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The Australian
a day ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Nikita Tszyu slams 'ignorant' critics over Tim's Fundora fight stoppage
Nikita Tszyu has hit out at 'ignorant' fans and a 'f***ed up' boxing world while slamming commentary around his older brother Tim 'quitting' on his stool against Sebastian Fundora. Meanwhile, longtime Tszyu family rival Michael Zerafa – who fights on the same August pay-per-view card as Nikita – claims 'The Butcher' is actually a better fighter than his older brother. Nikita returns to action for the first time in a year against German-based Macedonian Lulzim Ismaili (12-0) on August 20 at the ICC Theatre in Sydney, and was ringside as Tim was beaten by a much-improved Fundora at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. After a week of speculation, Nikita says it was trainer and uncle, Igor Goloubev, who stopped the fight after the seventh round. 'Tim just didn't have anything left in him and the corner stopped it,' Nikita told Code Sports. 'They visually saw that he was out, and that he no longer had the strength. 'Igor stopped it. My uncle stopped it. I'm 99% sure of that.' That hasn't stopped a wave of online criticism being aimed at Tim, with many fans and pundits saying he quit on his stool, despite saying just days earlier that he was willing to die in the ring. 'I've been seeing a lot of 'quit, quit, quit,' but it wasn't the case,' Nikita said. 'It was done. It was a losing battle. 'It's just a bit of ignorance and it's a shame that it happens. It's a shame that we're so flawed as a society that everyone has to play the blame game. 'There's no dishonour in that fight. 'Tim fought his ass off, did everything he could and wasn't able to finish the job. He got beat. There's no dishonour in that. 'Why's everyone slamming him? It's kind've fucked up. 'Do you expect him to die on his feet? The boxing world is messed up.' Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech was one of many to slam Tim's corner in the days after the fight, and urged the Sydneysider to make changes to his team. Nikita brushed off those criticisms and will use the same personnel, including Goloubev, cutman Mark Gambin and trainer Dave Barker, on August 20. 'I'll always use them,' he said. 'I feel most comfortable with them, and if there's anyone I'd want to lose with, it's them. 'My mentality is just different than most boxers. I don't think there's dishonour in losing. You go into a fight, you prepare your best. 'If you don't prepare, that's the most dishonourable thing you can do. We always come in as prepared as possible. 'If we win, we win. If we lose we lose, but we always fight our ass off. 'The UFC is the perfect example of how it should be. People fight, they win, they lose, everyone gets praised. 'In boxing, everyone just gets slammed. It's a weird dynamic.' Nikita has been out of action since his August 2024 Fight of the Year win over Koen Mazoudier. Since then, 'The Butcher' has battled with a hand injury, got married and had his first child, a daughter named Curiosity. Lulzim will be his first international opponent, and there are plans for Nikita to face Zerafa later this year. He wouldn't talk about a potential fight with Zerafa, who fights American Mikey Dahlman (18-1) in the co-main event on August 20, while 'The Pretty Boy' says he's now focused on landing a big-money fight with the older Tszyu brother. He even claims Nikita is better than Tim. 'The grudge match isn't with Nikita, it's with me and Tim,' Zerafa said of his years-long rivalry with Tim. 'Nikita's still young in his career, I'm ranked higher than him, and now, higher than Tim. 'He's crafty and strong, and I actually think he's a better fighter than Tim. 'He's still raw, he's still fresh in the sport, but he's doing great things. He's a weird personality – he's the weird guy, I'm the bad guy. 'But it's one fight at a time. That's Nikita's thing, so keep doing it.' The August 20 undercard also sees the return of Sydneysider Brock Jarvis against Sam Beck (7-0) for his first bout since his defeat to Keith Thurman in March. Rising Sydney superstar Ahmad Reda is on the hunt for a new opponent after Brisbane power puncher Billy Polkinghorn was forced out through injury. Further down the card, heavyweight slugger Brandon Grach is in a five-rounder, while Jasmine Parr and Isaias Sette will also feature. Brendan Bradford Content producer Brendan Bradford is a sports writer for CODE Sports. He primarily covers combat sports, league, union, cycling and athletics. Brendan has worked in sports media for a decade, covering world title fights, World Cups, Grand Slams and Spring Tours. Combat Sport Anthony Mundine was an NRL and boxing legend. Now 'The Man' is leading a bare-knuckle fighting revolution in Australia — and says it can be just as big as UFC. Combat Sport Tim Tszyu has brushed off suggestions his fighting career could be over after losing to Sebastian Fundora and issued a public apology to his fans. Watch it here.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘F***ed up': Nikita Tszyu claps back at ‘ignorant' pundits, reveals truth about Fundora stoppage
