'Boxing needs me': Michael Zerafa unveils new trainer in bold plan to bring down the Tszyu brothers

Michael Zerafa has revealed a bold new plan to take down Tim Tszyu - and it includes a surprise partnership with trainer Glenn Rushton.

In one of the more left-field moves in recent Australian boxing, the former world title contender announced that he had brought Rushton into his camp for his August 28 bout against Tommy Browne.

The pair had a bitter rivalry a number of years ago when Rushton was in Jeff Horn's corner, but it appears that has all been left in the past.

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Now working together, Zerafa and Rushton are hoping to take on Nikita Tszyu, before turning their attention to a long-awaited bout with former world champ Tim.

"We're probably the last two people you'd expect would pair up together," Rushton said at a press conference on Thursday.

"I'm happy to help out because Michael has always been talented. He just hasn't always had his head in the right spot. Michael's made a few bad decisions, battled some mental demons, but he definitely has the ability to be a world champion.

"He trains the house down, so all he needs is the belief and commitment and opportunity. He's got that opportunity now and on his day, he can beat anyone.

"If he can put an electrifying performance together against Browne, the next logical step is Nikita. He is prepared to take on both Nikita and then after that, take on Tim."

Zerafa and the older Tszyu brother have traded barbs for over half a decade, but the pair have never stepped inside the ring together.

The 32-year-old last fought against Erislandy Lara earlier this year, suffering a second-round TKO defeat in a middleweight world title fight.

Zerafa believes that Tszyu - who is still uncertain about his next opponent after Erickson Lubin withdrew from a scheduled September bout - is using his less experienced brother to "shield" himself from an all-Aussie showdown.

"Everyone keeps believing that these guys are pulling out - people need to seriously wake up, he is fooling everybody," Zerafa said.

"These guys have fought absolute killers and Tim Tszyu is not a killer. We need to remind ourselves that he's just lost to a prospect.

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"He's always got something to say when I'm not in front of him, he's always talking smack in front of a camera, but he can't find his balls when I'm standing in front of him. He did that in Vegas, he came up to me with his head down and shook my hand.

"If he wants to talk shit, good on him and so can I. They've shielded him sadly with his brother to delay the fight and when Lubin pulled out I said to put me in there and I'll fight him. Sadly, this is the plan that they've given - I don't pick and choose. 

"Boxing needs me - without me, there is no controversy and there's no one to hate on and no villain. [Anthony] Mundine passed that torch to me and I'm rolling with it."