4 was also a fair reflection of how he saw the action.
“I thought I won the majority of the middle rounds. I gave him the first two rounds and the last two rounds, but everything else in between.”
Tszyu also stood by what he said immediately after the bout, even though his opinion has since shifted.
“I don’t regret it, because it was what I felt at the time.”
The official result remains a draw, leaving Tszyu with an unbeaten record but without the definitive victory he wanted from the IBF super-welterweight title eliminator.
Nikita Tszyu sets His Sights on the United States
Tszyu now has his attention on taking his career outside Australia. No Limit Boxing is working to secure him a place on the December 12 card in Phoenix, headlined by David Benavidez and Michal Cieslak. It would be Tszyu’s first professional appearance in the United States.
Tszyu knows the move will require a different level of preparation. He admitted he was still doing landscaping and woodworking close to the Mahoney bout and said he needs to approach boxing more seriously.
“I’ve got to be a professional athlete.”
For now, the Phoenix opportunity is still being worked on. If it doesn't come together, No Limit Boxing expects Tszyu to fight at least once more in Australia before the end of 2026.
