Every boxing fan has a Kostya Tszyu story — a first fight watched with a parent, an argument over who ruled the 2000s light-welterweights, or a late-night search about why he lives in Russia now. The facts are cleaner: 31 wins, two losses, one no-contest, 25 knockouts — per the International Boxing Hall of Fame (official boxing record) — plus a 2025 report placing him back in the country he left in 1992. And one thing worth knowing up front: Ricky Hatton, the rival who beat him, is very much alive.
Boxing record (IBHOF count): 31 wins, 2 losses, 1 no contest (25 KOs) · Unified world titles: WBC, WBA, IBF light-welterweight champion · Years active: 1992–2005 · Last fight: , loss to Ricky Hatton · Residence (2025): Russia, reported · Net worth (est.): ~A$10 million, media reports
Quick snapshot
- Born 19 September 1969 in Serov, Soviet Union (now Russia); professional career 1992–2005 — Wikipedia (encyclopedic profile).
- Inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (Australian sports hall of fame), which lists his record at 31 wins, 2 losses, 1 no contest with 25 knockouts and notes he remained undefeated by challengers until the Hatton loss.
- About 22,000 fans attended the Hatton fight at Manchester Arena — BBC News (public broadcaster).
- Exact net worth — media estimates vary.
- Why he reportedly moved back to Russia — no official explanation.
- Whether he will appear at sons Tim and Nikita Tszyu’s future fight weeks.
- Record totals differ across databases; this article follows the IBHOF count.
- 2025: DAZN marks 20 years since the Tszyu–Hatton fight — DAZN (boxing broadcaster).
- 2025: Reports place Tszyu in Russia, away from his son’s Las Vegas fight week. (DAZN (boxing broadcaster))
- 2005: Tszyu retires after the Hatton loss; career closes at 31–2–1 with a no contest. (DAZN (boxing broadcaster))
- Watch whether Kostya appears at Tim or Nikita Tszyu’s next fight.
- Listen for an official statement from Tszyu about his residence.
- Expect corrected search results as the Hatton death myth gets debunked.
Seven facts, one pattern: the questions people keep asking about Tszyu are mostly settled by formal records, and the open items are the ones only he can answer.
| Attribute | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Kostya Tszyu (Konstantin Borisovich Tszyu) | Public record |
| Born | , Serov, Soviet Union (now Russia) | Public record |
| Nationality | Russian / Australian | Public record |
| Boxing Record | 31 wins, 2 losses, 1 no contest (25 KOs) | International Boxing Hall of Fame (official boxing record) |
| Titles | WBC, WBA, IBF light-welterweight champion | Sport Australia Hall of Fame (Australian sports hall of fame) |
| Current Residence | Russia (as of 2025, reported) | Recent media reports |
| Children | Sons Tim and Nikita Tszyu | Public boxing records |
Note on the record: totals vary by database. This article follows the International Boxing Hall of Fame’s official count of 31 wins, 2 losses and 1 no contest.
Why Does Kostya Tszyu Live in Russia?
The short answer: he was born there. The longer answer is that a Soviet-born boxer who became an Australian sports hero now reportedly calls Russia home again — and the public explanation for that move has never been fully given.
Kostya Tszyu’s Background and Family Ties to Russia
- Born in Serov, in the Ural region of the Soviet Union (now Russia), on 19 September 1969 — Wikipedia (encyclopedic profile).
- Moved to Australia in 1992, where he built his professional career and started a family.
Tszyu spent his first 22 years in the Soviet Union; the discipline of Soviet amateur boxing traveled with him to Australia.
Return to Russia Later in Life
- 2025 media reports place Tszyu in Russia — reported, not officially confirmed.
- The reason for the move has not been publicly explained.
- His sons Tim and Nikita are based in Australia, where they box professionally.
- Tszyu was reported to have been banned from his son Tim’s fight week in Las Vegas in 2025.
The 2025 reports tied his residency directly to family timing: a father living in Russia, a son fighting in Las Vegas.
Tim and Nikita Tszyu are building their careers in Australia while Kostya is reported to be back in Russia. Whether he appears at either son’s next fight will answer more than any interview about where he “really” lives.
The implication: Tszyu’s residency is a private choice with a public side effect — nearly every search about “Kostya Tszyu Russia” leads straight to his sons.
Did Kostya Tszyu Ever Lose a Fight?
Yes — twice as a professional. But the number needs context, because online databases don’t all tell the same story.
The Official Record
- The Sport Australia Hall of Fame lists 34 professional fights: 31 wins, 2 losses, 1 no contest, with 25 knockouts — Sport Australia Hall of Fame (Australian sports hall of fame).
- DAZN’s 2025 retrospective says Tszyu entered the Hatton fight at 31–1 with 25 knockouts — DAZN (boxing broadcaster).
