'He is all over the place': Joey Spencer hits back at Tim Tszyu's 'touching his beard' call with pointed Kostya jibe
Joey Spencer threw a cheeky Kostya barb at Tim Tszyu as the pair both made weight ahead of their fight in Newcastle on Sunday.
Following the stare-down during the ceremonials, Tszyu suggested Spencer looked nervous when he pointed out the American "keeps touching his beard ... I dunno".
When asked about the claim, Spencer shot back that it was Tszyu who was the nervous one, and slipped in a jibe about Tszyu's legendary father.
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"If that's the case, he has been fidgety all build-up. I could put a clip together of all the fidgeting he's been doing," he said.
"Every time they ask him about his chin getting checked, every time they ask about his father's legacy, ask about his legacy, he is all over the place.
Tim Tszyu and Joey Spencer face off during their weigh-in. Getty
"I've noticed that happening. So if he thinks (the beard-touching) means something, it must, because he's doing it all the time."
Both men made weight at the old Newcastle train station - Tszyu 69.86kg and Spencer 69.74 - before facing off with the usual verbal spars.
Spencer accused Tszyu of looking "tired" at the weigh-in, but the Aussie said he would have put on as much as 10kg by the time the pair stepped into the ring on Sunday.
Against Bakhram Murtazaliev in Orlando last October, Tszyu was knocked out in just the third round, and he suggested on Saturday the restrictive weight rules in place in IBF title fights was a factor.
Tim Tszyu on the scales. Getty
IBF title fights require fighters to make weight in two official weigh-ins, the second on the morning of the bout. Fighters cannot put more than 4.54kg (10lbs) on between the two weigh-ins.
Speaking several hours after the weigh-in, Tszyu said the absence of such rules meant he was already feeling better than he did when he got into the ring in Orlando.
"I didn't have to lose anything extra, thank god," he said.
"It ain't easy getting down to this weight on my side, and probably ain't easy on his side.
"But I'm already, right now standing here, heavier than what I was in Orlando."
Spencer on the scales. Getty
Tszyu said he had already started eating and drinking, and had put on up to 5kg in the hours following the weigh-in.
"I'm allowed to drink, I'm allowed to eat. I'm not supposed to only have 200g of rice, 100g of chicken," he said.
"It's fuelling myself up for tomorrow. It's a good feeling. I've got to be honest with you.
"A lot of times the weight cut is a battle, and then (with IBF fights) there's the next battle with another weigh-in.
"I don't know why they do it, but I'm glad it's not on for this one."
In response, Spencer said he "guaranteed" he would weigh more than Tszyu come fight time, and the Aussie clearly needed to put on more weight.
"I don't think I looked as tired as him this morning at the official weigh-ins," Spencer said.
"He looked like he had a hard time. But who knows? That's his business.
"I'm filled out. I feel strong."
Tszyu and Spencer will fight for the WBO inter-continental super-welterweight title at Newcastle Entertainment Centre on Sunday afternoon.
