EXCLUSIVE: Aussie boxing icon urges Tim Tszyu to dump trainer in bid to revive world title hopes
Jeff Fenech has urged Tim Tszyu to find a new trainer while rejecting his father Kostya's call to undergo a rigorous camp in Russia to restore his career after two consecutive losses.
Amid calls from rival Michael Zerafa to stage a blockbuster on home soil and Eddie Hearn's candid appraisal about where Tszyu stands on the international stage, the Sydney fighter is facing the roughest period of his career.
Just over a year ago, Tszyu was the one of the rising stars of world boxing, with talks of big money fights against Jermell Charlo and other top level fighters filling the headlines.
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But another humbling defeat in 2025 could bring the curtain down on his career, bringing his next assignment into sharp focus after his defeat to Bakhram Murtazaliev.
Bakhram Murtazaliev walks to the corner after knocking down Tim Tszyu. Alex Menendez via Getty Images
Fenech has no opinion on who Tszyu should get in the ring with next but is clear about the 29-year-old fighter's narrow path back to glory, with his trainer and cut man in the firing line.
Tszyu is trained by his uncle Igor Goloubev, with his usual cut man Mark Gambin. Both came under heavy criticism after Tszyu's loss to Sebastian Fundora, when the Aussie fought on with a blinding cut and lost his title.
Goloubev was a training partner of Kostya's during his career but Fenech believes his lack of experience in the ring let Tim down.
Fenech told Wide World of Sports if Goloubev had stopped the fight against Fundora because of the cut, there's every chance Tszyu would still be world champion.
"I honestly think he should go overseas and train there," he said. "Tim can still beat anybody in the world but I hope he finally realised that he needs help.
"When you're out there and something happens out there, you need somebody to tell you what to do
"He's got to be told by somebody he knows. Those guys in his f---ing corner have never had a fight in their life.
"They helped Kostya Tszyu? If my grandmother trained Kostya he would have been a world champion. He was a freak.
Bakhram Murtazaliev celebrating after defeating Tim Tszyu by TKO. Main Event Boxing
"If my grandmother had trained Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson or even me - all would be world champions. You've got to be real.
"In the first fight (Fundora) if he had a trainer who knew anything about boxing he would have stopped it.
"After the fourth round it goes to the scorecards and he'd still probably be world champion now."
A Fox Sports report stated that Kostya had called on Tim and Nikita to attend a gruelling training camp in Russia ahead of their next fights, in order to toughen them up.
But Fenech thinks such a move could be counter-productive.
"Tim will come back if he does the right thing. I don't think Tim needs to go to Russia to be put through torture," Fenech said.
"He just needs to be spoken to and learn. Going through torture doesn't make you a better fighter.
"Gaining knowledge and being with the right people is the thing. I've got a lot of time for Tim and his brother.
Tim Tszyu's corner tends to his cut at the end of the sixth round against Fundora. Main Event
"If Tim didn't feel discomfort in his last two fights I don't know what discomfort is."
On top of the uncertainty surrounding his future, Tszyu has come under criticism from sections of the boxing world, who now doubt he's an elite level fighter.
That's the view of Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn, who declared the Aussie was not at the top level and should look to a local fight next.
"Irrespective of what Eddie Hearn says, Tim going to Russia isn't going to make him a better fighter. If his dad stays and helps, maybe," Fenech added.
"The kid has all the ability in the world, he just needs someone to say 'this is how you've got to do it'. He's got to be told by somebody he knows.
"The thing that I love about Tim Tszyu is that he takes his time, he dissects his opponent, he cuts them down. That's how he does things. That's him himself, that's not that trainers telling him what to do."
Had the fight been stopped Fenech believes Tszyu would have been better off. Steve Marcus via Getty Images
Fenech understands Tszyu is a loyal person and has been with his training team from the beginning, but said sometimes change is needed.
Many of the top fighters over the history of the sport have changed their trainers during their careers as they searched for an edge.
Fenech says mistakes made by Tszyu's corner have cost the star fighter.
"Loyalty is an amazing thing to have but when it's your life in there you've got to think," Fenech continued. "If they stopped that fight in the fourth round he would have likely retained the world title.
"Even if it was a draw he would have stayed champion. If you don't have to do it why get somebody to do it?
"How much money would he have got for that unification instead of fighting as a challenger? He would have quadrupled his earnings.
"I love loyalty but I also love someone that's going to say 'we can't keep going like this to get to the next level, you've got to go do something else'.
"Those guys wouldn't know the difference between a stiff jab and a stiff you know what.
"When you've been punched in the face you know what happens out there. The young kid needs to know the truth."
