Kostya Tszyu

Kostya Tszyu - Sportspersons, Timeline and Childhood

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Kostya Tszyu's Personal Details

Kostya Tszyu is a Russian-Australian professional boxer

InformationDetail
BirthdaySeptember 19, 1969
NationalityRussian
FamousSportspersons, Boxers
SpousesNatasha Anikina (m. 1993–2013)
Known asKonstantin Borisovich Tszyu
ChildrensTim Tszyu
Birth PlaceSerov, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height170
GenderMale
FatherBoris T. Tszyu
MotherValentina Tszyu
Sun SignVirgo
Born inSerov, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Famous asBoxer

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Kostya Tszyu's photo

Who is Kostya Tszyu?

Konstantin Borisovich ‘Kostya’ Tszyu is a Russian-Australian professional boxer who is a two-time world light-welterweight Championship. As a professional boxer, he competed from 1992 to 2005. Regarded as one of the hardest-hitting light-welterweights, he relied heavily on accuracy and timing, and had daunting punching power. He won a bronze medal in the lightweight division at the 1989 World Championships and a gold in the light-welterweight division at the 1991 World Championships. He also won gold medals at the 1989 and 1991 European Championships. His biography ‘Kostya: My Story’, released in 2005, narrates his story of a child who turned to boxing to protect himself in the harsh environment of Siberia, and went on to become a world champion. Kostya, who has not yet retired from boxing officially, fought his last match in 2005, which he lost. In his career, he has won 31 out of 34 fights—25 of them with a knockout. He is the first champion to unify all the belts the light welterweight division in over 30 years. Ranked as the number one junior welterweight of the decade (2000s) by Ring Magazine, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in December 2010.

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Childhood & Early Life

Kostya Tszyu was born on September 19, 1969, in Serov, an industrial town in the former Soviet Union, to a Korean/Mongol father, who was a fitter in a metal factory, and a Russian mother, who was a nurse.

His father put a hyperactive Kostya in a boxing gym so that he could channelize his energy and also protect himself by fighting older boys. The Soviet amateur team coaches were impressed with the boy and sent him to the Soviet Union's amateur boxing travelling training camps.

While getting trained and fighting in tournaments simultaneously, he visited more than 30 countries and won various tournaments, like the Amateur Boxing World Championships. In 1987, at the Cuban world championship tournament, he was placed second and at the 1988 Summer Olympics, he reached till the third round.

He joined the Soviet military for some time, but did not go to war because he was selected as an elite athlete. In 1989, he participated in the world championships in Moscow and took the third place.

In 1991, he participated in the amateur world championships in Sydney. Impressed by the sights of Sydney, he decided to live in Australia. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, he immigrated to Australia, became an Australian citizen, and settled in Rockdale, Sydney.

Career

Kostya Tszyu turned professional in March 1992 at Melbourne and defeated Darrell Hiles by a knockout. In his fourth professional bout, he beat former WBC Featherweight Champion Juan Laporte, and in his sixth bout, he beat Sammy Fuentes by a knockout.

He again beat Fuentes in 1993. In the same year, he defeated Livingstone Bramble, a former World Lightweight Champion, at Newcastle, New South Wales.

In 1994, he beat Héctor López by a decision in ten, and Angel Hernandez by a knockout in seven. After the win against Pedro Chinito Sanchez by by a knockout in four, Kostya was ranked number one in the light welterweight division.

In 1995, he knocked Welterweight Champion Jake Rodríguez in the sixth round, and became the world champion. He defended the title by defeating former Super Featherweight and Light Welterweight World Champion Roger Mayweather, Hugo Pineda, Cory Johnson, and Jan Bergman.

In 1997, he lost for the first time, to Vince Phillips, and his world championship also went with it. After he defeated former world champions Calvin Grove and Rafael Ruelas, he beat Diosbelys Hurtado by a knockout in five.

He became the world champion once again in 1999 by beating former world champion Miguel Ángel González in ten, and twice retained it in 2000, by beating Ahmed Santos in eight, and Julio César Chávez, the former world champion, in six.

