Kostya Tszyu is a famous Russian and Australian boxer who has achieved impressive success in and outside the ring. The international successes of this athlete are well known to everyone, and therefore today we, perhaps, will not focus in detail on his sports career and will try to talk about our today's hero as an ordinary person.

Childhood and family of Kostya Tszyu

Konstantin Borisovich Tszyu was born on September 19, 1969 in the small provincial town of Serov, located in the Sverdlovsk region of Russia. His parents were ordinary Soviet people and were quite far from professional sports. The talented guy’s father worked most of his life as a metallurgist, and his mother devoted herself to medicine.

As for Kostya himself, he was always a fairly lively and active child. Trying to channel the guy’s energy into some fruitful direction, already in 1979 Boris Tszyu took his son to the boxing section of one of the children’s and youth sports schools in the city of Serov. And I soon realized that I had made the right choice.

Kostya Tszyu's first successes in boxing

A lively ten-year-old boy, after six months of sports training, began to enter the ring and defeat older guys. A couple of years later, our today’s hero began to be involved in the training of the USSR national junior team for the first time. Kostya Tszyu’s career was slowly moving up. He became a prize-winner of various regional and international competitions. He lost and won, and this path slowly led Kostya to his intended goal.

In 1985, our today's hero became the champion of the RSFSR among youth in his age category. Almost immediately after this, Kostya Tszyu began to appear from time to time at “adult” competitions.

Kostya Tszyu's best fights

In 1989, Konstantin achieved his first serious success in the main age group. During this period, he won gold medals at the USSR Championship and almost immediately after that he also triumphantly performed at the European Championship, where he again managed to reach the highest step of the podium. This was followed by a series of new victories. In 1990 and 1991, the talented athlete became the winner of the Soviet Union Championship two times in a row and a prize-winner of a number of international competitions. In 1989, at the Moscow World Boxing Championship, Kostya Tszyu took third place among athletes in the weight category up to 60 kilograms.

Kostya Tszyu and Mike Tyson's student

And a year later he managed to win gold medals at the Goodwill Games in Seattle, America. The year 1991 was no less striking in the athlete’s performance. It was then that Kostya Tszyu managed to add two gold medals from the European and world championships to his treasury.

Kostya Tszyu in Australia

A series of outstanding performances at various tournaments attracted the attention of the famous Australian coach Johnny Lewis to the Soviet athlete. It was he who subsequently convinced Konstantin to move to Australia to train and continue his sports career. Soon, the talented boxer accepted the Australian citizenship offered to him and began to often perform in exhibition fights around the world.

Throughout his professional career, Kostya Tszyu remained one of the strongest athletes on the planet in his weight category. Over the years, the Russian-Australian athlete had the opportunity to defeat such famous athletes as Jesse Leiha, Juan Laporte, Judah Zab, Cesar Chavez, Ismael Chavez. All these, as well as many other bright victories, brought Kostya Tszyu enormous fame and world recognition in the world of boxing. He became a real star in Australia, and then in his homeland.

The result of the career of boxer Kostya Tszyu

In total, during his career, Kostya Tszyu fought 282 fights, among which he managed to win 270 victories. This figure has always seemed quite impressive. Therefore, the boxer’s inclusion in the fighting hall of fame, which took place in June 2011, did not come as a surprise to anyone.

Kostya Tszyu. Best knockouts

It is quite noteworthy that on the same day as Kostya Tszyu, Sylvester Stallone and the Mexican champion Julio Cesar Chavez, whom the Australian boxer once defeated, were also included in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Kostya Dzyu after retirement

After completing his professional career, Kostya Tszyu began coaching. For his players, he developed a special training system that allowed them to achieve special success in the ring. At the time of writing this article, Konstantin’s wards included such famous boxers as Denis Lebedev, Alexander Povetkin, Khabib Allahverdiev.

In parallel with this, our today’s hero was conducting master classes for young athletes, and also opened a number of sports schools in Russia with his own money. Such measures, according to the plan of the eminent boxer, should have been aimed at popularizing the sport in the country.

In 2010, with the same goals, Kostya Tszyu also headed the editorial office of the first electronic magazine on martial arts in Russia, “Fight Magazine,” showing himself in a fundamentally new role. In parallel with all this, our today's hero also often appeared on television as a media person. Over the years, the athlete took part in such projects as “Kostya Tszyu. To be the first”, “Australia’s Next Top Model”, “Dancing with the Stars”, etc. In addition, Kostya Tszyu also played several cameo roles in the Australian TV series “Deal or Not”, “Home and Away” and some others.

Kostya Tszyu currently

Currently, the talented Australian-Russian boxer works as a trainer and editor. At the end of 2013, rumors began to appear in the media that Kostya Tszyu was allegedly preparing to write his own autobiography. However, at the moment this information has not been officially confirmed.

Personal life of Kostya Tszyu

For twenty years, Kostya Tszyu was married to a woman named Natalya. As part of this marital union, three children were born, each of whom subsequently, in one way or another, connected their lives with sports (boxing, football and gymnastics).

After the divorce, Konstantin said that the cooling of relations with his wife happened 12 years ago. Since then they have not actually lived together, and he has had relationships with other women.

In recent years, Kostya Tszyu has been dating a woman named Tatyana. The lovers decided not to register their marriage, but the athlete does not deny the possibility of them having children together.

The boxer and his new passion, the beautiful Tatyana, no longer hide their relationship

Another famous Russian couple announced their divorce: Kostya Tszyu broke up with his wife after 20 years of marriage. Even the three children who are growing up with the athlete could not save the family. In fact, the couple’s marriage broke up three years ago, when the boxer began to visit Moscow more and more often, while his relatives lived in Australia. And now the couple has announced a divorce. The divorce proceedings of Konstantin and Natalia Tszyu will take place on December 3 in Sydney. Meanwhile, Kostya has long been happy with his new girlfriend: the boxer’s chosen one is the spectacular brunette Tatyana AVERINA.

The athlete and his young girlfriend no longer hide their passion: the girl accompanies the athlete on filming and parties, the couple travels together around the world and happily shares joint photos on social networks. In the photo - Tatiana in Kostya's arms in different parts of the world: now they are in Greece, now in Spain, now in Portugal. This summer, the couple also managed to visit Crimea, where Tatyana has a house. The new friend has already met Kostya’s parents and, judging by the pictures, they have managed to become friends.

