Kostya Tszyu Extremely Overrated

Gonzarelli · May 13, 2010

Tszyu is definitely being underrated here.

The man had more skills than you guys are letting on. Somebody called him robotic:nono Tszyu was like a predator he would systematically stalk you while he gaged his punches, then he would break you down.

He was already a legend by the time he defeated a shot Chavez.

Kostya will get into the Hall of Fame on his ponytail alone.

josjbp23 · May 13, 2010

FORMIDABLE said: ↑

Kostya Tszyu vs Corrales? WTF? Tszyu would've crushed Corrales, no disrespect.
And Castillo? He was a lightweight, Tsyzu would've knocked him out quicker than Hatton did.

The fights he should've had were against DLH, Mosley, Mayweather and Cotto. For whatever reason they didn't happen. Tszyu would've stood a good chance in all of those fights imo, and i think he'd beat Cotto and Mosley.

He had a great career, ruled his division for the most part of a decade. The big fights eluded him, but he had some impressive wins, highlighted by his stoppages of Judah and against Sharmba Mitchell in their rematch, where he was written off by many before each fight.

His losses were down to bad style matchups, Hatton and Phillips pressuring him every second and not allowing him to get extension on his powerful punches. I think he could've won those fights had he chose to box, but instead he wanted to stand his ground and try to beat them at their own fight which was doomed to failure.

I don't think he is overrated, no one's saying he's a top ten ATG or that he's the best of his generation. He clearly was one of the best though on skill alone and is top 5 all tiime @ 140 imo.
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First off most of the fighters KZ fought used to jr lightweights. 2nd Castillo was a very strong lightweight and he should of moved up to 140 yrs ago, before it was too late meaning before he past his prime. I don't think anyone can argue when Hatton fought Castillo when he was already past his prime, he had no legs at all, he had been in numerous wars. I think he had a good enough chin to compete w/KZ plus KZ needs room to throw his right hand. Hatton proved if u stay in close you take away all of KZ's abilities. In that respect Castillo would of been in KZ's chest, not giving him room to throw that right hand. He would of punished KZ to the body , which he would not of been used too since many fighters never went to his body.

Now Corrales was a huge puncher, the power of a jr welter and welter, if Castillo could take alot of Corrales punches he could take KZ's and KZ does did not throw alot of punches. So I think Castillo belonged at jr welter. He was a big physically strong lightweight and he would of easily brought that to 140 if only he would of moved up much sooner in his career.

As far as Corrales. His power would of been capable of hurting KZ, I am not saying he would of won I am just saying it would of been an entertaining fight. Plus Corrales was most vulnerable to the left hook and KZ did not have much of a left hook. Corrales is an excellent inside fighter and would of tried to stay right in KZ's face which could of taken away KZ's right hand.

No way KZ would of beat Mosley, Mosley quickness would of destroyed KZ. He would of Ko'd him like Phillips did. KZ versus fast powerful fighters like DLH, Mosley, PBF, even Cotto to some extent now those would of been bad style match-ups for him, much worse than Phillips and Hatton.

Above Deck · May 13, 2010

Tszyu had a good win over Forrest in the Ams, he proved that
his speed and timing was superior - and that he was able to
get inside Vernons reach and Kosta won quite comfortably.

His raw talent and skills was something else, he was a fighters
fighter with a ton of skill - but later in his career he tended to
bypass skills and just punish opponents to a win.

A prime Tszyu KOs Hatton within 6.

ChrisPontius · May 13, 2010

josjbp23 said: ↑

He never beat a A+ fighter in their prime.
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atsch

J.R. · May 13, 2010

Gonzarelli said: ↑

Kostya will get into the Hall of Fame on his ponytail alone.
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roly · May 13, 2010

M.I.G. said: ↑

In the Judah fight, Zab was doing really well in the first few moments and then got caught. He didn't think he was hurt and sprung up before he regained his equilibrium. Had he stayed down for a couple seconds, it would have been a completely different fight.
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lol

kartog · May 13, 2010

M.I.G. said: ↑

In the Judah fight, Zab was doing really well in the first few moments and then got caught. He didn't think he was hurt and sprung up before he regained his equilibrium. Had he stayed down for a couple seconds, it would have been a completely different fight.
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What the...

The reason Judah got up almost instantaneously after that wicked punch was that he was so out of his senses he couldn't think things through at all. There never was a choice in his mind that time. His nerves were so shorted that he was moving solely on pure instincts.

Marnoff · May 13, 2010

Depends who is rating him.

rusty nails · May 13, 2010

Sandman_ said: ↑

There are so many factual inaccuracies in the posts on this thread it's hardly worth responding to.

I will anyway & go the other way. I think Tszyu is severely underrated in terms of his career accomplishments by virtue of the fact he never got that one big win against a genuine A-level guy as a pro.

Dealing with the facts, Tszyu lost once between 1989 (when he lost to Andreas Zulow at the world amateur championships) and 2005 (when he lost to Hatton in his backyard at age 36). One loss in sixteen years is pretty good going if you ask me.

During those years he managed to win the world amateur championship at 139lbs and the unified professional championship at 140lbs.

