Defending champion Dylan Biggs is threatening a dramatic no-show if he’s forced to play second fiddle to Nikita Tszyu and enter the ring first for the pair’s Australian super-welterweight showdown in Newcastle.
While belt holders traditionally have the honour of walking out last, promoter George Rose says Tszyu, as the pay-per-view headline act, will receive preferential treatment on Wednesday night.
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Biggs, though, says there’s “definitely a chance” that he won’t leave the dressing room if called out first.
“I’m stubborn. That’s me, but we’ll see what happens,” Biggs said at a pre-fight face-off between the two fighters in Sydney, ahead of Tuesday’s pre-fight press conference.
Tszyu (7-0, 6KOs) stoked the fire by taunting Biggs (10-0, 7KOs) about the potential “Mexican stand-off”.
“So you would tarnish the event simply on pride? Wow. Wow,” Tszyu told Biggs.
“Yeah, I would,” Biggs said. “It’s not pride, it’s tradition.”
“Well, I guess you are 21 years old. You’re absolutely mature,” said Tszyu, who promised to do whatever he was told by his bosses.
“When I hear it’s your turn to walk, I walk. I’m not going act like a little brat and have a little cry of pride.”
Rose, who is spruiking the fight as the biggest domestic bout since Nikita’s then-unfancied brother Tim upset former world champion Jeff Horn, insists Tszyu will walk out last.
“He’s the star of the show,” Rose said.
“Look, all respect to Dylan. He is the Australian champ earned that title fair and square and he’s a fantastic fighter.
“But this is a Nikita Tszyu show. This wouldn’t be happening if we didn’t have Nikita Tszyu headlining this.
“We wouldn’t be here like this. We wouldn’t be on pay per view. We wouldn’t be showing one of the greatest domestic fights of the year if it wasn’t for Nikita.
“So there’s no hiding that this is the Nikita Tszyu show and we’re rolling with Nikita.”
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