Meanwhile, although the athlete’s ex-wife Natalya assures that she and Kostya parted amicably and that the boxer fully provides for his former family, everything is far from so smooth. Tszyu’s mother-in-law, who turned out to be much more frank than his ex-wife, told reporters about the true state of affairs:

He made his own choice. Nobody pushed him. Children have known for a long time that dad will no longer live with mom,” Valentina Sergeevna said in an interview "Komsomolskaya Pravda" , - Kostya now comes to them very rarely - three or four times a year. Tomorrow he will fly from Moscow to Australia. I think to see my mother. But I hope it will come to children too. By the way, Kostya’s parents are also unhappy that their son abandoned the family.

According to the athlete’s mother-in-law, after his departure the family found themselves in cramped conditions. Although Natalya refused alimony, Kostya still sends money for the children. However, Natalia cannot afford to maintain the three-story mansion that Tszyu built in Australia alone.

Everything has already burned out. Of course, she cries and worries,” says Valentina Sergeevna. - She was left alone with three children. It took them so long to build this huge three-story house. And now it had to be put up for sale... Natasha has to rent an apartment. She simply could not have built this house alone.

Tszyu’s mother-in-law does not know the reason for the sports star’s cooling towards her daughter. But he suspects that the athlete was simply attracted to young people:

The love has passed, apparently. Probably tired of my old wife. So I fell in love with a young woman. This girl is younger than Natasha.

Valentina Sergeevna assures that, contrary to rumors that appeared on the Internet, Kostya did not meet his new passion while participating in “Ice Age”:

After all, he skated with Masha Petrova. And this one is definitely not a dancer or a figure skater. I just found her somewhere in Moscow. But he continued to hide behind the children and Natasha, while he lived with her. The last time I called him was in the spring of 2012. Kostya was already living in Moscow at that time. Natasha told me that her husband left them. And then I called Kostya myself and asked: “Is it true that you no longer live with Natasha?” And he responded: “How do you know? Who told you?"

Konstantin Tszyu comes from a small industrial town in the Sverdlovsk region - Serov with a population of about 100 thousand people. The biography of Ju Kosti began here, on September 19, 1969, in a simple family, where the mother worked as a nurse and the father worked at a metallurgical plant. Realizing that his son needed a hobby that could regularly provide an outlet for his seething energy, his father sent him to the boxing section of the local youth sports school. And this truly became a landmark decision that determined the course of Constantine’s future life.

Young athlete

In 1978, Tszyu Kostya, whose biography as an amateur boxer began with this event, first entered the ring of the Serov Sports School. His first mentor, who laid the foundations for the skill of the future champion, was V. Ts. Cherny. And within a few months, the gifted boy won victories, first at the city and regional level, and five years later at republican and union competitions.

Among his further achievements: winner of the All-Russian Youth Games (1985), winner of the USSR Junior Championship (1986 and 1987), USSR champion(1989-1991), silver medalist at the World Junior Championships in Cuba (1987), winner at the European Championships (1986), etc.

Kostya became the winner of the Goodwill Games in 1990, won a convincing victory at the World Championships in Sydney (1991), and a year earlier the title appeared in Kostya Tszyu’s biography Honored Master of Sports of the USSR. Thus, in the amateur ring the boxer won 270 victories, having spent 282 fights.

The path of a professional

In 1992, Tszyu Kostya, whose biography was now marked by a transition to professional boxing, signed a contract in Australia. And on March 1st of this year he makes his professional debut against Darrell Hiles. The fight ended with the latter being knocked out in the first round.

January 30, 1993 - Konstantin carried out his 10th fight in the professional ring, his opponent - Livingston Bramble, whom the Russian defeated on points. Two years later, on January 28, in his 14th fight, Tszyu won world champion according to IBF junior welterweight Jake Rodriguez, taking away this title from him, which Tszyu would defend six times, until May 31, 1997.

May 31, 1997 – Tszyu Kostya, whose biography had never known any serious defeats before, lost to the American Vince Phillips technical knockout. So he lost world title (IBF). After that, he changes his diet, mood for fights, training program and other aspects.

Two years later, on August 21, in a battle against a Mexican Miguel Gonzalez in the 10th round he wins by technical knockout, after which he becomes the only Russian boxer with golden belt the most prestigious professional boxing organization WBC.

Significant champion fights

07/29/2000 – fight with Julio Cesar Chavez, victory for Tszyu.

02/03/2001 – fight against Sharmba Mitchell in USA. The Russian wins by technical knockout.

Among his next opponents Oktaya Urkala, in a duel with whom he defended his titles, Zab Judah, who fiercely protested his defeat on November 11, 2003 and threw a tantrum in the ring. In 2003 he met with Jesse James Leiha, who refused to continue the fight due to a suspected ruptured eardrum. In 2004, according to the boxer’s biography, a fight took place with Sharmba Mitchell(November 06), where Tszyu won by technical knockout.

It seemed that no one could become a winner if Tszyu Kostya entered the ring. The biography indicates that there was still an athlete who was able to defeat him, and his name Ricky Hatton. Although he is not the most difficult opponent for Konstantin, he was able to win the fight by technical knockout on June 4, 2005 in Manchester. This, of course, was a serious shock for the Russian, while his loyal fans continued to greet their idol with thunderous applause.

Currently, the boxer is working in several directions at once, including “ Kostya Tszyu Charitable Foundation", engaged in the implementation of significant programs in the sports field, opens boxing schools throughout Russia. In addition, he developed his own methods of training boxers, which he has successfully used for many years. And now for 2012 he trains famous Russian boxers: Habiba Allahverdieva,

I thought for a long time about what and how to tell about our life with Kostya. I'm afraid to say too much, but it's also wrong to remain silent. Words have great power. I prepared and, I hope, managed to find the most necessary ones...

