Russell Crowe alla conferenza stampa del pugile Kostya Tszyu, Sydney, 20 ottobre 2004

foto reperite al Murphsplace, Crowetopia e al Perch

[...] Crowe, che aveva fatto visita a Tszyu mentre si allenava per il suo ruolo del campione dei pesi massimi Jim Braddock nel film di prossima uscita 'Cinderella Man' ha tratto grande ispirazione dal pugile dopo aver subito un incidente alla spalla simile a quello che aveva tenuto Tszyu lontano dal ring quest'anno.

"Averlo visto subire l'operazione alla spalla l'anno scorso mi e' stato di grande aiuto quando mi e' accaduto un incidente simile durante l'allenamento," ha detto Crowe.

Kostya set for toughest bout

By Adrian Warren
October 20, 2004

KOSTYA Tszyu today rated next month's world title defence against American boxer Sharmba Mitchell as his greatest challenge but not necessarily his toughest fight.
The 35-year-old Tsyzu said it was the most difficult challenge he'd faced because he hasn't fought for almost two years due to injuries and subsequent surgery. 
However, he said he was also fitter than he'd ever been at this stage of a fight preparation - two and a half weeks out from his International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-lightweight showdown in Phoenix, Arizona on November 6. 
At today's pre-departure press conference, Tyszyu was surrounded by a host of luminaries, including Academy Award winning actor Russell Crowe, media personality Alan Jones, world ranked boxers Danny Green and Sam Soliman, former rugby league great Laurie Daley and Australian men's basketball coach Brian Goorjian. 
Serious achilles tendon and shoulder injuries have kept Tszyu out of the ring since January 2003. 
"It is probably going to be my toughest challenge, I'm not saying it's going to be the toughest fight, maybe. I am expecting a hard fight," Tszyu said. 
"The challenge is not only the fight, but the challenge is everything around you and because of the two years of hard injuries, it wasn't easy and that's the reason why I'm saying this is going to be my hardest challenge." 
Tszyu, who leaves for America on Sunday, was happy with his preparations. 
"I'm 35, but I think I've never been so fit at this time of my preparation, with only 2½ weeks to go, I'm already skinnier than I've every been," said Tszyu. 
"Looking at the weight, it's not because I did something different, I just did a little sacrificing and I'm proud of it. 
"I love my beer, but for the last six weeks I've never touched it, and Sharmba is going to pay for it." 
Crowe, who visited Tszyu while training for his role of former heavyweight champion Jim Braddock in the soon to be released movie The Cinderella Man drew inspiration from the fighter after suffering a similar shoulder injury to the one which kept the fighter out of the ring this year. 
"Seeing him get through the shoulder surgery last year was inspirational for me when a similar injury took place during the course of training," Crowe said.