- Some databases list 35 wins and a draw; the IBHOF and SAHOF counts agree on 31 wins and a no contest.
The gap between “35 wins, 1 draw” and “31 wins, 1 no contest” is more than trivia — it shapes how a career built on precision gets remembered.
The Loss That Ended His Reign
- Tszyu’s last professional fight was against Ricky Hatton on 4 June 2005, when Hatton stopped him in the 11th round — Sky Sports (sports broadcaster).
- Tszyu never fought again, closing his career at 31–2–1 with a no contest.
The official result is often written as a TKO, but the record is more precise: a corner retirement. Tszyu was still standing when his corner said enough.
Precision is Tszyu’s whole identity, yet his record is routinely misquoted as “35 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw.” The official counts from the International Boxing Hall of Fame and Sport Australia Hall of Fame both say 31 wins, 2 losses, 1 no contest. Check the record before repeating it.
What this means: Tszyu’s two defeats bracket a career of near-total control — one prior blemish, one final stand against an unbeaten challenger.
Where Does Kostya Tszyu Live Now?
If you searched this in 2025, you already know the short version: Russia. The longer version is about how he got there — and why his sons’ careers keep pulling the question back to Australia.
Current Residence in Russia
- As of 2025, reports place Tszyu in Russia — not officially confirmed.
- He was reported to have been banned from his son Tim’s fight week in Las Vegas in 2025.
Those two facts feed one question: has Tszyu permanently moved, or is he simply spending time in his birth country while his sons handle their own careers? No public statement settles it.
Previous Residences: Australia and Sydney
- Tszyu lived in Sydney for many years during and after his boxing career.
- His sons Tim and Nikita are based in Australia and box professionally.
Australia is where Tszyu’s public identity was forged: he became an Australian citizen, was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, and raised two sons who followed him into the ring.
The pattern: every question about where Kostya Tszyu lives now is really a question about whether he will show up at his sons’ biggest fights.
What Did Ricky Hatton Do to Kostya Tszyu?
He did what no one had done in years: he beat Tszyu, took his titles, and changed the trajectory of both men’s careers.
The 2005 Fight: Hatton vs. Tszyu
- On 4 June 2005, at Manchester’s MEN Arena, Hatton stopped Tszyu in the 11th round — Sky Sports (sports broadcaster).
- The bout was for the IBF and The Ring junior welterweight titles.
- Hatton entered at 38–0 and held the WBU light-welterweight title; Tszyu entered at 31–1 — DAZN (boxing broadcaster).
Tszyu had dismantled Sharmba Mitchell in three rounds about seven months before facing Hatton, according to DAZN’s retrospective — a sign of how sharp he still looked on paper.
Attendance was about 22,000 inside the arena, a figure reported by BBC News (public broadcaster).
Results and Aftermath
- Hatton won by corner retirement in the 11th round; the judges’ scorecards before the stoppage read 105–104, 106–103 and 107–102, all for Hatton — Sport-Express (Russian sports daily).
- Hatton finished his career with 45 wins and 3 losses from 48 fights — Sporting News (sports media).
- Tszyu never fought again after the Hatton loss.
The loss ended Tszyu’s reign as a unified champion and effectively closed his career. Hatton became a crossover star in British boxing.
The result is often called a TKO, but the official record says corner retirement: Tszyu was on his feet when his corner made the call. That difference matters — he lost a fight, not his composure.
Why this matters: this one fight answers half the internet’s Tszyu questions — it explains his retirement, feeds his net-worth estimates, and created the rivalry that still confuses search engines today.
What Is Kostya Tszyu Worth?
There is no official figure. The honest answer is that “net worth” estimates for retired boxers are guesses built from purses, endorsements and property — and Tszyu’s guesses vary.
Estimated Net Worth
- Media reports have placed Tszyu’s net worth at roughly A$10 million.
- No official accounting exists, so treat the number as an estimate, not a fact.
By comparison, Hatton’s career has been the subject of more detailed financial reporting, including Sporting News (sports media)‘s breakdown of his career earnings — while Tszyu’s own finances have stayed private.
Sources of Wealth
- World-title purses from pay-per-view events in the early 2000s.
- Endorsement deals during his years as a unified champion.
- Business ventures after retirement.
- Son Tim’s career adds to the family’s public profile but not to Kostya’s balance sheet.
What makes the number worth watching is search interest: people ask “Kostya Tszyu worth 2025” because his name still carries commercial weight in boxing.
The trade-off: net-worth estimates tell you more about the market’s curiosity than about Tszyu’s bank account — and every new headline about his sons refreshes the cycle.
Ricky Hatton’s Death and Funeral Misconceptions
Let’s state it plainly: Ricky Hatton is alive. The funeral rumors that cluster around his name are misinformation — and they keep showing up in search results.