It all started so long ago... I was an ordinary girl from a provincial town. After graduating from school, I got a job in a hairdresser - this allowed me to earn an extra penny. My parents are simple people: my mother is a doctor, my father is a driver. There was enough money for food, but at seventeen you also want to look beautiful! I worked hard from morning to evening. And the friends had fun, from time to time they went to a popular bar, where Kostya Tszyu and his friends visited. At that time, he was already a prominent figure in our Serov, he drove an expensive car, dressed fashionably, and his successes in boxing were regularly written about in the local newspaper.

At the bar, Kostya always paid for the entire group. Among the boys who hung out there, he was the most enviable. I remember one girl said: “Kostya invited me on a date!” We immediately set about preparing her for the meeting - we made her beautiful, styled her hair, and helped her choose clothes. But all our efforts were unsuccessful; Kostya never met her again. And after some time he began to look after me...

Me with my beloved children

Today I want to tell Kostya

thank you for raising me

me strong

We have a great relationship...

but Kostya was always interested in boxing

I was primarily concerned about my husband's

Breakfast included low-fat yogurt...

I thought: let's say goodbye

with boxing it will begin

happy life...

Kostya was invited to the Russian project "Ice Age".

Paired with Maria Petrova.

"I would never take my father away from three boys..."

Kostya with Tatyana Averina

"That's it, Kostya, that's enough, I'm letting you go"

My children have grown up. I have the right to think about myself...

That day, my friends invited me to a bar. I went, but I couldn’t have fun like the others, I was too tired. She sat and looked around with a detached gaze. This is probably why Kostya paid attention to me - I’m not like everyone else. When the party ended, he said goodbye and said, “If you want to be with me, you have to call.” I called. There was nothing like that between us at first, we were just friends. I’m seventeen, he’s a little older, we both don’t drink or smoke, but we love sports. So we went to the skating rink, to the pool, or skiing.

To tell the truth, I wasn’t that keen on sports, but together with Kostya I was interested in running, jumping, and swimming... Meanwhile, at home, a scandal was brewing. Mom has already been informed: Natasha is dating Tszyu. God, how she cried: “Daughter, he will play with you and leave you!”

And I didn’t even place bets on him, with my girlish mind I understood: Tszyu has such Natashas - half a Serov. Just whistle and they’ll come running straight away. Choose - I don’t want to. No, I didn’t cling to Kostya, I talked to him without making any plans. We didn’t meet too often - he was always either at training camps or at competitions. I wrote letters to him, ran to the telegraph office to make long-distance calls - there were no mobile phones or e-mail at that time.

And we didn’t have crazy feelings for each other. The first signs of vague cardiac anxiety made themselves felt when I read in the newspaper that Tszyu had won the World Championships in Sydney and was leaving for Australia on a contract. How is he leaving?! I haven’t yet had time to really figure out why anxiety suddenly arose in my soul, and then Kostya says:

- Natasha, you will come with me.

So immediately and categorically. As if everything had already been decided. Although neither we nor those around us had a clear understanding that I was his girlfriend.

- Oh, I don’t know... How?! Where?! Which Australia?

But the first confusion quickly passed and I answered “yes.” And what girl at that time would refuse to fly to the other side of the world if beckoned? We came to my mother. I can’t really explain anything; I don’t know where I’m flying, why, and most importantly, with whom. What kind of person is this Kostya, what can we expect from him?

All I knew for sure was that he was a guy with a generous and open soul. It remained that way. She endlessly told him: “Kostya, change at least a little, it’s time to grow up, become more careful.” Useless! If a random acquaintance asks for a loan of ten thousand, he will first give and then think. There was never a time when he refused anyone anything or regretted money. It's a shame that there are still unscrupulous people who take advantage of this.

A separate story is how he returned from trips abroad. I remember the first time I came to his house and, together with Kostya’s parents, his sister and a group of boxing friends, waited for the champion to get by taxi from Sverdlovsk airport to Serov. And so he entered. With a huge suitcase, hung with bags and boxes, like Santa Claus. Everyone sat down on the sofa, mouths open and waiting for Kostya to unpack his things and start handing out gifts. I never forgot anyone!

I won’t say for sure whether it was on that visit or another that he brought the first imported perfume in my life. What a scent it was! Don't forget: we are talking about the late eighties. Back then, no one had such perfumes in our area. I put on some perfume, came to work, and the girls gasped: it smells like abroad!

He brought boots and underwear for both me and my sister. When it came to leaving for Australia, I told my mother that I had never met a kinder person than Kostya. She also said that I like him. I didn’t lie, there was no love at first sight between us. But the real feeling came already in Australia, it was tempered in the fight against the serious difficulties that we had to face on the Green Continent. Apparently, even then, in Serov, we were drawn to each other for a reason. Fate gave a sign that we could survive together. Kostya was the first to feel this and called me with him.

But first there were tears. A sea of ​​tears! Finding myself in Australia, in an uncomfortable industrial area where the first house we rented stood, I cried my eyes out and said that I wanted to go to my mother. “Natasha, it’s hard for me here,” he replied. “If you want, go, but keep in mind that the ticket will be one way.” How was it said? With what intonation? I remember the words, but I don’t remember the emotions, which means I wasn’t hurt, Kostya didn’t speak out of malice. Most likely, he wanted to shower him with words like a cold shower, to bring him to his senses.

Mom and dad were not around to consult. I judged it myself and decided that I couldn’t leave my husband, no matter how difficult it was. Or do you think Kostya Tszyu has never cried? He shed a lot of tears, but no one saw them except me. I realized that there is nothing shameful or humiliating in tears. It is important not to be alone in difficult times. There should be someone nearby who can support and understand. We walked forward together, hugging or holding hands. Yes, they cried, but they did not feel sorry for each other. Otherwise you might break.

In Australia, Kostya constantly went jogging and kept fit. I was bored at home alone and decided to run with him for company. And then one day we changed the route and... got lost. It started to rain. I was tired, wet and burst into tears:

- I can’t take it anymore! Where is our home?

“Now I’ll leave you alone on the street, and I’ll run away!” - Kostya shouted and began to run around me, shouting angrily and kicking me from behind, it hurt so that I could not lag behind. Yes, such a despot. But in the end, we found our home and ran there together!

