A "growing" Tim Tszyu says he's 100 per cent ready if he gets the chance to fight Patrick Teixeira for a WBO boxing title in 2020, a year in which his dreams of bouts in two big nations might become a reality.
World-rated super welterweight Tszyu completed an extremely successful 2019 campaign on Friday night with his fourth-round stoppage of Jack Brubaker in Sydney.
He was in line to fight Carlos Adames for the WBO belt had the Dominican boxer won his interim title bout last weekend, but he was upset by Brazilian Teixeira.
Tszyu might still get to fight Teixeira and, asked if he was ready for that, he said "100 per cent".
"That's what will get me back training real quick if I hear something like that."
His dominant performance against Brubaker brought up his fourth win from as many fights in 2019, improving his record to 15-0 with 11 KOs.
"I'm just growing as a fighter, I believe - my maturity and patience and my boxing IQ," Tszyu said.
The 25-year-old fighter is also keen to show his wares overseas.
"I'd love to fight in Russia - that's been my dream - and America," Tszyu said.
His manger Glen Jennings was confident Tszyu would fight in both countries next year and also have big bouts in Australia.
He said Friday's fight represented the end of his charge's "rookie era.".
"I want to be a world champion, I want to represent Australia and Russia on a global scale," Tszyu said.
He will allow himself a brief break in Hawaii after going through "10 weeks of hell'' preparing for the Brubaker bout.
While overseas, Tszyu might not be able to watch the rematch between Michael Zerafa and Jeff Horn, two mooted opponents, but said he had cleared out the rest of his domestic competition.
"I would love to fight the winner of that fight but, then again, I want the world title; I want the international belts," Tszyu said.
Having watched his Russian-born father Kostya's journey to becoming the undisputed junior welterweight world champion after relocating to Australia, Tszyu is more aware than most of the sacrifices needed to succeed.
"This sport is brutal, it's a sport that you have to respect and it's not for everyone," he said.
"I was lucky that I was brought up in a life where I understood that from birth."
Australian Associated Press