In 2001, Tszyu faced WBA Champion Sharmba Mitchell, taking the belt by a TKO after seven rounds. In the same year, he defeated the German Turk, Oktay Urkal. He finished the year by recovering his IBF belt in a unification bout with champion Zab Judah, by a knockout. As a result, Kostya became the first man in 30 years to unify the belts in the light welterweight division.

In 2002, he had only one bout, where he beat Ben Tackie of Ghana, the top-ranked contender of all three of his belts. He began 2003 by a fight against former world champion Jesse James Leija, whom he defeated by a knockout in six, and retained his title.

In 2004, he had a rematch with Sharmba Mitchell, his first fight as a professional in Moscow, where he knocked him out in three rounds. The fight proved that he was still one of the finest pound-for-pound boxers in the game. He was voted the ‘comeback fighter of the year’ by Ring magazine.

He last fought on June 5, 2005, losing an 11th round TKO to Ricky Hatton at the M.E.N. Arena, Manchester, Lancashire. He also lost his world title by referee technical decision (RTD). Afterwards, what initially seemed like a brief break from boxing for Kostya, then 38, eventually turned into his unofficial retirement.

Currently, Kostya gives between 30-50 private boxing lessons a year to “some wealthy Russians who want to go a few rounds with a world champion”.

Awards & Achievements

Kostya Tszyu is a two-time light-welterweight world champion. As an amateur, he represented the Soviet Union at the 1989 World Championships and earned a bronze medal in the lightweight division.

He won a gold medal in the light-welterweight division at the 1991 World Championships. He also won gold medals at the 1989 and 1991 European Championships.

In 1995, he won his first professional world championship in light-welterweight—the IBF title. He also won the vacant WBC title in 1999 and the WBA (Super) title in 2001.

Personal Life

Kostya Tszyu married Natasha Anikina on September 24, 1993, after they immigrated to Australia. They have three children—Anastasia, Nikita, and Tim. Tim and Nikita are both boxers. In 2012, he separated from his wife Natasha and moved back to Moscow. His children are settled in Australia. Kostya has citizenship for both the countries.

He now lives in the outskirts of Moscow with his second wife Tatiana Averina, a former model and PR executive, whom he married in 2015. They have two children, Aleksander and Viktoria.

Kostya is an animal lover and has several pets including a Rottweiler, who has been with him for years, a pet diamond python, canaries, and fish.

He is involved in several court battles with his managers. One of his ex-managers Susie Bennell took him to court alleging that he owed her money. He was also asked to repay $3.5 million to another ex-manager Bill Mordey.

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Kostya Tszyu biography timelines

