Legendary name on horizon for Nikita after $3m rejection; young ...

As Australia’s Nikita Tszyu looks to continue his hyped rise and rise in Sydney on Wednesday night, we look at four burning questions ahead of a stacked No Limit Card.

1. What would a win mean for Nikita Tszyu?

And could it be enough to land a 2025 NRL Las Vegas weekend headliner against somebody like Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Nicho Ali-Walsh?

Of all the burning questions to be answered tonight, undoubtedly the greatest is where the undefeated ‘Butcher’ goes if he continues his hyped rise and rise against Koen ‘The Barbarian’ Mazoudier.

BOXING: NIKITA TSZYU V MAZOUDIER | WED 28 AUG 7PM AEST | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.

All week we’ve been hearing that Tszyu, with a win, will then be pitched into a showdown with Australia’s boxing bad boy Michael Zerafa, who himself fights popular Sydney mainstay Tommy Browne in the co-main.

Three years after walking away from a hyped headliner with Tim Tszyu, Zerafa is now on what he has dubbed a three-fight plan to get that back – and says he has been “promised” the younger Tszyu sibling next by No Limit if both win tonight.

However as revealed by No Limit CEO George Rose this week, the “doors to the world” open up to Tszyu if he beats Mazoudier and earns himself a top 15 world ranking.

Already, Rose is in discussions with the NRL about having a Las Vegas fight card on the same weekend at their 2025 launch, and Nikita Tszyu could be a chance of headlining if promoters can find a suitable ‘name’.

Previously, one man in the mix was Ali-Walsh, the 24-year-old Las Vegas fighter who only recently turned down a $3 million offer to fight Jake Paul, stating: “I’m not part of that circus league of boxing”.

Ali Walsh (10-1) avenged the only loss of his career in June, beating Sona Akale by decision, despite suffering a dislocated shoulder late in the fight.

Exactly what that means for his immediate future remains unclear but, for Nikita Tszyu to headline any potential card, promoters would be looking for a rising US fighter with suitable ‘name’ value.

Obviously, No Limit would love to have Australia’s boxing poster boy Tim Tszyu headlining such an event, but should he beat IBF world champ Bakhram Murtazaliev in October the logistics around when he fights become determined by thousands of factors.

There is a chance Nikita Tszyu could fight again this year in Australia – potentially against the winner of Zerafa and Browne – and then still turn around for that Las Vegas weekend at the start of March.

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How much does ‘Deadpool’ have left to give as Aussie boxing’s bad boy?

No matter your take on Michael ‘Pretty Boy’ Zerafa, there is no doubting Australian boxing’s greatest villain brings more eyeballs to a card when he is throwing down.

But exactly how dangerous the now 32-year-old Melburnian is undeniably a question that needs answering given he has now fought just twice in the more than two years since he enjoyed a huge win over Issac Hardman – a lacklustre win over Danilo Creati and brutal KO loss against WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara.

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, Zerafa promised to score a knockout win over Browne although conceded it will bring him no positive headlines given the age of a rival who has already retired once.

BOXING: NIKITA TSZYU V MAZOUDIER | WED 28 AUG 7PM AEST | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.

Certainly there will be plenty of eyes on the fighter who took Kell Brook 12 rounds and, most famously, stopped Jeff Horn in 2019 – with plenty keen to try and get a read on what a fight with Nikita Tszyu would look like.

Given his career, Zerafa (31-5) would appear to be easily the biggest test of The Butcher’s career.

Elsewhere, the fighter also branded himself Aussie boxing’s Deadpool given the headlines have surrounded his jawing this week with Browne, with Tszyu, with Mazoudier, with journalists, Main Event host Ben Damon, everyone basically.

Zerafa even made headlines 24 hours out from the fight when Fox Sports Australia revealed he had been rushed to complete 11th hour bloodwork, which he had initially forgotten and could see the fight stopped.

Thankfully, it’s understood No Limit have received this early today.

Can Conor McGregor’s mate steal the show?

He has previously cornered for UFC megastar Conor McGregor, and now Australia’s fighting Irishman Conor Wallace looms as the man who could go steal the show on a stacked card inside the ICC Theatre tonight.

Now based out of Brisbane, Wallace is looking to punch his way into a world title fight when he throws down against hyped New Zealand Jerome Pampellone in a light-heavyweight blockbuster.

The fight doubles as world title eliminator and puts both Wallace (13-1) and Pampellone (18-1) on track for a shot at the division’s superstars, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.

Back in 2016, a then 20-year-old Wallace was hand-picked by UFC superstar McGregor to help prepare for him for his hyped Octagon rematch with Nate Diaz.

While Wallace, back then still a promising amateur, had thought the sparring would be the extent of his involvement, McGregor approached him only days out from the fight and invited him to be in the corner for what would eventually be not only a Mystic Mac win, but among the greatest performances of his career.

Which young guns are the real deal?

Despite boasting only seven professional fights between them, there is huge interest tonight in the continuing rise of undefeated fighters Billy Polkinghorn (2-0), Sonny Knight (2-0) and Dharringarra Trewhella.

Polkinghorn, in particular, is considered the Next Big Thing in Australian boxing after inking a multi-year deal with the No Limit fight stable.

The 27-year-old super lightweight looked strong in his first No Limit appearance only last month against Jordan Kasilieris, although afterwards admitted to being disappointed with his showing in the unanimous decision win.

Tonight, the fighter who trains alongside Liam Wilson, and is managed by the same team as the Tszyu brothers, faces New Zealand prospect Michael Reynolds.

Elsewhere, the daughter of Australian combat king John Wayne parr looks to continue her own push towards a world title fight.

Jasmine ‘Jazzy’ Parr, 21, and undefeated in five fights, takes on Thailand’s Pannaporn Kaewpawong as part of her climb through the rankings to eventual face IBF flyweight world champion Gabriela Fundora.

Fundora is the younger sister of Sebastian Fundora, who beat Tim Tszyu in a bloody world title showdown in March.