Nikita Tszyu has hit out at 'ignorant' fans and a 'f***ed up' boxing world while slamming commentary around his older brother Tim 'quitting' on his stool against Sebastian Fundora. Meanwhile, longtime Tszyu family rival Michael Zerafa – who fights on the same August pay-per-view card as Nikita – claims 'The Butcher' is actually a better fighter than his older brother. Nikita returns to action for the first time in a year against German-based Macedonian Lulzim Ismaili (12-0) on August 20 at the ICC Theatre in Sydney, and was ringside as Tim was beaten by a much-improved Fundora at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. After a week of speculation, Nikita says it was trainer and uncle, Igor Goloubev, who stopped the fight after the seventh round. 'Tim just didn't have anything left in him and the corner stopped it,' Nikita told Code Sports. 'They visually saw that he was out, and that he no longer had the strength. 'Igor stopped it. My uncle stopped it. I'm 99% sure of that.' That hasn't stopped a wave of online criticism being aimed at Tim, with many fans and pundits saying he quit on his stool, despite saying just days earlier that he was willing to die in the ring. 'I've been seeing a lot of 'quit, quit, quit,' but it wasn't the case,' Nikita said. 'It was done. It was a losing battle. 'It's just a bit of ignorance and it's a shame that it happens. It's a shame that we're so flawed as a society that everyone has to play the blame game. 'There's no dishonour in that fight. 'Tim fought his ass off, did everything he could and wasn't able to finish the job. He got beat. There's no dishonour in that. 'Why's everyone slamming him? It's kind've fucked up. 'Do you expect him to die on his feet? The boxing world is messed up.' Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech was one of many to slam Tim's corner in the days after the fight, and urged the Sydneysider to make changes to his team. Nikita brushed off those criticisms and will use the same personnel, including Goloubev, cutman Mark Gambin and trainer Dave Barker, on August 20. 'I'll always use them,' he said. 'I feel most comfortable with them, and if there's anyone I'd want to lose with, it's them. 'My mentality is just different than most boxers. I don't think there's dishonour in losing. You go into a fight, you prepare your best. 'If you don't prepare, that's the most dishonourable thing you can do. We always come in as prepared as possible. 'If we win, we win. If we lose we lose, but we always fight our ass off. 'The UFC is the perfect example of how it should be. People fight, they win, they lose, everyone gets praised. 'In boxing, everyone just gets slammed. It's a weird dynamic.' Nikita has been out of action since his August 2024 Fight of the Year win over Koen Mazoudier. Since then, 'The Butcher' has battled with a hand injury, got married and had his first child, a daughter named Curiosity. Lulzim will be his first international opponent, and there are plans for Nikita to face Zerafa later this year. He wouldn't talk about a potential fight with Zerafa, who fights American Mikey Dahlman (18-1) in the co-main event on August 20, while 'The Pretty Boy' says he's now focused on landing a big-money fight with the older Tszyu brother. He even claims Nikita is better than Tim. 'The grudge match isn't with Nikita, it's with me and Tim,' Zerafa said of his years-long rivalry with Tim. 'Nikita's still young in his career, I'm ranked higher than him, and now, higher than Tim. 'He's crafty and strong, and I actually think he's a better fighter than Tim. 'He's still raw, he's still fresh in the sport, but he's doing great things. He's a weird personality – he's the weird guy, I'm the bad guy. 'But it's one fight at a time. That's Nikita's thing, so keep doing it.' The August 20 undercard also sees the return of Sydneysider Brock Jarvis against Sam Beck (7-0) for his first bout since his defeat to Keith Thurman in March. Rising Sydney superstar Ahmad Reda is on the hunt for a new opponent after Brisbane power puncher Billy Polkinghorn was forced out through injury. Further down the card, heavyweight slugger Brandon Grach is in a five-rounder, while Jasmine Parr and Isaias Sette will also feature.
