Las Vegas is the dream but more domestic fights may be the reality for Nikita Tszyu after the emerging superstar captured the Australian super-welterweight title with a pulsating comeback victory.
Tszyu admitted he drew inspiration from his world champion-winning brother Tim after recovering from a stunning early knockdown at the heavy right hand of Dylan Biggs to seize the belt from the holder with four minutes of carnage in the fourth and fifth rounds.
The 25-year-old had fans at Newcastle's "Tszyu-castle" Exhibition Centre rocking with the explosive display and the victor was still buzzing too an hour later after Tim urged him to ride on his coat tails to Vegas in March.
Tszyu hopes to defend his WBO super-welterweight strap in the same week as his beloved South Sydney's NRL season opener against Manly and Nikita concedes the prospect of also fighting under the bright lights in Sin City is tantalising.
While Tim floated the notion of Nikita fighting Tony Harrison, the American he beat to claim the interim WBO title in March, on his undercard there's already also talk of a showdown with Nico Ali Walsh, the 23-year-old grandson of Muhammad Ali.
But while the romantic notion of the two brothers sharing a card in Vegas is tempting for Team Tszyu, the pair's trusted manager Glen Jennings believes it may be too early in Nikita's eight-bout professional career.
"We're having a joke about Vegas. We would love that to happen but it's not a strategic move for Nikita," Jennings said.
"It's just another numbered fight. Don't expect anything more than that.
"We hope Nikita will be on that card but it will be against a challenger that's right for the time. We've still got a long way to go with Nikita. A lot of things to learn.
"That's eight fights now. We're still four fights away from coming out of his rookie period really. We're not rushing him. We're just giving him a step up each time."
Even Nikita accepts he's still a boxing "baby".
"I feel every fight's just a little step up. I'm not trying to improve a crazy amount," he said.
"Every single fight as long as I am improving from my previous performance. That's all I'm happy with.
"There are things that I did better here than my last fight that I'm happy with.
"And there's always things to improve on defence. That's number one that I've got to get going.
"But I'm two years in, I'm still a rookie. There's so much more to learn."
Jennings added: "The American trip is almost like a reward for us.
"That was Tim's goal. He just wanted to fight in Vegas and that opportunity's come up.
"It so happens to happen on a marvellous Australian weekend so where better to showcase all our boys.
"Apart from Tim, for everyone else it's just another step in their progression.
"If Nikita didn't do Vegas, he'd be in (the ring) again early next year."
