Tim Tszyu and Mateo Tapia are getting set for an ‘Auslando’ takeover this weekend with ‘gigantic numbers’ expected to be tuning in on Sunday, as ads for the megafight roll out in prime time NFL slots.
Tszyu and Tapia are set to star in the most-watched boxing event involving Australian fighters via American streaming giant Amazon Prime. An estimated 100 million people subscribe to Amazon Prime in the States, and this weekend’s card – headlined by Tszyu’s IBF world title bout against fearsome Chechen brawler Bakhram Murtazaliev – is the service’s first ever non-PPV boxing event.
This masthead can reveal that the streaming behemoth is “optimistic of a gigantic number” of viewers tuning in this weekend. Tszyu’s face will also make a surprise appearance during Thursday night football this week, with an advertisement set to be aired when the Denver Broncos take on the New Orleans Saints.
Thursday Night Football is an American tradition, with Amazon regularly raking in more than 10 million viewers each week. And Tszyu will be front and centre with a 30 second spot beamed into households across the country as ‘The Soul Taker’ and his fellow Aussie Tapia plot an ‘Auslando’ takeover of Orlando in the heart of Florida.
The Aussies In Prime Time
“We’re in a good position, a really good position,” Tszyu told this masthead. “I can’t name many Aussie fighters in this position. Actually I can’t name any Aussie fighters who are in this position. We posted this video the other day of me doing this coin catching trick, and that’s up to about 12 million views, and that’s crazy. So to times that by 10 for how many people are watching, man, that’s even better.”
It’s a mark of Tszyu’s selling power and future potential that the Australian kid from Sydney is headlining Amazon Prime’s first ever non-PPV broadcast. American promotional giant PBC has invested heavily in him too. Tszyu’s bloodbath against Sebastian Fundora in March was also the streaming service’s very first pay-per-view fight card, meaning ‘Kostya’s kid’ is one of PBC’s biggest stars.
“It’s crazy to think that,” Tszyu said. “Just crazy numbers. But, No Limit and PBC, they believe in me and they know what I bring.”
Tapia Seeks Breakout Performance
Meanwhile Tapia, the hard-hitting middleweight from the Northern Beaches, has been touted as Australia’s next world champion, and is ready for a breakout performance on the undercard. Tapia, now based in nearby St Petersburg, takes on the battle-hardened Endry Saavedra in a fight that will see him shoot up the rankings. And the more eyeballs on his statement performance, the better.
“There’s gonna be a lot of eyes, and a lot of exposure,” Tapia told this masthead. “I’m excited. I’ve actually had a feeling like this before, fighting in Dubai, so I have experienced it before. But this is an even bigger show and a bigger platform.”
Despite being based in Florida, Tapia still calls Australia home, and said he wants to bring a world title blockbuster back Down Under within the next 12 months. “The division is very open at the moment, so if the opportunity presents itself, I’ll take it,” he said. “There’s still a lot of killers in the division, but it’s wide open and they’re very beatable. I’ve sparred a lot of rounds with Janibek Alimkhanuly, who beat Andrei Mikhailovich in Sydney a few weeks ago. Watching that fight, I can see myself challenging for a title and winning it too. Back in Australia, that would be ideal.”
A Chance To Showcase Aussie Talent
The fight between Tszyu and Murtazaliev is a big opportunity for Australian boxing. It is a chance for Tszyu to show the world what he is capable of, and for Tapia to make a name for himself. The fight is also a chance to showcase the talent of Australian boxers to a global audience. The event will be a major boost for Australian boxing, and could help to pave the way for more Australian boxers to compete on the world stage. It is sure to be a night of excitement and action, and fans around the world are sure to be tuning in.
