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Nikita Tszyu was smiling and joking with opponent Koen Mazoudier on Monday but says they'll both switch when he fights his old sparring mate.
Australian boxing star Nikita Tszyu looks at his opponent Koen Mazoudier and says he sees a best mate he's "trying to kill".
Instead of trading insults and talking trash, Tszyu and Mazoudier laughed about eating burgers together and running barefoot in the rain ahead of their Wednesday night fight at ICC Sydney.
Should he emerge victorious, Tszyu (9-0, 7KOs) will secure a top-15 world ranking and the IBF Australasian and WBO inter-continental super welterweight titles.
But unlike past bouts, the southpaw won't be motivated by bad blood when he goes face-to-face with Mazoudier (12-3-1, 5KOs).
"When I heard that he goes for runs barefoot in the rain in one of his interviews, I'm like, 'this guy is a nutcase, my poor feet would be bleeding' but each to their own," Tszyu said on Monday.
"The sport of boxing is beautiful in that growing up throughout the gym, you have training partners that you're best mates with, that you're training with.
"And when you're sparring, you're trying to kill each other. There is no holding back, but then straight after sparring, you're smiling, laughing it off.
"We know how to separate the brutality from the laughter, and yes, we're joking around now, talking about eating burgers, and we're all smiling, but once that bell rings, we're both going to switch.
"I respect Koen. It's going to be like looking in the mirror. We've both got that same kind of mentality."
Tszyu will also be fighting to maintain a proud family record in Australia.
Alongside older brother Tim and legendary father Kostya, the Tszyu boxers have never lost in Australia across 50 matches stretching all the way back to 1992.
Tszyu has never been knocked out, winning seven of his nine fights inside 10 rounds.
But his last opponent Danilo Creati took him the distance in April, leaving the 26-year-old wobbling before he went on to secure a unanimous points win and retain his Australian super welterweight title.
With 10 rounds scheduled for Wednesday's fight, Mazoudier brushed aside any suggestion Tszyu's chin may be vulnerable.
"I don't bank on any of that sort of stuff," Mazoudier said.
"I'm thinking about a strong, dangerous man who's coming to kill.
"I know that I'm strong. I know I'm dangerous, and I can hurt him or anyone when I catch him with the right punch, no matter of their weight, who they are, if their chin is good or bad, or whatever else."