  • // 19th Sep 1969
    Kostya Tszyu was born on September 19, 1969, in Serov, an industrial town in the former Soviet Union, to a Korean/Mongol father, who was a fitter in a metal factory, and a Russian mother, who was a nurse.
  • // 1987 To 1988
    While getting trained and fighting in tournaments simultaneously, he visited more than 30 countries and won various tournaments, like the Amateur Boxing World Championships. In 1987, at the Cuban world championship tournament, he was placed second and at the 1988 Summer Olympics, he reached till the third round.
  • // 1989
    He joined the Soviet military for some time, but did not go to war because he was selected as an elite athlete. In 1989, he participated in the world championships in Moscow and took the third place.
  • // 1989
    Kostya Tszyu is a two-time light-welterweight world champion. As an amateur, he represented the Soviet Union at the 1989 World Championships and earned a bronze medal in the lightweight division.
  • // 1991
    In 1991, he participated in the amateur world championships in Sydney. Impressed by the sights of Sydney, he decided to live in Australia. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, he immigrated to Australia, became an Australian citizen, and settled in Rockdale, Sydney.
  • // Mar 1992
    Kostya Tszyu turned professional in March 1992 at Melbourne and defeated Darrell Hiles by a knockout. In his fourth professional bout, he beat former WBC Featherweight Champion Juan Laporte, and in his sixth bout, he beat Sammy Fuentes by a knockout.
  • // 1993
    He again beat Fuentes in 1993. In the same year, he defeated Livingstone Bramble, a former World Lightweight Champion, at Newcastle, New South Wales.
  • // 24th Sep 1993 To 2012
    Kostya Tszyu married Natasha Anikina on September 24, 1993, after they immigrated to Australia. They have three children—Anastasia, Nikita, and Tim. Tim and Nikita are both boxers. In 2012, he separated from his wife Natasha and moved back to Moscow. His children are settled in Australia. Kostya has citizenship for both the countries.
  • // 1994
    In 1994, he beat Héctor López by a decision in ten, and Angel Hernandez by a knockout in seven. After the win against Pedro Chinito Sanchez by by a knockout in four, Kostya was ranked number one in the light welterweight division.
  • // 1995
    In 1995, he knocked Welterweight Champion Jake Rodríguez in the sixth round, and became the world champion. He defended the title by defeating former Super Featherweight and Light Welterweight World Champion Roger Mayweather, Hugo Pineda, Cory Johnson, and Jan Bergman.
  • // 1997
    In 1997, he lost for the first time, to Vince Phillips, and his world championship also went with it. After he defeated former world champions Calvin Grove and Rafael Ruelas, he beat Diosbelys Hurtado by a knockout in five.
  • // 1999 To 2000
    He became the world champion once again in 1999 by beating former world champion Miguel Ángel González in ten, and twice retained it in 2000, by beating Ahmed Santos in eight, and Julio César Chávez, the former world champion, in six.
  • // 2001
    In 2001, Tszyu faced WBA Champion Sharmba Mitchell, taking the belt by a TKO after seven rounds. In the same year, he defeated the German Turk, Oktay Urkal. He finished the year by recovering his IBF belt in a unification bout with champion Zab Judah, by a knockout. As a result, Kostya became the first man in 30 years to unify the belts in the light welterweight division.
  • // 2002 To 2003
    In 2002, he had only one bout, where he beat Ben Tackie of Ghana, the top-ranked contender of all three of his belts. He began 2003 by a fight against former world champion Jesse James Leija, whom he defeated by a knockout in six, and retained his title.
  • // 2004
    In 2004, he had a rematch with Sharmba Mitchell, his first fight as a professional in Moscow, where he knocked him out in three rounds. The fight proved that he was still one of the finest pound-for-pound boxers in the game. He was voted the ‘comeback fighter of the year’ by Ring magazine.
  • // 5th Jun 2005
    He last fought on June 5, 2005, losing an 11th round TKO to Ricky Hatton at the M.E.N. Arena, Manchester, Lancashire. He also lost his world title by referee technical decision (RTD). Afterwards, what initially seemed like a brief break from boxing for Kostya, then 38, eventually turned into his unofficial retirement.
  • // 2015
    He now lives in the outskirts of Moscow with his second wife Tatiana Averina, a former model and PR executive, whom he married in 2015. They have two children, Aleksander and Viktoria.

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Kostya Tszyu's FAQ

  • What is Kostya Tszyu birthday?

    Kostya Tszyu was born at 1969-09-19

  • Where is Kostya Tszyu's birth place?

    Kostya Tszyu was born in Serov, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union

  • What is Kostya Tszyu nationalities?

    Kostya Tszyu's nationalities is Russian

  • Who is Kostya Tszyu spouses?

    Kostya Tszyu's spouses is Natasha Anikina (m. 1993–2013)

  • Who is Kostya Tszyu childrens?

    Kostya Tszyu's childrens is Tim Tszyu

  • How tall is Kostya Tszyu?

    Kostya Tszyu's height is 170

  • Who is Kostya Tszyu's father?

    Kostya Tszyu's father is Boris T. Tszyu

  • Who is Kostya Tszyu's mother?

    Kostya Tszyu's mother is Valentina Tszyu

  • What is Kostya Tszyu's sun sign?

    Kostya Tszyu is Virgo

  • How famous is Kostya Tszyu?

    Kostya Tszyu is famouse as Boxer