Also he gets very little credit for travelling half-way around the world for all of his big fights. The Super 6 ought to tell you how hard it is to win that way on a regular basis.

Tszyu's claim to greatness is a consistently high level of performance over many years, amateur & pro.

He beat more current, future and past world professional champions & guys who made the Olympic games final than just about any fighter in the game over the course of his career.
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this is pure wisdom... one of the best posts ive read on ESB..

:good
bravo sir...

PATSYS · May 13, 2010

I do not see him in ATG ratings so I do not think he is overrated.

iceman71 · May 13, 2010

josjbp23 said: ↑

Who agrees that KZ was an overrated fighter? I believe he is one of the most overrated fighters of the last 20 yrs. He lacks all the requirements of a great fighter. First, the two losses of his career were severely one-sided losses. Plus he never tried to avenge either loss. He never beat a A+ fighter in their prime. I recall he bragged about beating a old and way past his prime Chavez as if he had defeated him in his prime. His biggest wins were against Shamba Mitchell and Judah. Grove, Ruelas, Gonzalez, and Bramble, Leijas. Small fighters and some past their prime.

Regarding Mitchell (never a very good fighter in my opinion) a rematch was made considering the first fight he stopped Mitchell in 7 there was no need for a rematch and it was not even wanted by the public. I recall the rematch was post-poned due to an injury and instead of just forgoing the rematch when he got better to fight better fighters he still fought Mitchell and the outcome was a forgone conclusion.

He never moved up to welterweight a weight at which he could of easily carried and his power would of also carried over, but he stayed at jrwelter were the competition was slim. Most of the big money fights were at welter weight so why did he not make at least one attempt to move up in weight?

Most fighters who loss want to avenge those losses against the fighters who defeated them KZ did note ever attempt to do this. He did not even give out any indication he would like to avenge his losses.

To be great you gotta at least try and avenge your losses. You have got to call out and fight the best. And if your body allows you to a great fighter usually would want to move up in weight and conquer an additional division. None of the above for KZ.
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i agree. he didnt have 1 super fight his entire career besides Judah. hes as overrated as they come. but lots of man love for this guy so they will go for your throat. what kills mewastoward the end of his prime, he fought 1 time a year, maybe2 times and when he did, was against jesse james leija type opponents...he wanted no part of frankie randall after he beat the **** out of chavez. but its the truth...good fighter, but overrated big time :good

Little Pea · May 13, 2010

M.I.G. said: ↑

In the Judah fight, Zab was doing really well in the first few moments and then got caught. He didn't think he was hurt and sprung up before he regained his equilibrium. Had he stayed down for a couple seconds, it would have been a completely different fight.
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I always said that.

iceman71 · May 13, 2010

Sandman_ said: ↑

There are so many factual inaccuracies in the posts on this thread it's hardly worth responding to.

I will anyway & go the other way. I think Tszyu is severely underrated in terms of his career accomplishments by virtue of the fact he never got that one big win against a genuine A-level guy as a pro.

Dealing with the facts, Tszyu lost once between 1989 (when he lost to Andreas Zulow at the world amateur championships) and 2005 (when he lost to Hatton in his backyard at age 36). One loss in sixteen years is pretty good going if you ask me.

During those years he managed to win the world amateur championship at 139lbs and the unified professional championship at 140lbs.

Also he gets very little credit for travelling half-way around the world for all of his big fights. The Super 6 ought to tell you how hard it is to win that way on a regular basis.

Tszyu's claim to greatness is a consistently high level of performance over many years, amateur & pro.

He beat more current, future and past world professional champions & guys who made the Olympic games final than just about any fighter in the game over the course of his career.
Click to expand...

what future opponents that were eventually world titlechampions did he beat again? i know about all the ancient shells he beat....

well, when you dont fight the best at the time...its almost hard to lose if you are a good fighter. in 13 years he had only 33 fights.
in his last 5 years, the meat, the prime of his career if you will he fought 8 times...
2000- chavez- 4 losses at this point and coming off a loss to willie wise
2001- sharmba mitchell- no one wanted to see this fight..no one
2001- o urkkal- oktay didnt do anything b4 the fight and didnt do anything after- a never was and waste of a fight
2001- Judah- everyone wanted to see this- judah undefeated and prime
2002- Tackie- 1 fight all year and its against...TACKIE
2003- James Leija- 1 fight all year and its against...Leija- WHOOPIE!!
2004- sharmba mitchell II- 1 fight all year and its a rematch against this guy? no one wanted to see the first fight...lets not fight a rematch with judah or phillips..but against mitchell :rofl:rofl
2005- hatton- mauled by hatton

someone please make a argument against any of this......

ron u.k. · May 13, 2010

I don't think he's overated by regular boxing fans they know his place in the grand scheme of things,he's just one of those fighters who seemed to attract a load of huggers who tried to elevate him to God like status. He was a very good fighter though but never a great one. Personally i think he gets cut an enormous amount of slack for quitting on his stool with just 3 minutes to go against Hatton,and seemingly being happy to do so.

Caliboxing · May 13, 2010

He was not overrated, he was for real. Would have given Floyd Jr. a real fight.

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