A candid Tim Tszyu has detailed why his legendary father is banned from his looming all-or-nothing fight and why he's desperate to protect possibly the greatest family record in Australian sports history.
The former super-welterweight world champion will joust with rising American Joey Spencer on April 6 not only hoping to resurrect his international career after two seismic defeats in the US, but also defending an incredible 50-0 domestic winning streak for the incomparable Tszyu clan.
With little fuss or fanfare, Tszyu's younger brother Nikita completed the extraordinary family half century with a ninth-round TKO of Koen Mazoudier in Sydney last August.
Nikita's victory extended his professional record to a perfect 10 from 10, while Tim is 22-0 in Australia after their Russian-born Hall of Fame father Kostya went 18-0 in his adopted homeland.
"It's a hell of a legacy, that's for sure," Tsyzu told AAP ahead of what he ranks as the most significant fight of his life in Newcastle.
"Australia's given so much and the fact that we get to stamp our names in history here and do 50, it's quite an achievement."
But with such a fabled feat comes pressure.
Tszyu most certainly does not want to be the first son of a gun to lose on home turf come Saturday week.
"No," he said steadfastly before opening up on why Kostya won't be ringside in Newcastle, or for the foreseeable future.
Kostya's overbearing presence caused "chaos" during Tszyu's professional debut in 2016 before the Sydney slayer rose to world champion under his uncle Igor Goloubev's stoic and disciplined guidance.
While he doesn't blame him, Tszyu suffered the worst - and only second - loss of his career in Florida last October after Kostya flew from Moscow to watch live.
The 30-year-old found having his father present, after a decade-long absence from his life, an alien-like experience before being pummelled by unbeaten Russian Bakhram Murtazaliev.
"It wasn't bad. It wasn't a distraction. It was unfamiliar. I'm just not used to him being there," Tszyu said.
"Look, I appreciate my dad and it was great to see him in Orlando and stuff, but I have my own schedule. No one's really telling me how it should be done.
"Even though he's close and he's my dad, I'm not used to my dad, especially throughout my whole 20's of growing up. I never really got to experience him there."
Tszyu now says "it feels back to normal" with the trusted Goloubev calling the shots and his father not being around for his make-or-break clash with Spencer.
While a victory in so-called "Tszyu-Castle" could set up a global mega-fight with Jermell Charlo, Keith Thurman, Errol Spence, Vergil Ortiz or a mouth-watering rematch with Sebastian Fundora, No Limit Boxing boss George Rose is on record conceding a third straight defeat could spell the end of Tszyu's career.
"There's so much on the line," Tszyu said, admitting he needs to showcase his true colours after mitigating, blood-curdling losses to Fundora and Murtazaliev.
"The thing is, I've been to America. I've done heaps.
"I've been in different, different levels of experience and I feel like I haven't been able to show that I've been getting better.
"Yeah, it just hasn't worked out. I haven't been able to prove myself on that big stage."
