There were wild scenes at Moore Park after Nikita Tsi was noticeably absent from the weigh-in ahead of her Australian super welterweight title fight against Danilo Creti.
Confusion spread after announcer Lt. Dan Hennessy announced his arrival shortly after noon Tuesday, but the defending champion was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, boxing broadcaster Ben Damon was forced to endure a series of interviews on stage for several minutes.
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Eventually, Tsi arrived in a white jeep driven by his uncle and trainer Igor Golubev, walked straight from the car and onto the stage, where he tipped the scales and said, “Super welterweight.” The weight was 69.82kg, slightly below the class limit of 69.9kg.
Tszyu, who was noticeably drawn in, initially claimed that she had lost track of time while walking her dog, but then revealed that she had struggled to lose the last two kilograms.
“I had some complications this morning making weight, but I managed to do it,” he said. “The steam room wasn't very functional at home.
“I used the sauna, and I also used the bath to supplement that, but my body didn't lose weight in the steam room.”
Tze said she was due to arrive at Moorpark's Entertainment Quarter at 11.15am, but after gaining weight, she didn't leave her house until 12pm.
Quirky character Twee revealed on Monday that her quirky way to lose weight was to play pickleball, which was introduced in America with her brother Tim earlier this year.
“Pickleball is amazing,” he said. “We lost two kilograms in that session.
“I had to lose 2 kg this morning, which is normal. I always do that.
“I felt sick after the Dylan Biggs game, but I actually feel a lot better. My ears just crackle and I get a little dizzy from the heat. .
“But once we get the fuel back and the water refilled, we'll be ready.”
After making his rival wait on stage, Creti, who weighs 69.68 kg, had a simple message for Tszyu when they finally met face to face.
“I told him he looked really thin and weak,” Ms Creati told this masthead. “He suffered from it, it's etched on his face.”
Big loser Creati, who already has concerns about officiating on match night given Tszyu's star power, said the delay was unprofessional.
“It definitely doesn’t look good,” he said. He said: “He had 140 fights as an amateur and 10 fights as a pro and never missed weight.
“That's part of being a professional fighter.”
No Limit CEO George Rhodes admitted there are major concerns about whether his fighters will be able to make weight.
“I was surprised because I knew how meticulous Nikita was,” Rose told this masthead. “When things go wrong, it becomes very difficult.
“He was always early in the morning and handled everything with a smile, so when I was told that Nikita hadn't come yet, I had to ask again. I know this as a fact.
“Weigh-in day is tough and if things don’t go as planned, it can seriously disrupt your preparation for the fight.”
The weigh-in day drama comes just three weeks after Tim lost a bloody world title to Sebastian Fundora in Las Vegas.
Conspicuously absent from Tim's Las Vegas debut corner and fight camp was his grandfather, Boris.
More than just a figurehead, Boris is an integral part of Tim and Nikita's team, attending every training session of his two grandchildren.
However, unable to travel long distances, Boris was not in Las Vegas, but was on hand to prepare Nikita, the missing piece of the puzzle.
“He couldn't come to America. It's a little difficult to get over there, but I'm glad he's around,” Nikita told the masthead. “He’s just a helper, he’s just always there.
“He was always our right-hand man. He was what we wanted forever.”
Boris' absence was felt as Tim prepared to fight Sebastian Fundora.
“He does all the support stuff and we love him to death for that,” manager Glenn Jennings told this masthead. “But we're all older and he's such a stubborn person, so I felt like he wasn't there.
“But this is Boris's life. That's what keeps Boris alive, boys. That's what he lives for.
“He's the funniest, driest gear you'll ever meet. He drives me crazy. He teaches me all the worst Russian.”