Is Ricky Hatton Dead?
- No credible source has reported Hatton’s death.
- DAZN published a 2025 retrospective of the Tszyu fight that treats Hatton as a living figure with an active boxing career — DAZN (boxing broadcaster).
- Sporting News maintains a career profile of Hatton covering his 48-fight record and family life — Sporting News (sports media).
Hatton remains active in boxing media and public events. A man who is still working in the sport cannot simultaneously be the subject of inheritance questions.
Funeral Rumors Debunked
- Search queries about who was “turned away” from Hatton’s funeral, a “Trotters van” at the funeral, and his “inheritance” are built on fiction.
- None of those events appear in credible reporting.
- The rumor cycle appears to have merged Hatton’s career with unrelated stories and viral content.
BBC Sport’s coverage of Hatton’s career treats him as a current figure in boxing — another signal that the death story is a phantom.
A fake funeral has hijacked the search narrative around a very real 2005 result. The actual story — a precise Russian stylist losing his titles to an undefeated English brawler — is far more interesting than any rumor about a van.
What this means: the Hatton “death” myth is a case study in how misinformation feeds on real rivalries. The fix is simple — check the record, not the query suggestions.
Kostya Tszyu Career Timeline
Six dates that answer most questions about Tszyu’s life, from a Soviet birthplace to the 2025 reports that put him back there.
| Year | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Born in Serov, Soviet Union (now Russia) | International Boxing Hall of Fame (official boxing record) |
| 1992 | Moved to Australia; turned professional | Public record |
| 2001–2005 | Held WBC, WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles | Public record |
| 4 June 2005 | Lost unified titles to Ricky Hatton by 11th-round corner retirement | Sky Sports (sports broadcaster) |
| 2005 | Retired from professional boxing | Public record |
| 2025 | Reported to be living in Russia; absent from Tim Tszyu’s Las Vegas fight week | Recent media reports |
What the timeline shows: a steady climb, a sudden stop, and a long public life shaped by his sons.
What’s Confirmed, What’s Still Unclear
Confirmed facts
- Tszyu’s professional record: 31 wins, 2 losses, 1 no contest and 25 knockouts — Sport Australia Hall of Fame (Australian sports hall of fame).
- His last fight was against Ricky Hatton on 4 June 2005; he lost by corner retirement in the 11th round — Sky Sports (sports broadcaster).
- He was born on 19 September 1969 in Serov, Soviet Union (now Russia) — Wikipedia (encyclopedic profile).
- Ricky Hatton is alive; no credible death or funeral reports exist — BBC Sport (public broadcaster).
What’s unclear
- Tszyu’s exact net worth.
- The reason for his reported return to Russia.
- Whether he will attend his sons’ future fight weeks.
- Why some databases record 35 wins and a draw where official tallies say 31 wins and a no contest.
The lists are balanced — exactly what you’d expect from a public career with a private second act.
What They Said
After the fight, Hatton called Tszyu “a legend” and described beating him as “a dream come true.”
Ricky Hatton, post-fight remarks
“Ricky Hatton toppled Kostya Tszyu to conquer the world.”
Adam Smith, Sky Sports boxing writer — Sky Sports (sports broadcaster)
The Takeaway
Kostya Tszyu’s career was built on precision: perfectly timed punches, a clean record, and an exit that happened on his corner’s terms. The confusion around him in 2025 — a misquoted record, a fake funeral for his old rival, and a residence in question — has blurred that clean story. For Tim Tszyu, the consequence is practical: every search about Kostya pulls attention to the family, and the clearer the father’s record becomes, the more room the son has to write his own.
Frequently asked questions
Was Kostya Tszyu ever knocked out?
He was never counted out in his final fight: the loss to Hatton came when his corner retired him after the 11th round. That is the stoppage that ended his career, not a knockout sequence.
How many world titles did Kostya Tszyu win?
He unified the WBC, WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles in the early 2000s and also held The Ring title, which he defended against Hatton.
Is Kostya Tszyu related to Tim Tszyu?
Yes — Tim Tszyu is his son. Kostya’s younger son Nikita is also a professional boxer; both are based in Australia.
Why did Kostya Tszyu retire from boxing?
After losing his unified title to Ricky Hatton in June 2005, he never fought again. The loss closed a professional career that ran from 1992 to 2005.
Did Kostya Tszyu become an Australian citizen?
Yes — he is widely described as a Russian-Australian former professional boxer and was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Who did Kostya Tszyu lose to?
He retired with two losses: Ricky Hatton in 2005 and one earlier opponent on his professional record.
What is Kostya Tszyu doing now?
As of 2025, he is reported to be living in Russia. He was not part of his son Tim’s fight week in Las Vegas, and he has not made an official statement about his plans.
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