Kostya Tszyu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kostya Tszyu Костя Цзю
Tszyu in 2008
Statistics
Real name	Konstantin Borisovich Tszyu
Nickname(s)	Thunder from Down Under
Rated at	Light-welterweight
Height	5 ft 7 in
Reach	67 in
Nationality	Australian (since 1993) Soviet (until 1991)
Born	(1969-09-19) 19 September 1969 (age 55) Serov, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	34
Wins	31
Wins by KO	25
Losses	2
No contests	1
Medal record Men's amateur boxing Representing  Soviet Union Goodwill Games Gold 1990 Seattle Light-welterweight World Championships Bronze 1989 Moscow Lightweight Gold 1991 Sydney Light-welterweight Junior World Championships Silver 1987 Havana Lightweight European Championships Gold 1989 Athens Lightweight Gold 1991 Gothenburg Light-welterweight

Konstantin "Kostya" Tszyu is a famous Russian-Australian former professional boxer. He was born on September 19, 1969. Kostya competed from 1992 to 2005. He held many world championships in the light-welterweight division. Between 2001 and 2005, he was the undisputed champion. This means he held all the major world titles at the same time.

Tszyu was known for his powerful punches and great accuracy. Many people think he is one of the best light-welterweight boxers ever. He is also considered a national sports hero in Australia. In 2010, he was named the best light-welterweight of the 2000s by The Ring magazine. In 2011, he was added to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. His son, Tim Tszyu, is also a professional boxer.

Early Life and Start in Boxing

Kostya Tszyu was born in Serov, a town near the Ural Mountains. This was in the former Soviet Union. His father was part Korean and Mongol, and his mother was Russian. His father worked in a metal factory, and his mother was a nurse.

As a child, Kostya had a lot of energy. His father took him to a boxing gym to help him use that energy. Kostya started fighting older boys there. He quickly impressed the coaches of the Soviet amateur team.

Amazing Amateur Career

Kostya traveled to over 30 countries for training and tournaments. He trained for 250 days a year with the Soviet team. He won many amateur boxing championships. In 1987, he won a silver medal at the World Junior Championships in Cuba.

He also won a bronze medal at the 1989 World Championships in Moscow. In 1989 and 1991, he won gold medals at the European Championships. His biggest amateur win was a gold medal at the 1991 World Championships in Sydney, Australia.

This trip to Sydney changed his life. He loved the city and its people. He decided he wanted to live in Australia. After the Soviet Union broke apart in 1991, Kostya moved to Australia in 1992. He married his girlfriend there in 1993 and became an Australian citizen. He ended his amateur career with an amazing record: 259 wins and only 11 losses in 270 fights.

Turning Professional

Kostya Tszyu turned professional in 1992. His first professional fight was in Melbourne, Australia. He won by knockout in the first round. He quickly started fighting tough opponents. In his fourth fight, he beat former WBC Featherweight Champion Juan Laporte.

In 1993, he fought Sammy Fuentes and won by knockout in the first round. He also beat former World Lightweight Champion Livingstone Bramble. By 1994, he was ranked number one in the light-welterweight division.

Becoming a World Champion

In 1995, Kostya Tszyu got his first chance to fight for a world title. He fought IBF Light Welterweight Champion Jake Rodríguez in Las Vegas. Kostya became a world champion by knocking out Rodriguez in the sixth round.

He then defended his title five times. He beat famous boxers like Roger Mayweather. After these wins, boxing magazines praised him as a top world champion.

Defending His Titles

In 1997, Kostya had a fight that was ruled a "no-contest." This means it didn't count as a win or loss. In his next fight, he lost for the first time as a professional. He was knocked out by Vince Phillips.

After this loss, Kostya worked hard to come back. He won against former world champions Calvin Grove and Rafael Ruelas. In 1998, he fought for the WBC interim light-welterweight title. He was knocked down twice in the first round but came back to win by knockout in the fifth round.

In 1999, he became a world champion again by knocking out Miguel Ángel González. In 2000, he defended his title against Ahmed Santos. He also beat the legendary Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez.

Undisputed Champion

In 2001, Kostya wanted to hold all the world titles. He first fought WBA Champion Sharmba Mitchell. Kostya won after Mitchell had a knee injury. His next big fight was against Zab Judah. Kostya knocked out Judah in the second round.

With this win, Kostya Tszyu became the first boxer in 30 years to hold all the major light-welterweight titles. This made him the undisputed champion. In 2002, he defended his titles against Ben Tackie from Ghana. Kostya won by a clear decision.

In 2003, he defended his titles again in Melbourne, Australia. He beat former world champion Jesse James Leija by knockout.

Final Fights

In 2004, Kostya had a rematch with Sharmba Mitchell. He knocked Mitchell out in the third round. This win earned him the "Comeback Fighter of the Year" award from Ring magazine.

His last fight was on June 5, 2005, against British boxer Ricky Hatton. Kostya lost this fight after his corner stopped the fight at the end of the 11th round. He was behind on points at that time.

Personal Life

Kostya and Natasha Tszyu, 2007

Kostya Tszyu married Natasha Anikina in 1993. They have three children: Anastasia, Nikita, and Tim. Both Nikita and Tim are also boxers. Kostya loves animals and has had several pets. These include a rottweiler named Viking, a diamond python named Jake, canaries, and fish.

Professional boxing record

Video Albums

See also

In Spanish: Kostia Tsziu para niños