The Age
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
At 87, Jane Fonda feels and looks fabulous, but does admit to one fear
If celebrity health and wellness is your jam, there can be no celebrity that embodies your message more closely than double Oscar-winning aerobics queen Jane Fonda, now 87 years young. Fonda is on our shores on a mini-speaking tour at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Thursday and Sydney's ICC Theatre on Sunday, brought out by wellness brand Wanderlust True North. The company's executive chairman is Radek Sali, who made his multimillion-dollar fortune similarly mixing up a celebrity/wellness brew that proved marketing catnip for Swisse vitamins, which was subsequently flogged to the Chinese for $1.7 billion in 2015. Last year a similar Wanderlust gig pulled in large audiences with Drew Barrymore producing onstage tears from singer Tones and I when the singer revealed fame had ended her relationship with her best friend. Before Thursday's main event, Sali hosted a VIP event for celebrities including podcaster and journalist Jessica Rowe, journalist Liz Hayes, performer Rob Mills and punters who had paid from $1000 for a premium meet and greet ticket. Loading At 6pm, the door opened to reveal a startled Fonda, clearly expecting a full house rather than the 200 seated for a media preview. But she recovered instantly with aplomb. The star took to the main stage for an intimate conversation with Hayes about passions, defining moments and how life shapes you. Well, as intimate as you can get at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Plenary, which at full stretch can seat 5500. We can report that at age 87, Fonda is still looking fabulous and making people feel fabulous. Not so much the proof is in the pudding, but the proof is in the low-carb keto-approved spinach mushroom tomato mini frittata.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Inside Martha Stewart's disastrous trip Down Under where the American TV star raged about Sydney
Martha Stewart didn't have the best experience at Sydney 's Vivid Festival last month, according to reports. The controversial 83-year-old American celebrity was Down Under to present a talk entitled In Conversation with Martha Stewart as part of the event. And according to insiders, the cookbook author was none too impressed with her venue - the famed ICC theatre, which has hosted stars such as Elton John and Cher. Sources reported to Confidential on Tuesday that Martha was unhappy that she had to use a hand held mic throughout her 90-minute talk. However, insiders told the publication that Martha had refused to use a headset for fear of messing up her hairdo. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. She also rejected the option of using a lapel mic, reportedly because she was concerned it might cause damage to her jacket. Meanwhile, the publication also reported that Stewart disapproved of the vehicle that had been arranged for her use because the window tinting was not dark enough. Stewart also shared a gripe about Sydney airport, reported insiders, with the entrepreneur complaining that the terminal was 'too big' and that she had to walk 'too far'. Stewart did find something to her liking during her trip. The culinary guru skipped over to the eastern suburbs for a nibble and shopping and elected to dine at Totti's, a mecca for local and international celebrities, reportedly after a friend's recommendation. The Merivale-owned restaurant, known for its famous bread and small plates, as well as its signature rich pasta dishes, is beloved by the eastern suburbs in-crowd. Given its reputation as one of Sydney's best restaurants, we asked around what America's kitchen queen thought of her dining experience. And, after a bit of wild goose chase, we were able to find a diner who had been at the restaurant at the time and just so happened to overhear Martha's musings. 'She was impressed. She had a great time and ate everything,' they said, adding that she 'was really lovely', 'super friendly' and asked the staff 'lots of questions'. The cookbook author 'enjoyed a large selection of antipasti' accompanied by the signature wood-fired bread, but our spy didn't stay long enough to see if she sampled any of the mains. She had 'Sanpellegrino sparkling water' while she ate, said our source, and 'seemed very interested in the produce, asking the waiters lots of questions.' Totti's fast made a name for itself as the place to be among Sydney's elites after it first opened its doors at The Royal Bondi in December 2018. The highly regarded menu, created by executive chef Mike Eggert, features an array of Italian dishes from pasta, antipasti and its famous 'puffy' wood-fired bread. Totti's interior was inspired by an Italian taverna, featuring old timber chairs, paired-back walls and huge olive trees filling out the lavish courtyard. Just hours before Martha made a surprise appearance at Totti's, she was seen arriving at Sydney airport in the early hours of the morning. She flew in from the US ahead of her Vivid Sydney In Conversation event, and was greeted by airport staff holding a sign which bore her surname Stewart. The home-cooking icon was all smiles as she stopped to meet fans outside her terminal, toting a personalised 'MARTHA' travel bag.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Ice Cube Stuck in Gold Coast Hotel as Cyclone Alfred Approaches Australia
Ice Cube has found himself caught in the chaos of Cyclone Alfred, with the rap icon stranded at his Gold Coast hotel as the storm barrels toward Australia's southeastern coast. Appearing on The Project on Wednesday night, Ice Cube, real name O'Shea Jackson Sr, gave his take on the situation, joking, 'I'm staying clear of it. You know, I'm right here on the beach. The beach looks like it is going to be in the lobby in a minute.' More from Billboard Haim Re-Creates Nicole Kidman Meme in 'Relationships' Promo Art Coldplay to Curate First-Ever Halftime Show at 2026 World Cup Final Diplo's Run Club Expanding to Six New Cities The 'It's My Ego' rapper in Australia for a string of shows in Sydney and Melbourne also admitted this was a first for him, saying, 'It is pretty cool, I haven't been through a cyclone before. I can check this off my bucket list for sure.' Cube, with B Wise, will perform at Sydney's ICC Theatre on Friday, March 7, then head to Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Sunday. While Ice remains in Gold Coast as the severe weather system approaches, authorities are urging residents to act immediately. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli warned, 'There is a chance this cyclone will cross in the middle of the night with a high tide. That is not the time to be making your evacuation plan, now is the time.' Cyclone Alfred, currently classified as a Category 2 system, is bringing dangerous conditions along the Queensland and New South Wales coastlines, prompting widespread disruptions. Public transport across Brisbane, Gold Coast, and other affected areas is being suspended from Wednesday, and several concerts and sporting events have been canceled. Among the high-profile cancellations is Green Day's final Australian concert, which was scheduled for March 6 at Gold Coast's Robina Stadium as part of their Saviors tour. Promoters confirmed the show could not proceed due to the extreme weather forecast, with ticket holders urged to seek refunds. Other shows being called off due to the impending weather event include Brad Cox, Courteneers, Alexisonfire and Underoath. Meanwhile, Cyclone Alfred has already caused flooding, power outages, and high winds in several coastal areas, with emergency services on high alert as the storm nears landfall. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
