Tim Tszya gets boxing centre recognition never afforded his famous father

Tszyu now has a 6000-seat boxing stadium re-named in his honour - an achievement never afforded his famous father Kostya despite his love affair with Newcastle during his illustrious career.

The Newcastle Entertainment Centre has officially become the Tszyucastle Entertainment Centre, at least until after Tszyu faces off against challenger Michael Zerafa on July 7.

"It's unreal - I didn't expect it," Tszyu said after spying the new signage for the first time on Tuesday.

"When I heard the crowd chanting Tszyucastle [during his last fight against Dennis Hogan], I was pretty amazed. To have the sign, that is an achievement already.

"Newcastle appreciates me and I appreciate them. That's why we got the fight back here.

"The atmosphere and the feeling and being that home-boy for the last fight - it was unbelievable and that's why we came back. It's like my second home now.

"I've fought in a stadium with 20,000 and this feels like 50,000 inside here."

Asked about the name change being an honour never afforded his father, Tszyu laughed: "I'm one up on him - but don't tell him that."

For the second time in a week, Tszyu and Zerafa came face to face for a press conference to promote a fight that no longer needs promoting. It is already a sellout with all tickets snapped up in just 24 hours.

If last week's press conference in Sydney to officially announce the fight developed into a war of words between two fighters who dislike each other, Tuesday's confrontation was far more subdued.

Zerafa knew nothing about the venue name-change until he was on stage but one of Australian boxing's fastest talkers did not react the way anyone expected.

"I saw through the whole thing so I just stayed cool and calm," he said. "It's not named after him anyway. It's named after his dad. They can re-name it after I beat him."

For his part, Tszyu wasn't too interested in Zerafa's mindset.

"I wouldn't know what he is thinking," Tszyu said. "One day he wakes up it's one thing, another day he wakes up it's another thing. Me, I'm the same person always.

"There was not much talking. It's burnt energy. Maybe he burnt himself out at the last press conference."

While Zerafa says he will simply block the pro-Tszyu crowd out on the night when he steps into the ring, Tszyu believes his opponent will be intimidated.

"It's something he will have never experienced before," he said. "Like I said, it's like fighting in front of 50,000 and they'll all be for me."

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