Today I want to say a huge thank you to Konstantin for raising me to be a strong woman. It often seems to people that that’s it, there is no more urine, but the internal reserve, it turns out, has not yet been exhausted. Sometimes it's hard to force yourself to do something. But if Kostya Tszyu is behind you, he will force you to believe in your strength, don’t doubt it. It was scary to think that you could say “no” to him. It's better to do what he asks.

You can't be weak with Kostya. My tears would only irritate him, preventing him from making his way in life. And when I realized that there was no way out, that no one would feel sorry for me or console me, I began to fight with myself - I went to study, took care of the house. I thought: I will do everything to make Kostya feel good with me. This decision somehow matured on its own. So, at the age of twenty, I chose my path and model of behavior.

I can tell you exactly when love came to me. After living with Kostya, I understood what he was doing, saw his victories, and realized at what cost they were achieved. He once said: “Natasha, I’m a professional boxer, so get used to the fact that your husband comes home with big bruises.” He seemed to say it jokingly, but his eyes were serious. Despite my youth, I sensed with my feminine instinct that he needed my help. And it was expressed not in beautiful words, groans and sighs, but in the struggle for survival, work for the common good. Boxing has become our life. At first I didn’t understand this sport: who beats whom, where and why. Then I went to a couple of fights and slowly began to figure out what was what. Kostya won one victory after another. His fees grew.

We could think about our own home and children. Timofey was born first, four years later Nikita, four years later Nastya. With the birth of Timosha, the family was replenished with new relatives: Kostya’s parents moved to live with us in Australia. His mother and I shared the same kitchen for nine years. There was no way out, they both endured... But they endured and maintained good relations. Such courage should be rewarded!

My husband moved his entire family to Australia, but I never dared to ask: “Kostya, I also want mommy to live with me.” My parents and brother came to visit us many times, but Kostya never invited them to stay. How could I ask if his mother and father, sister and family lived on my husband’s support, and my aunt came? He paid for everyone, helped everyone, and over time built a house for his parents and sister. There are many relatives, but only Kostya earned money. And he always owed everyone something. I don't judge because I understand him very well.

All life revolved around Kostya; there was no time to sort things out. Order and discipline reigned in the house. If he said “Sleep,” it means everyone is going to the side, whether we want it or not. My husband and I practically didn’t fight, we had an excellent relationship, but we weren’t a family in the generally accepted sense of the word. Boxing took away from Kostya all the time. His day consisted only of training, eating and sleeping. There was no room left for children. He never did anything around the house, but I didn’t count on it, I knew that his only responsibility was to be an athlete. Kostya is used to having everything done for him in everyday life. I woke up in the morning and there was a ready-made breakfast on the table. I came home from work - a hot dinner, please. I don’t know, maybe now, living in Moscow, he has changed.

To be honest, I was very afraid of him. And I wasn’t the only one, everyone felt timid: children, parents, massage therapists, sparring partners. He is a king, and a formidable one at that. How did he manage to inspire awe in those around him? For the first time, I was truly scared, watching Tszyu train with full dedication. When you see what your husband is capable of turning a strong, trained opponent into, horror is involuntarily mixed with respect. And although Kostya never did anything bad to me, he didn’t even raise his hand in the heat of the moment, in a controversial situation I always preferred to remain silent and do as he wanted.

What can I talk about if I, a mother of three children, living with Kostya, thought about them secondarily, and firstly about having low-fat yogurt on the table for my husband for breakfast. One day it happened that this damned yogurt was not on the table.

“Sorry, Kostya,” I made excuses, “I didn’t have time. I was busy with the children, first one thing, then another... In a word, I couldn’t run to the store, but I’ll definitely buy yogurt today.”

He didn't accept my excuses. Kostya was adamant when it came to discipline. Finally, at six in the morning I got into the car and went to the convenience store to buy his yogurt. I probably spoiled Kostya myself, but I never argued or defended my point of view. I was afraid that word after word would lead to something unnecessary and superfluous in the relationship. It was easier to humble my pride and agree: do you want yogurt? Okay, I'll have some yogurt for you.

What usually happens in normal families where a small child grows up? The routine of life of adults is subject to his regime. Relatives try not to make too much noise: “Quiet, the baby is sleeping!” For us, everything happened exactly the opposite. If Kostya was resting, I took the three children outside, repeating: “Shhh, daddy is sleeping.” We had a three-story spacious house, Kostya slept upstairs, in principle, we could sit quietly downstairs without disturbing anyone, but I was afraid. What if one of the younger ones gets capricious and Kostya says:

“Why are your children crying?!” He just said: “Yours,” as if he had nothing to do with them... We never had a nanny. I even do not know why. The house help came, but I didn’t want to leave the boys in the wrong hands. My grandparents helped, for which I thank them very much.

While Kostya was in big sports, I considered his behavior normal. We were a team that worked for results; discipline and spartan living conditions for everyone seemed to be the main key to success.

I could let off steam during sparring when my husband and I boxed together. “Bone,” she told him, “how I want to hit you!”

I really really wanted to hit. Better in the face. And with all the foolishness! But as soon as I started to approach Kostya, I felt my T-shirt sticking to my body from an enveloping fear: I was afraid of getting hit back, although he never attacked me, only defended himself. He still managed to punch him heartily several times; it was an incomparable pleasure! Although my blows are like mosquito bites to Kostya. Not at all like the hook of the American Vince Phillips.

That fight in Atlantic City in May 1997, which Kostya lost by technical knockout, giving up the world title among professionals in the junior welterweight, was my last - since then I have given up the role of a spectator. When a boxer begins to yield to his opponent, he misses many terrible, crushing blows. It’s unbearable to see how they deliberately finish off the man you love, delivering monstrous blows to the head, face, torso... One of Phillips’ most powerful jabs led to Kostya’s retinal detachment. But this became clear later, during the post-match medical examination. And then, looking at his bruised face with a cut eyebrow, I wanted to go into the ring and shout: “That’s it! Kostya, that's it! Stop, no more!”

It is unlikely that he would have understood me: having missed so many blows, Kostya was in a state of prostration. When the fight was interrupted in the tenth round and Phillips’ victory was announced, I jumped into the ring to kiss my husband and support him. I tried my best not to cry. The coach felt this and looked at me menacingly: “Natasha, we are in America! No tears! I had to turn to the television cameras with a smile on my face, as if everything was okay with us and nothing bad had happened. I smiled, but what did it cost me!

