Kostya Tszyu’s long history dealing with American spying scandals – which includes a video mystery still unsolved after 20 years – has seen his son disappear behind locked doors here in Los Angeles.
Despite still being seven weeks out from his blockbuster title fight with American Jermell Charlo, Tszyu is already training in complete privacy at the Ten Goose gym – owned by famed US trainer Joe Goossen.
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Arriving Stateside two weeks ago, the 28-year-old has spent each of his sessions since in a gym empty except for trainer Igor Goloubev and a handful of trusted crew.
The push for privacy is being driven by Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings, whose caution comes from having twice dealt with serious spying scandals when preparing the fighter’s Hall of Fame father.
On Wednesday evening, Fox Sports Australia was among a small crew of travelling Australian media who were invited behind the scenes to watch Tszyu continue preparations for his undisputed super welterweight title bout on January 29.
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The boxer not only likened his US fight camp to “the jungle”, or described himself as a “monster”, but confirmed the animosity between he and Charlo was real.
Only last week, the American superstar promised to not simply beat Tszyu in their Las Vegas showdown, but finish via “spectacular knockout” the Aussie underdog.
“And good, let all those antics come in,” Tszyu shrugged.
“There’s nothing to lose for me.
“I’ve got no pressure.
“The pressure’s on him.
“He’s the one putting pressure on himself … saying he’s going to knock me out in a couple of rounds.
“I know that’s not going to happen … watch what it does.”
Quizzed on what he disliked most about Charlo, Tszyu continued: “I’m not going to be friends with him, let’s just say that.
“I’m not going to be calling him saying ‘let’s go for a coffee.’
“We’re two completely different personalities, we’re not mates. We will probably never be mates, but I do have a certain respect for him as a fighter.”
Just as Jennings has a certain caution when it comes to Team Charlo generally.
Especially given, more than 20 years ago, the manager was forced to escort a pair of men from the US gym where Kostya Tszyu was sparring — after it was discovered they were actually spying on behalf of a certain rival.
On a separate occasion, Jennings also recalls Team Tszyu being shocked to learn video footage of a training session had been released despite the gym being closed off to the public.
“But the gym had a mezzanine level,” he recalled.
“So someone had come in, filmed Kostya sparring from up there and then released it.
“To this day we don’t know who that was.
“But that’s what happens when you got to this level in the US.
“You have a sparring session and, honestly, it’s like bees to honey. People descend on the gym from everywhere just to have a look.
“And when you’ve got that many people, it’s impossible to know who is who. Or who they’re with.
“And that’s why we’ve locked it down.
“Because if our rivals knew what we were up to, what we’re doing here, that would be gold for them.”
Regardless, Tszyu is welcoming the opportunity to now spend his entire training camp in the US with sparring partners who are, he says, continually “taking me out of my comfort zone”.
“And it’s not just the physical preparation,” he continued.
“This is the jungle, man.
“I feel like I’m in the jungle.
“It’s just you by yourself — a different feeling.
“There is just something about this place, America.
“This is why I came over here so early; got my team, got everything … (laughs) left all females at home, everyone is back home.
“So now it’s all like this – tunnel vision.
“I’m a monster, that’s it.”
