Michael Zerafa teams up with trainer Glenn Rushton to bring down Tim and Nikita Tszyu, details, news

The man who orchestrated one of the greatest upsets in Australian boxing history has joined forces with Michael Zerafa – and with a plan, he says, to beat the Tszyu boys.

In what looms as the unlikeliest of sporting pairings, famed Aussie fight trainer Glenn Rushton has confirmed to Fox Sports Australia he is teaming up with Zerafa as the polarising bad boy prepares to chase down both Nikita and Tim Tszyu.

Promoters No Limit will hold a press conference in Brisbane on Thursday afternoon to announce Zerafa will be fighting on the same August 28 card where Nikita Tszyu defends his Australian super welterweight title.

While the younger Tszyu sibling squares off against Koen Mazoudier, Zerafa will throw down on the undercard against middleweight veteran Tommy Browne (45-8-2).

Rushton revealed the fighter dubbed ‘Pretty Boy’ has signed a three-fight deal with No Limit which, the pair now hope, will eventually be topped by headliners against one, and possibly both, Tszyu siblings.

Certainly Rushton is no stranger to underdog stories himself, having most famously cornered Jeff Horn for his WBO title upset over megastar Manny Pacquiao seven years ago.

Elsewhere, the Brisbane trainer was also with Dennis Hogan when robbed of the WBO super welterweight crown against Jaime Munguia – as a $29 underdog — and also formulated what is widely considered the toughest test of Nikita Tszyu’s brief, but eye-catching, career.

In just his third fight, The Butcher was seriously tested by Horn’s younger brother Ben.

Rushton was also in the corner of Jeff Horn when he lost his own all-Australian showdown against Tim Tszyu in 2020.

Yet while he may be down two-zip against one of the nation’s most famous sporting families, Rushton is now partnering up with Zerafa and insisting “if I had to construct a plan to beat Tim or Nikita Tszyu, I could definitely do that”.

The shock announcement continues years of headlines between three of the nation’s most popular fighters – with Zerafa, most famously, walking out on a Tim Tszyu showdown in 2021.

Rushton and the 32-year-old Melburnian also share a contentious past themselves, with the trainer’s most famous charge Jeff Horn having fought his new client in back-to-back blockbusters five years ago.

While Zerafa won the first of those fights by stoppage, he then lost the second after a build up that included plenty of drama, and a fiery press conference, involving the two camps.

During the build, Zerafa took shots at Rushton over everything from coaching style through to his haircut.

“So we’re probably the last two people you’d expect would pair up together,” the trainer grinned when confirming the whispers around their new partnership.

“For the second fight especially, things got a bit personal.

“Michael’s team didn’t want to fight Jeff again because the initial win had earned them the opportunity at a world title shot.

“I even had one of his managers sit with me over coffee, pleading with us to release them from the rematch (clause).

“But I said ‘no, we need to right the wrong’.

“And I knew we would.

“I also knew Michael was understandably angry though and there was a lot said.

“(Laughs) Especially at the press conference, he did get a bit carried away.

“But I did mind him having a crack.

“I took the brunt of that assault while Jeff sat there laughing away.

“You take a few digs but boxing is a business — the fight needs to be sold and I was trying to deflect the attention away from Jeff anyway.”

So as for how he now winds up as part of Team Zerafa?

“Michael initially approached me a year ago,” the trainer continues of the fighter who was most recently kayoed in his title fight against WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara.

“He came up to my place in Brisbane and we had a chat but, at that stage, I just didn’t have the time he needed from me.

“But we’ve stayed in touch ever since and now I’m happy to do a bit more.

“I’m happy to help out because Michael has always been talented.

“He just hasn’t always had his head in the right spot.

“Michael’s made a few bad decisions, battled some mental demons, but he definitely has the ability to be a world champion.

“He just needs to have faith.”

Despite being iced in his most recent world title attempt, Zerafa is convinced, at age 32, he has time to fight his way back into a pair of all-Australian headliners against the Tszyu brothers.

Certainly Rushton knows plenty about the siblings having cornered against both with his own set of fighting brothers — with Jeff Horn losing to Tim in 2020 and younger brother Ben Horn giving Nikita a genuine scare in 2022.

The trainer is also no stranger to underdog stories,

Rather than working day-to-day with Zerafa, Rushton is being employed as both an advisor and strategist for the fighter as he looks to bounce back from the March title loss, which took place on the undercard of Tim Tszyu also losing his own title blockbuster against towering US southpaw Sebastian Fundora.

“There’s so much goes into coaching,” Rushton explained when quizzed on his role.

“They might be good at the pads, might get you fit, but they can’t really bring the best out in you.

“Then the other thing is strategy.

“With Jeff, I did all the strategy for every single fight.

“For every opponent, including Pacquiao, Jeff never really studied them at all, he just said ‘you tell me what to do and I’ll go do it’ … which worked.

“It was fantastic.

“I did all the study, then programmed him.

“And that’s what Michael needs to a degree.

“He needs a strategist, someone to analyse opponents, break them down, find the patterns and flaws.

“So if I had to construct a plan to beat Tim or Nikita Tszyu, I could definitely do that.

“There are plenty of weaknesses there to be exploited.

“But to do that consistently, you have to be disciplined.”

Rushton added that if Zerafa beats Browne convincingly, he could be pushed straight into a fight with the younger Tszyu sibling, who is undefeated in all nine fights.

“And that’s an interesting fight,” Rushton said.

“Because we know Nikita Tszyu is The Butcher.

“A swashbuckling fighter with that devil may care attitude.

“So he’s also vulnerable.

“Gets hit a lot.

“He’s tough, absolutely, but they all go down.

“Yet to make that happen you have to be disciplined.”

Asked if he thinks that fight happens, Rushton continued: “Yes, Nikita and potentially Tim are down the track.

“In saying that, I like the Tszyu boys; I like their team.

“It also isn’t the time to get too far ahead of ourselves.

“The focus is on Tommy Browne.

“But you saw what Michael did with Issac Hardman.

“Issac came out thinking he’d walk through Michael but it didn’t last long.

“And Mich didn’t just out box him, he out punched him.

“Nikita would be aware of that.

“I’m sure he’s watched the tape and seen that short, left hook.

“So we’ll see what happens.”