“I can’t see this anymore,” I said first to myself, and then repeated to Kostya. After that loss, it was very difficult for my husband. The Great Tszyu plunged into deep depression. Before the fight with Phillips, he had nineteen fights in the professional ring and never lost. He believed in his own invincibility, and then this... Kostya sat at home and was silent, not reacting in any way to the outside world, as if it had ceased to exist. We didn’t touch him, we waited for him to let go. But they were there and tried their best to show that he was not alone. However, the situation was not conducive to a speedy recovery. In an instant, our partners and sponsors turned their backs on us, the press lost interest in us, and yesterday’s ardent admirers and admirers cooled off.

At the same time, trials were going on with Bill Mordi, a promoter whom Kostya suspected of deceit and treachery. As a result of the legal battles, we lost a lot of money, millions of dollars, which, of course, also did not add to the good mood. And then it turned out that the person had been wronged in vain. All the problems arose because of Kostya's poor English. But in any case, we had to pay Mordi’s penalty. Reputation in the West is expensive...

Before important fights, Tszyu’s entire team sat down at the table - Kostya’s parents, coach, managers and me. It was a kind of psychological attack, we were preparing ourselves for the upcoming fight, telling ourselves that not only Tszyu, but all of us would have a difficult fight. What was this for? To create a certain background: positive energy had to emanate from everyone, which would help Kostya win. After the battle we lost to Phillips, we gathered in the same way as our family clan and drew up a detailed plan for the near and long term. Life has shown that everything needs to be changed: diets, massages, sparring partners, rhythm and training methods. I volunteered to monitor that everything planned was strictly implemented into reality. And Kostya again became the best, regained the world champion title, collected three championship belts in different versions. This continued until 2005, when the hitherto invincible Briton Ricky Hatton, nicknamed the Hitman, crossed Kostya’s path...

The fight took place in England; before the last twelfth round, the husband’s seconds asked the referee to stop the fight and admitted defeat. As in the case of Phillips, Kostya lost outright to Ricky. It was a painful blow to pride: the king was brought to his knees for the second time. And Kostya decided to end his professional career. Thank God, I thought. We will say goodbye to boxing, tie a bundle with memories with a beautiful ribbon, and a new life will begin. Calm, happy. We have everything for this - children, friends, house, cars, money... I was probably the only one on the team who was happy that my husband lost. Johnny Lewis, Kostya's trainer, threw in the towel in the ring just in time. Sports fans probably know: this means refusing to continue the fight and automatic surrender. Thanks to Johnny, Kostya remained a healthy person. Who knows what would have happened if he had missed another blow...

But Kostya was very worried that he could no longer box. Promoters began to contact him, promising him big money to lure him into the ring again. “You can’t earn all the money! - I convinced my husband. “We don’t need millions more.” The ones we have are enough. Thirty-five years is the time to start a normal life. I assure you, we can exist well without boxing.” I won’t lie, I did everything to prevent my husband from entering the ring again...

We lived together for twenty years, and all these years Kostya truly felt like a king. He just says: “I am the king” - without any hint of a joke. All his whims and desires were fulfilled upon request. And then life changed, Tszyu left big sport, and he had to learn to notice other people around him - his wife, children, business partners. Today he says to me with resentment: they say, boxing is over and I ended up almost in fifth place for you. This is true, but I warned him that this would happen: “Kostya, the time will come, fights will remain in the past and you, whether you like it or not, will have to become a normal person. You must learn to be a father, a husband."

I couldn’t carry everything on myself for so many years: look after the children, take care of myself in order to match my husband’s star status, control the overall business, and, of course, regularly run for yogurt. Where would we be without it, without fat-free? I tried to rebuild Kostya’s psychology, to explain to him that now that the ruler has free time, he can sometimes get up from the easy chair and take a walk to the store. At least as an easy promenade. She suggested that Kostya take off the crown from his head, forget about titles and learn to live like an ordinary person.

Since this all started. The king did not want to change and demanded the same respect and admiration from those around him. He became bored, became gloomy and started talking about Russia. I did everything possible to keep him in Australia. I found professionals, we created a new company, Undisputed Tszyu, which trained trainers. Kostya became her face and brand. But now it was not he who dictated the terms to the team, but we told him when and where to come today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. Business is structured differently than sports. We created a website and promoted the product on the market. I, a woman, went alone to Pakistan to a factory that made gloves under the Mike Tyson brand to negotiate the production of products under the no less sonorous name of Kostya Tszyu. The bodyguard who met me at the airport was quite surprised that I ventured on such a journey alone. I brought a ready-made sample from Pakistan, but this also had no effect on Kostya. “I will still do only the way I want,” he said.

People invested their minds, money and connections in the promotion and sale of goods under the Kostya Tszyu brand. But the husband was unable or did not want to follow the team; he was used to being a leader. Alone. The center of the universe... The professionals I assembled lost faith in the success of the business. They understood: Kostya will always have his own opinion, which no one can change, even if it goes against common interests. It’s painful and upsetting to remember, but the company had to be closed. Besides everything else, it seems to me that Kostya was not delighted when he saw my success in business. While he was boxing, I was constantly studying, but I couldn’t apply the knowledge I gained in practice because I needed to help my husband. And the children were small.

And then “Dancing with the Stars” began in Australia, Kostya got involved in the competition, took a little break from his gloomy thoughts, and reached the finals of the competition. They began asking him for interviews again and publishing them in newspapers and magazines. But the TV show ended, and he became sad. He was again drawn to Russia. Living here, we, of course, missed the language and Russian culture. And Kostya went home. When he boxed, there was no time to communicate with friends, but now connections have been restored, they began to invite him - some to fishing, some to hunt, or to the bathhouse. They also paid for his travels, so why not?

“If your name is called, fly,” Kostya said. Was she jealous? No. My husband admitted more than once: I am monogamous, Natasha has nothing to worry about. And then one day, returning from another hunt, he began to show photographs. I look: almost every one of them has a girl next to him.

- Who is this? - I ask.

— A good friend, my new PR agent. She will now go with me to the shooting.

