Nikita Tszyu will soon be eating bull testicles as part of a primal fight diet that already sees him devouring raw liver once a week, convinced the experience is responsible for his improved energy, strengthened immune system and “really vivid dreams”.
Only a fortnight out from headlining Newcastle’s Super Saturday boxing rumble, the undefeated Tszyu has revealed a unique, new twist to his fight moniker of ‘The Butcher’ – explaining how a diet of liver, testicle, spleen and heart will all become an integral part of his preparations moving forward.
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Right now, the 24-year-old super welterweight is eating raw liver once a week in the lead-up to his bout with Darkon Dryden on Saturday, October 8.
However, the son of Australian boxing legend Kostya Tszyu explained, in future camps, he will also be adding even more variety — including bull dusters — to a food plan bringing significant physical benefits.
“Although it has been a mental battle,” Tszyu conceded to foxsports.com.au.
“First time I ever ate raw beef liver, it was tougher than going for a road run.
“I was sweating. Gagging.
“The brain was saying ‘this isn’t something you want’ — and my stomach was against it — but I just had to push through.
“And then after eating it, I had this real burst of energy. An electric feeling that went through me.
“So every new camp now I’m going to add something else.”
Like what?
“For the next one, it’s going to be bull testicles,” he said. “Then after that, something like spleen.”
Told the step from liver to testicles was fairly, err, significant, Tszyu laughed: “It might seem a little crazy but I’ve never felt better.
“I’m having sustained amounts of energy. Really vivid dreams, too.
“There’s never a moment where I’m drained.
“I’m never hungry, either.
“Although it’s still all a learning experience. And I’m having a lot of little experiments.
“But I enjoy being the guinea pig”.
In a bid to make the liver more palatable, Tszyu soaks the organ for up to an hour in milk – “just to take out some of the blood” – before then marinating it a second time in lemon juice.
“So it doesn’t make me gag anymore,” he grinned. “But for anyone watching me eat … yeah, they usually gag.”
Apart from eating raw liver throughout this camp, Tszyu has also dramatically reduced his carbohydrates while also ingesting liver, heart and kidney tablets.
The unbeaten boxer is also focusing his eating plan heavily on fruits and various other meats.
“So a primal diet,” he explained.
“The one our ancestors had hundreds and hundreds of years ago.
“(Back then), vegetables were on a lower tier.
“It’s fruits, organs and meats.
“So I eat the raw liver once a week – buy it fresh and consume it within two days – then also supplement that with the capsules.
“It’s a great mental battle and I’ve actually adjusted to the taste.
“So then for the next camp it’s going to be liver and bull testicles … I’ll just keep experimenting.”
A massive day of fights featuring some of the best in Aussie boxing with Dennis Hogan challenging Sam Eggington for the IBO Super Welter Title and rising star Nikita Tszyu looking to remain undefeated against Darkon Dryden.
