Kostya Tszyu — boxer with roots in the USSR
Kostya Tszyu (Konstantin Borisovich Tszyu), born on 19 September 1969 in Serov, Russian SFSR, is a Russian-born Australian former boxer. He won the 1991 World Amateur Championships in Sydney, moved to Australia in 1992 and became an Australian citizen in 1993. As a professional he held the IBF, WBC and WBA light-welterweight titles, and in 2001 became the first undisputed champion of the division in over 30 years. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (class of 2011) and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (2011).
"Tszyu moved to Australia in early 1992, after winning the 1991 World Amateur Championships in Sydney, and settled in Sydney; he became an Australian citizen in 1993."
Migration storyTracing the roots — Serov
Tszyu was born in Serov, in the Urals, in 1969; his mother was Russian and his father of Korean and Mongol descent. He boxed as an amateur for the Soviet Union, winning European titles and the 1991 world title, and moved to Sydney in 1992. His sons Tim and Nikita are also professional boxers.
Serov. At the time, this region was one of the fifteen republics of the Soviet Union.
A career defined by ambition
"I'm Russian, I'm Australian. I'm just a fighter."