Kostya was then starring in an action movie directed by Alexander Abdulov, but the film was not released due to the actor’s death.

- Kostya, is this normal?

- Everything is fine, Natasha. You know, you’re supposed to travel to filming with assistants. And the girl will help - she will bring one thing, another...

- Do you want me to go to Russia for company, huh? And we'll spend time together.

- Why bother, my love, when you have children?

- Well... I'm glad that there will be someone to look after you.

For fifteen years I had no reason to doubt my husband’s honesty. I trusted him completely. But in vain... Very soon it became obvious that Kostya had someone in Moscow. In order to understand this, you don’t need to rummage through someone else’s phone or read correspondence. When you live with a man for many years, it’s not difficult to guess this. I always paid the bills and receipts. Of course, it immediately struck me that fifty text messages were sent from Kostya’s phone in just one day. You have to sit and point your finger at your phone all day! She said indignantly:

“And after that you want me to believe that you have absolutely no free time?” I take the kids to school, pick them up after practice, stand at the stove, cook food for the whole family, don’t forget to buy you fresh yogurt, and you sit within four walls and send text messages all day long?

— I correspond with a PR agent who organizes my affairs in Russia.

Gradually, the puzzles formed into an obvious picture of Kostya’s betrayal. The husband stopped denying it. I found out the name of this woman - Tatyana... Kostya later claimed in an interview that I was so cunning: I wrote messages to his chosen one, provoking a scandal. I even liked that he called me cunning. For a woman, I think this is a plus. I didn’t write anything bad to Tatyana, I was just trying to explain that Kostya has not only a wife, but also children. I would never take on such responsibility - to take my father away from three children. At that time, our youngest, Nastya, was only five years old. I warned Tatyana: forty-year-old men are not very clear in their heads; sometimes they themselves do not understand what they are doing. But you are a woman, come to your senses! How long can a double life last? Make it clear: either you are together or you are not.

And this is what she answered me: “In my opinion, it’s not bad at all that Kostya has both a wife and a beloved woman.” I refused to understand such “high” relationships. I asked my husband:

— Bone, what rules do you live by? I left Russia a long time ago and, probably, I don’t know something.

- Natasha, calm down, many people live like this now.

I still turned to psychologists for help. About five specialists turned this situation around in different ways, trying to explain to Tszyu: something needs to be solved. But nothing helped. He sat, withdrawing into himself, and was silent, silent, silent...

I lived for three years without saying a word about what was going on with us to any of my relatives and friends. Go to your girlfriends and cry? For what? Everyone has their own problems. Someone may sympathize, while another will gloat behind her back, rubbing her little hands with pleasure. Besides, our friends couldn’t even imagine that Kostya had someone else. Moreover, when my friends wondered why he endlessly wandered to Moscow, I defended my husband: in Russia, they say, it’s interesting. But then everything opened up, and many, especially men, told me: “Natasha, your Kostya has always been an example for us, but today you are our friend. If you need anything, don’t even hesitate, we will help. Contact me." For example, when I recently bought a house for myself and my children, one of Kostya’s friends gave me a recommendation from the bank as a special woman - a client who needs to be treated especially carefully.

“Tony, thank you,” I thanked.

- Natasha, but it’s true.

I have sympathy for people, I don’t care whether a person is rich or poor. But for some reason Kostya put himself above others and stopped noticing those who had previously helped him. Many in Australia took offense at him. When he's here people still come up to him asking for his autograph, he's still popular. And I think he has a chance to regain the respect of those who were disappointed in him. To do this, it is enough to remember what he was like, where he started.

The situation worsened when Kostya was invited to the Russian project “Ice Age”. I took the children out of the Australian school and moved to Moscow despite my husband’s reluctance to see us there. My demarche was in vain: the children and I sat at home, and Kostya was busy with the show and his own affairs. Tszyu is now telling me that I’m such a great gadget nerd, that I allegedly tracked him down and spied on him. This is wrong! Everything happened by itself. He handed me the phone so that I could talk to one of my mutual friends, and at that moment a love message arrived. I couldn’t help but see the text on the display screen: “Kostya, my God! I’m with you here in Russia, with our children, and you continue to receive text messages from your Tatyana?!” The presence of children did not stop him. Kostya persistently continued to do what he considered necessary. Tima, Nikita and Nastya liked it in Moscow, and if my father wanted to leave us, he could easily save the family.

We decided to celebrate the New Year 2008 at home. I still had hope: before leaving for Australia, Kostya and I went to look at a Moscow apartment that would be comfortable for the whole family to live in. But no, she wasn't needed. We invited friends, I happily smiled at the guests, pretended that everything was fine with us, although the cats were scratching at my soul. Having celebrated the holidays with us, Kostya flew to Phuket at the invitation of friends from Russia. Returning from Thailand, he announced:

— I’m leaving for Moscow.

- What about us? I must first negotiate with the schools about the transfer.

- No, I’ll fly without you.

I probably made a mistake from the very beginning by putting everything on myself - children, home, business. I started asking:

- Kostya, postpone the trip, I need your help.

“Why should I help you? You can handle it yourself,” he answered and drove off.

“My hands act faster than my brain can think,” Kostya likes to say. Other parts of the body, apparently, too... Who could I tell about my grief? I have no one in Australia except Kostya’s parents. I opened up to them, and they supported me as best they could. They even tried to talk to Kostya, but no one told him. Tsar! Mr. Vaughn, the principal of Timothy's Christian school, advised me: “Boys Timothy's age are very important to their father, they are looking for a role model - someone they want to be like. Let him miss classes, but be with his dad.”

But Mr. Vaughn's good intentions were not destined to come true. I stayed with the children in Australia, assigned them to schools, football and gymnastics, and, in order not to go crazy, I began to master the profession of a business manager. Kostya says that I was constantly studying, but I never learned anything. This is not so: I completed all my undertakings and received the necessary certificates.

In January, Kostya left us, and on March 8th I decided to give him a gift - I flew to Moscow. Shortly before leaving, I had a conversation with my eldest son. I really value my close, trusting relationships with my children; we share a lot. I try to be alone with one child or another and have a heart-to-heart talk. And then one day we had lunch together with Timosha - the only one of the children to whom Kostya told about Tatyana, they even met when Tim flew to his father for a short time. And suddenly the seventeen-year-old son says:

- Mom, I don’t want you to write or call dad.

