Nikita Tszyu Unbeaten: Danny Green's Verdict After IBF Eliminator
Danny Green has gone back to the tape. And in his eyes, Nikita Tszyu is still unbeaten – and ready for America.
A week on from the wild, confusing IBF eliminator on the Gold Coast, the Australian boxing great has rescored Tszyu’s split draw with Ben Mahoney and come up with a clear verdict: The Butcher edged it.
Not by much. But enough.
After watching all 12 rounds again at home in Western Australia – this time with the commentary stripped away – Green scored it 116-114 for Tszyu, two rounds to the good.
“It was a tight fight,” the retired world champion said. “But after rewatching all 12 rounds without commentary, I’ve again scored it in Nikita Tszyu’s favour. And by two rounds.”
On the night, the judges couldn’t agree on anything.
Phillip Holliday had it wide for Tszyu, 117-111.
Sabrina Kerr went the other way, 115-113 for Mahoney.
Carl Zappia sat on the fence at 114-114.
Then, in the middle of the chaos, Tszyu himself grabbed the mic and told Ben Damon he thought he’d lost.
By the press conference, the Sydneysider had already started walking that back, admitting frustration at not stopping Mahoney had coloured his reaction. The numbers, on second viewing, back that up.
Green gave Mahoney the first two rounds, then only found two more for the gutsy Gold Coast boxer – rounds six and twelve. Tszyu banked four, five, seven, eight, ten and eleven. Rounds three and nine? Too close to split.
The difference, in Green’s eyes, came from the kind of punches judges are supposed to notice.
“Mahoney was throwing a lot of punches, and his jab certainly kept him in the game,” Green said. “But it was Nikita landing the harder, heavier shots.
“At times too, there was a bit of shoe shining from Mahoney – bap, bap, bap, arm punching. I don’t give a lot of value there.
“But I just saw Nikita landing the heavier, harder and more telling blows. And Tszyu definitely came on stronger through rounds seven, eight, nine, ten and eleven.”
The pressure told in that middle stretch.
Once Tszyu found his groove in rounds four and five, Green felt the fight swung.
“And overall, I think it was his thudding left hands that proved the difference,” he said. “Nikita also went to the body a lot. And you’ve gotta score those shots …”
It matches Green’s immediate ringside impression. On Main Event straight after the bout, he had already leaned Tszyu’s way, largely on the strength of that left hand.
“I just felt that Nikita landed that left hand so often … it’s difficult to score,” Green said on the broadcast. “I had Nikita Tszyu winning the fight. Full respect to Ben Mahoney, who I said wouldn’t go past eight rounds. He proved me wrong. It was a magic fight. It’s not pleasant when it ends controversially. I’ll have to watch it again to then score it properly.”
He’s watched it now. He’s scored it. And he’s happy for Tszyu to move on rather than get dragged into an immediate rematch, even if plenty of fans would love a sequel.
In fact, Green thinks the timing is right for something far bigger: an American debut before Christmas, likely on the undercard of US star David Benavidez.
“I don’t see why not,” Green said. “As long as Nikita keeps improving, keeps testing himself and growing, there is no downside to that.”
There is, however, a ceiling. At least for now.
For all the noise around the IBF eliminator and the talk of world titles, Green is adamant Tszyu is not yet ready for the elite at super welterweight – names like IBF champion Josh Kelly, Sebastian Fundora and Jaron “Boots” Ennis.
“Overall though, Nikita still needs more experience before he steps up to that world title level,” Green said. “And I know Nikita will be humble enough to recognize that.
“It’s absolutely measured and intelligent of a young fighter to say, ‘no, I need more time before taking on these top dogs … because I’m not quite there yet’.”
This was only fight number 14 for Tszyu, Green reminded. One of those – the Michael Zerafa fiasco – barely counts as a contest.
Green also saw technical gaps. One in particular bothered him.
“I would’ve liked to see Nikita throw his right hook more,” he said. “He’s got a beautiful right hook but just didn’t let it go as much as he could have. And Mahoney had his hands high, so wasn’t really allowing it.”
So the verdict is layered: Tszyu won, Tszyu grows, Tszyu goes to America – but Tszyu waits for the very top.
If the younger brother is still climbing, the older one, Tim Tszyu, now stares at a different kind of choice.
Fresh off his gutsy win over American Errol Spence Jnr, Green wants to see Tim chase history and become a two-division world champion. From a hitlist that includes Jermell Charlo and WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara, Green’s pick is clear.
“I think Erislandy Lara could be the perfect opponent for Tim,” he said. “Obviously, given Lara’s age, he is well and truly on the back nine.
“And I also think Tim [has the style] to beat him. So there’s a lot to like there. I mean, if Tim Tszyu had stepped on the gas against Spence, I really believe he could have put him away.”
Charlo, by contrast, doesn’t excite him.
“Because what does Jermell Charlo do for you? What does he bring?” Green asked.
For him, the path is obvious: leverage the Spence win, go hunting another belt, and do it against a fading but still dangerous Lara.
“And I think Tim should definitely be confident after that win over Spence,” Green added. “Maybe he could’ve stepped on the gas and finished. But a win is a win, and it was a great victory.”
So the Tszyu brothers sit at different points of the same road.
Nikita, still raw, still learning, but in Green’s book still unbeaten and ready to test himself in the US cauldron. Tim, already proven, being urged to roll the dice at middleweight and chase Lara, not Charlo.
The judges on the Gold Coast couldn’t agree on much. Danny Green has no such hesitation.
