The trainer who guided Kostya Tszyu through the peak of his Hall of Fame career believes his youngest son is showing familiar traits. Johnny Lewis says he detects the same “killer” instinct in Nikita Tszyu as the 27-year-old prepares for the biggest fight of his career against Michael Zerafa.
Tszyu faces Zerafa on Friday night at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in an all-Australian bout contested at a 157lbs catchweight. With only 11 professional fights, Nikita is still early in his development and remains some distance from the achievements of his older brother Tim Tszyu, but Lewis believes victory over Zerafa would underline his long-term potential.
Lewis, who oversaw Kostya’s rise to become one of Australia’s greatest fighters, praised Nikita’s natural attributes while highlighting areas that still need refinement. He pointed to Tszyu’s punching power, fitness, and aggressive mindset, describing him as possessing a genuine “killer,” while also noting that defensive lapses must be addressed as he progresses up the ladder.
The veteran trainer was more cautious in his assessment of Zerafa, acknowledging the 33-year-old’s experience but questioning his consistency. Lewis suggested Zerafa’s confidence can swing dramatically from fight to fight, sometimes becoming a weakness when momentum shifts against him.
Despite those caveats, Lewis expects an intense and memorable contest. He believes Zerafa is capable of competing but doubts whether he can sustain that level across the full fight, adding that Tszyu could take control in the later rounds and potentially force a stoppage in what he described as a strong early contender for fight of the year.
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