- Why, Timochka?

- You are completely different people.

- You think so?

- Mom, you will never live with dad. He has a woman in Russia, I know. Why are you humiliating yourself? Why are you going to him? File for divorce.

These words were a thorn in my soul when I flew to Moscow. But she still couldn’t give up the last attempt to make Kostya come to his senses. I called his managers and asked him not to warn my husband about the surprise and to meet him at the airport. Kostya was in the restaurant at that time.

- Is he alone?- asked the driver.

- Yes.

I went into the hall and found the table where my husband was sitting.

- Wow, Natasha! What are you doing here?!

- I flew to you, my love!

- Natasha, weren’t you afraid that I wouldn’t be alone?

Of course she was afraid, and still threw herself into fire and water, just to save her family. But it was all in vain. Several days passed, and the question arose: why am I here? Kostya was constantly busy with his own affairs, we hardly saw each other.

“Natasha,” he suggested, “go to Serov and visit your mother.”.

- Really, we need to go.

I I visited my hometown, talked with my family, and then went back to Moscow for a day. Kostya greeted me with cold indifference, as if nothing connected us, as if our love had never existed. I won’t say that he hated me, no. He defiantly did not want to communicate, or even see him nearby. And then I told myself that there was no point in trying to reach the old Kostya, he simply no longer exists. We need to get a divorce. My husband often said: “You have to fall before you can rise.” I received the hardest knockout of my life. I didn't expect this blow. I have been afraid of many things in my life, but not betrayal, not betrayal...

Saying the word “divorce” is one thing, but getting used to the idea is something completely different. I cried day after day and reread my lawyer’s parting words: “Tomorrow will be better than today.” She kept telling herself: “We need to hold out, endure, go through this path.” Sometimes I would wake up at night, pick up the phone and dial Kostya. Then she hung up: no, I won’t, enough humiliation.

I loved my husband very much and when I felt that I was losing, I tried to hold him by any means - I begged, cried, and then got up from my knees and said: “That’s enough, Kostya, that’s enough, I’m letting you go.” I felt better, as if I had received a blessing from above. Not right away, but I realized: life does not end, there are still so many new, interesting, important things in it. Looking back at our common history, I am once again convinced that it was not in vain that we met. The Tszyu family was a great team. The goals we set for ourselves have been achieved. Kostya won all the championship titles, wonderful children were born, we built the house we dreamed of.

The divorce was very difficult, a lot of tears were cried, but I left the courtroom with a smile. Just like the day Kostya fought Phillips. It turns out that boxing taught me something too. I have become strong and believe in myself. If I promised, I will definitely fulfill my plans, no matter what obstacles stand in the way.

Today it seems to me that I emerged victorious from this situation. Kostya prevailed in the ring, and I won in life, because justice is on my side. Tszyu is not used to losing and is angry. This can be seen in his latest interviews, in which he claims that our divorce is entirely my fault. But his words no longer affect me, I “got over” Kostya. I still respect him as an outstanding athlete and the father of my children, but as a man, Tszyu no longer exists for me: I do not forgive betrayal.

I don’t know if Kostya loves Tatyana or just wants to live up to his status as a star, because they simply have to be accompanied by a young beautiful girl. I would really like this to be love, let Kostya do well. He deserved a decent, prosperous life, loyal friends and girlfriends. Tszyu left the sport a healthy man, but he was hit on the head a lot and hard. How will this manifest itself as you age? I really hope his new girlfriend doesn’t have to find out what such injuries lead to. And if something happens, I believe she will not let you down. God grant that he makes the right choice. I even feel bad for Tatyana, with whom Kostya doesn’t want to formalize the relationship.

I think this is his royal whim. He again thinks only about himself, forgetting that it is important for any woman to trust her only and beloved. No matter what they say, a woman feels calmer with a stamp in her passport. Moreover, they are thinking about having a child.

Children are not dogs, they need a father. And not on the phone, Skype or TV. For twenty years, he only fed our babies a couple of times on his own, and even then he did it in front of a television camera. And if I had to take one of them in my arms, I just waited for me to come and take the child. He even spent more time with the boa constrictor. I didn't like this cold, slippery creature. And Kostya liked his strength, the play of muscles under his mottled skin. After Kostya left, we gave the boa constrictor to friends. When the story with Tatyana began, I did not have the strength to take care of this two-meter reptile...

Now, some time after our divorce, I suddenly experienced incredible relief. It turns out it’s so nice to be free! There is no need to adjust, hold back your emotions, run to the store at six in the morning... I’m not asking Kostya to pay alimony, we don’t need it. Everything he had in Australia was left to us. If possible, I will try to increase what we received. I know how to control finances; they have always been in my hands. I am a much more zealous housewife than Kostya, who, if you give him free rein, will squander everything.

Tszyu says in an interview that his ex-wife drives a Bentley. The car is sitting idle in the garage, if he wants it, let him take it. And a Porsche to boot. I don’t see the point in fancy cars and bags. He's the one who's crazy about brands, not me. My children and I recently bought a new house. There is enough space for everyone, although it cannot be compared with the previous one. But I don’t want to live in big houses anymore, I’m tired... Life becomes much simpler if you don’t focus on external, ostentatious things. I have other priorities. The main goal is to give children a higher education.

Nastya is still a schoolgirl, she is eleven. Timofey entered the university, Nikita is finishing eleventh grade. He has already become the Australian junior champion four times. But to be honest, I don’t want my child to take up boxing seriously. I don’t wish my children a sports career: only a few make it to the very top, but many lose themselves. As a mother, I will not insist that he choose a different future, because dad and grandfather love boxing. But for my part, I force my son to study, and when he grows up, he will decide what he needs.

Perhaps, over time, Kostya will want to bring the eldest, Timofey, to join him in Moscow. He should also talk to the younger ones - Nikita and Nastya, and introduce them to Tatyana. I understand that he has money and fame on his side. But I want our children to use the merits of their father to a minimum and build their own lives. Moscow has its pros and cons. Here in Australia there is no such distinction between rich and poor. People don’t bother what kind of car you drive, what kind of phones, bags, shoes you have. And Moscow is a city of show-offs. Therefore, I hope that Timofey will get there when he is able to make meaningful adult decisions.

