A sparring partner for Michael Zerafa has agreed to step up on short notice to fight Tim Tszyu if the Victorian fighter can't take his place for the much anticipated clash in Newcastle on July 7.
Sources have told Wide World of Sports that Australian super welterweight champion Ben Mahoney and former IBF lightweight title challenger Lenny Zappavigna have been discussed as possible ring-ins following the mystery surrounding the health of Zerafa.
The fighter's camp has gone to ground since news broke of an illness which forced him to miss a media commitment to promote the fight.
Mystery surrounds his condition with some reports suggesting he has suffered a rib injury while his trainer and co-manager Sam Labruna claimed he had been hospitalised.
Zerafa's team haven't responded to calls from Tszyu's promoters, No Limit, who are eager for an update on the situation.
While Tszyu has no qualms about who he faces, his promoters have been forced to make contingency plans for the fight because of the radio silence on Zerafa's end. Losing Zerafa for the highly anticipated fight because of a bout of gastro seven weeks out from the event is highly unlikely, yet Tszyu's promoters want clarity on the situation.
The Tszyu camp's concerns stem from Labruna's claim that Zerafa wouldn't present for the fight in Newcastle if he's not back in the gym by next week.
Gold Coast fighter Mahoney, 26, was slated to be a sparring partner for Zerafa in preparation for the Tszyu fight, starting in June, but hasn't received confirmation from the star since news broke of his mystery ailment.
Mahoney is undefeated after 11 bouts and boasts 40 professional Thai boxing fights on his resume. He only started boxing full time in 2018, having already claimed the IBO Asia Pacific welterweight title and the Australian super welterweight championship.
Speaking to Wide World of Sports, Mahoney was quick to hose down talk that he's "snaking" a fight with Tszyu but said he would rise to the challenge if his number was called on short notice.
"I'm not trying to snake a fight. I'm not trying to sneak under him. I'm not trying to do that I've openly said in public that I hope Mick gets better as soon as possible and I hope he gets the fight," Mahoney said.
"The way I see it, out of everyone in Australia he probably deserves the most. For me I'm all about respect. The fact that Mick reached out and wants the rounds, it fits for both of us. I've got a lot of respect for him.
"But if there's a circumstance he can't fight obviously all guys around Australia are going to put their hand up.
"This is our career and I'm sure if there was a big fight with Tim and Jeff Horn or Dennis Hogan pulled out and they were looking for a replacement he would have jumped at it. You can't look at it in a negative light, we're just trying to make our career pop."
While the chances of Mahoney getting the call up are slim, the Gold Coast fighter believes his time in Thai boxing would serve him well against Tszyu and is confident of getting a result even though most would have "mixed opinions" on the outcome.
"To get a fight like that – Tim's a superstar. I'll openly say that. Tim is a phenomenal boxer. He's got it all. He's world level. To get a statement fight like that it would be a massive step forward," Mahoney said.
"No matter who I fight I always raise up to the standard and I really feel I could give Tim a good run for the money and I do believe I could get it done 100 per cent. I'm a bit of a mongrel, I've proved I can box.
"I've had 51 professional fights altogether now. I've fought in front of 25,000 people. I've had 28 broken bones. Three facial surgeries, Broken ribs. Fractured verterbrae. I'm not worried about anything."
After chirping up a trash talk storm to get Tszyu's attention for the past 18 months it would be difficult to imagine Zerafa missing this fight – especially over an upset tummy. That doesn't explain the lack of communication from the fighter's camp which is feeding into the narrative surrounding his health.
While Mahoney acknowledges he's probably being used as bait to flush out a response from Team Zerafa, he still believes he could get it done against Tszyu.
"I will back myself to the moon and back. I started off a little skinny 13-year-old boy in a Thai boxing gym. I didn't have any template," he said.
"l didn't get looked after promotion-wise growing up, I really had nothing and then I crossed over and pretty much starting from scratch to get to where I am now on pretty much two or three years training, I've got no doubt in my mind mate I can get it done."
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