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Tszyu, Leija make weight for triple-title bout
Associated Press - January 17, 2003
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Undisputed world super lightweight champion Kostya Tszyu expects to have too much punching power against American challenger ``Jesse'' James Leija in his title defense on Sunday.
Tszyu's trainer Johnny Lewis said the Russian-born Australian had respect for the San Antonio, Texas, boxer, a former WBC super featherweight champion.
``Leija's got ring savvy and he's been around a long time,'' Lewis said Saturday. ``He always comes back. When you think you've got him, he'll show you haven't. If you lose your concentration you'll pay for it.''
Leija has been baited in the Australian media this week by a former world champion Jeff Fenech, who said the American would struggle to last a round against Tszyu.
``I don't think he's a one-round guy,'' said Lewis. ``He's a championship fighter and that means 12 rounds.''
But Lewis said he expected Tzsyu, the IBF, WBC and WBA champion, to overpower Leija.
``I'm a great fan of Leija's. I just don't know how he'll go with a 140 pounder who punches like a 160 pounder,'' Lewis said.
Leija, 36, spent most of his career in lower weight divisions, and knows what he's up against.
``Kostya will be a Hall of Famer no matter what I do when we fight,'' said Leija. ``I can understand why I'm the underdog - he's the undisputed world champion.''
Both fighters made the official weight Saturday, but in different circumstances.
Tszyu made it first go, but Leija was seven ounces (200 grams) over the 140-pound (63.5-kilogram) limit.
He went back to his hotel, did some shadow boxing and returned 70 minutes later.
He stripped off all his clothes behind a screen, which also hid the scales from the public.
The official in charge of the weigh in started to announce Leija above the weight again but was shouted down by the fighter's manager Lester Bedford. After Leija stepped off the scales and then back on again, the official announcement was 139 pounds (63 kg).
Tszyu (29-1-1) hasn't fought in Australia, his adopted home, since stopping Calvin Grove in May 1998 in Newcastle. In Tszyu's last fight, he successfully defended the WBC, WBA and IBF titles by outpointing Ben Tackie in Las Vegas.
The Russian was making a voluntary defense against Leija. He faces the winner of the Arturo Gatti-Micky Ward fight as a mandatory defense in May.
Leija went undefeated in his first 30 fights before gaining a unanimous decision over Azumah Nelson for the WBC super featherweight championship in Las Vegas in 1994.
He lost the title in the next fight and has also suffered defeats against top-ranked fighters Shane Mosley and Oscar de la Hoya.
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