My children are almost grown up, I have the right to think about myself. I’m pretty good at boxing, but I don’t even want to think about it. The second meaning of this word is box, container. So I broke out of boxing. Previously, the walls of the house were completely covered with Kostya’s posters and gloves, but now there are beautiful pictures hanging there, and I like it. I've been working in real estate lately. People from Russia have flocked to Australia to buy housing here. I started developing new areas of cooperation with the Russians. I also work with the Chinese - they are the ones who have undertaken to attack the Green Continent en masse. If a Chinese person invests four million dollars in the country, they automatically receive citizenship after a few years. Many people in Hong Kong have money, but no living conditions, so the Chinese are buying lands and houses in Australia, bringing their families here, enrolling their children in local schools. There is everything you need here: hospitals, parks, kindergartens... Live and be happy! A house worth twelve million dollars was recently put up for sale. Australians don’t have that kind of money; I’m almost sure that people from the Middle Kingdom will buy it. They also bought Kostya’s and my house...

It’s sad, but apparently our country will soon be filled with Chinese. They are hard workers, used to working hard, constantly on the move, like ants. And Australians are spoiled by an easy, unburdensome life. The weather is always good, the ocean is nearby, social benefits are guaranteed. Why luxury and abundance if you can already have a good time in a bar with a pint of beer? Only foreigners - Chinese, Greeks, Lebanese - maintain a high standard of living.

Although I have a successful job in property trading in Australia, I still plan to move to Dubai in the next few years. Once in this city, I was surprised to discover that I could speak my native Russian fluently. Well, in English, of course. Oddly enough, there are a lot of our compatriots in Arab Dubai. From there it is much closer to fly to mom. I found good people there with whom I can build a business: my experience as a realtor is in demand in these places. I’m thinking of enrolling Nastya in an international school and living in the Emirates until my daughter finishes her studies, and then returning to Sydney. During this time, I hope to finally recover from the divorce. A change of environment, I'm sure, will help me.

I look at the photos of Kostya and Tatyana... They are so happy, smiling. I don’t have any personal life, so far I can’t even think about getting together with someone. But I hope that time will pass, the wounds will heal and a loved one will appear nearby. I believe in it.

I look at Kostya again as a friend. Today we have a new life, everyone has their own destiny. But there is still a lot in common - children, memories. But soon there will be grandchildren. It seems to me that no matter what, we will be able to maintain good relations. Even if Kostya spoke about me in an interview not very flatteringly, I believe it was a momentary impulse, and in our souls we have no anger at each other. Maybe he even still loves me in his own way. But if we once literally grew into each other, now we have grown out of this relationship.

I was in Kostya’s life during his best years, and today we are complete strangers. I can’t imagine living in the same house with him or sleeping in a shared bed. But he and I have children, and if there is an opportunity to have coffee or dinner together, I will be happy to meet my ex-husband and talk. I think this will definitely happen someday...

Information taken from -

Today marks the 45th anniversary of one of the most prominent figures in the history of Russian professional boxing.

11/06/2004 Konstantin Tszyu knocked out Sharmba Mitchell in the 3rd round (USA) and defended his IBF title in the 63.5 kg category.

In this fight, Tszyu looked absolutely invincible. Three and a half years before that, he had already met with Mitchell, and he, despite the fact that he entered the ring with a knee injury, managed to provide much more worthy resistance, and now he simply could not do anything. In less than three rounds, Tszyu sent him to the floor four times. If the referee had not stopped the fight in time, Mitchell most likely would have left the ring on a stretcher.

11/03/2001 Konstantin Tszyu knocked out Zab Judah in the 2nd round (USA) and defended his titles WBC And W.B.A. in the category up to 63.5 kg, and also won the IBF title, thus becoming the absolute world champion in his weight.

This is by far Tszyu's most famous fight. The fast and elusive Judah had a great first round, but few people noticed that he missed Tszyu’s signature right straight a couple of times, which caused his agility to subside. The second round was already completely even, and at the very end, Tszyu sent Judah to the floor with the same right straight, from which he fell as many as two times. That is, he jumped up, but his knees moved towards each other, and he fell again. Referee Jay Neidi stopped the fight after that, and Judah threw a tantrum about the “hasty” stoppage of the fight, but he never found an understanding.

07/29/2000 Konstantin Tszyu knocked out Julio Cesar Chavez in the 6th round (Mexico) and defended his WBC title in the 63.5 kg category.

Of course, Chavez was no longer at his best, but Tszyu beat what he was in such a way that one got the distinct impression that he could have defeated his famous opponent in his best days. Tszyu immediately took the initiative, in the third round Chavez already understood everything and began to work very dirty, mainly trying to butt. This did not make any impression on Tszyu. He only increased his advantage. In the fifth round, the referee nevertheless gave Chavez a warning, but the side judges did not deduct a point from him for this. In the sixth round, Tszyu finally knocked down Chavez and then finished him off. The referee stopped the fight, after which water and cola poured into the ring from all sides and bottles flew. Fortunately, they are plastic. I was one of those who took Tszyu out of the ring. Perhaps this remains the most vivid memory of my entire journalistic life.

01/28/1995 Konstantin Tszyu knocked out Jake Rodriguez in the 6th round (Puerto Rico) and won the IBF title in the up to 63.5 kg category.

The beginning of the Tszyu era and his first title. Rodriguez, although a highly respected champion, seemed to be thinking only about survival rather than victory after meeting Tszyu's right-hand man. He didn’t win not just a single round, but almost a single episode. In the sixth round, Tszyu crushed him with incredible ease.

01/11/1994 Konstantin Tszyu defeated Hector Lopez on points in a ten-round fight (Mexico).

Lopez, although not a champion, enjoyed enormous respect and in this fight showed that he fully deserved it. For Tszyu, this was only his eleventh professional fight and the first where he was tested for bending and breaking. Lopez fought like never before in his life, but that wasn’t enough. Tszyu still cut this natural fighter down, and although his whole face was bruised after the fight, he won a convincing victory. Lopez looked even worse.