Danny Green has watched it again. This time in silence, at home in Western Australia, round by round, punch by punch. And he’s convinced: Nikita Tszyu did enough.
A week on from the chaotic IBF eliminator on the Gold Coast, the Australian boxing great has rescored Tszyu’s controversial split draw with Ben Mahoney and come up with a clear verdict — 116-114 to “The Butcher”.
Tight. Messy. But, in Green’s eyes, still a win.
And with that, he says, the path is clear for Tszyu to pack his bags, chase the bright lights and make his long-anticipated American debut before Christmas.
Green’s card: Tszyu by two
The original scorecards told the story of a fractured night.
- Phillip Holliday had it wide for Tszyu, 117-111.
- Sabrina Kerr went the other way, 115-113 to Mahoney.
- Carl Zappia sat on the fence at 114-114.
Confusion reigned. Then Nikita added fuel to the fire by telling Ben Damon in the ring that he thought he’d lost. By the time the post-fight press conference rolled around, the Sydneysider had walked that back, blaming the emotion of not getting the finish.
Green, sitting at ringside on commentary, initially edged the fight to Tszyu. After rewatching all 12 rounds without commentary, he’s doubled down.
He gave Mahoney the first two rounds, and then only two more — six and twelve. Tszyu, he scored rounds four, five, seven, eight, ten and eleven. Rounds three and nine? Too close to split.
Final tally: 116-114, Tszyu.
“It was a tight fight,” Green said this week. “But after rewatching all 12 rounds without commentary, I’ve again scored it in Nikita Tszyu’s favour. And by two rounds.”
Mahoney’s jab and work rate impressed him. The Gold Coast fighter was busy, constantly punching, constantly in Tszyu’s face. But Green saw a clear difference in the quality of the shots.
“Mahoney was throwing a lot of punches, and his jab certainly kept him in the game,” he said. “But it was Nikita landing the harder, heavier shots.”
At times, Green felt Mahoney drifted into “shoe shining” — fast, light combinations on the arms and gloves. Eye-catching. Less convincing on the scorecards.
Tszyu’s left hand, though, kept thudding home.
The turning point: when Nikita started to “chug”
Mahoney started fast. He took the first two rounds on Green’s card, and looked every bit the undefeated local determined to crash the Tszyu show.
Then the fight changed.
“Once Tszyu started finding his groove through rounds four and five, through that middle section he really started chugging,” Green said.
The left hand became the weapon of the night. Tszyu banged it to the head, dug it into the body, and slowly began to walk Mahoney down. Those body shots, Green stressed, had to be scored.
“And overall, I think it was his thudding left hands that proved the difference. Nikita also went to the body a lot. And you’ve gotta score those shots …”
By the back half of the fight, Green saw a clear momentum swing. Tszyu, he felt, came on stronger through seven, eight, nine, ten and eleven, landing the more telling blows even as Mahoney refused to wilt.
Immediately after the bout, Green told Main Event he believed Tszyu’s left hand had been enough to get him over the line.
“I had Nikita Tszyu winning the fight. Full respect to Ben Mahoney, who I said wouldn’t go past eight rounds. He proved me wrong. It was a magic fight. It’s not pleasant when it ends controversially.”
The rematch calls came quickly. Green understands them. But he doesn’t see them as mandatory.
Not ready for the “top dogs” – but ready for America
Green’s verdict is nuanced. He believes Tszyu deserved the nod. He also believes the 28-year-old is not yet ready for the elite at super welterweight.
Names like Josh Kelly, Sebastian Fundora and Jaron “Boots” Ennis can wait.
“Overall though, Nikita still needs more experience before he steps up to that world title level,” Green said. “And I know Nikita will be humble enough to recognize that.”
He pointed to Tszyu’s underused right hook as one obvious area for growth.
“I would’ve liked to see Nikita throw his right hook more. He’s got a beautiful right hook but just didn’t let it go as much as he could have. And Mahoney had his hands high, so wasn’t really allowing it.”
This was only fight number 14 for Tszyu, Green reminded. One of those, against Michael Zerafa, barely counted as a contest.
“So it’s still very early in his career to be taking on world champions. That would be premature.”
But stepping into the US market? That, Green says, is exactly what Tszyu should do next.
With talk of a December American debut, likely on the undercard of star attraction David Benavidez, Green sees no reason to hesitate.
“I don’t see why not,” he said. “As long as Nikita keeps improving, keeps testing himself and growing, there is no downside to that.”
The message is clear: don’t rush the belts, but don’t fear the stage.
Tim Tszyu’s next move: Lara, not Charlo
Nikita isn’t the only Tszyu on Green’s mind.
The former world champion has also weighed in on what comes next for Tim Tszyu, fresh from his gutsy win over American Errol Spence Jnr and now chasing legacy as a two-division world champion.
For Green, one name stands out: Erislandy Lara, the WBA middleweight champion.
“I think Erislandy Lara could be the perfect opponent for Tim,” he said. “Obviously, given Lara’s age, he is well and truly on the back nine. And I also think Tim [has the style] to beat him. So there’s a lot to like there.”
Green went further, suggesting that if Tim had “stepped on the gas” against Spence, he might have stopped him.
“Maybe he could’ve stepped on the gas and finished. But a win is a win, and it was a great victory.”
Jermell Charlo, the long-time name linked to Tszyu, holds less appeal for Green at this point.
“What does Jermell Charlo do for you? What does he bring?” he asked. For Green, the smarter play is chasing another world title at a new weight rather than revisiting old grudges.
“Whatever Tim does next though, that’s totally up to him. But I’d be chasing another world title.”
So, in one wild fortnight, the Tszyu brothers sit at different crossroads.
Nikita, bruised from a controversial eliminator, is being nudged towards America, not a domestic rematch. Tim, buoyed by a statement win over Spence, is being urged to hunt down a second division and an ageing champion in Lara.
The judges have had their say. Green has had his. Now it’s on the Tszyus to decide how far, and how fast, they want to push into the deep end of world boxing.
