An Instagram video shared by Ring Magazine has the entire internet speechless. The short video features Australian boxing star Tim Tszyu training in a way that’s not just unconventional but also awe-inspiring. The boxer proved that true training isn’t just about aggression and power but also speed, coordination, and strategic thinking.

Tim’s training method, known as ‘Soviet-style’ training, was passed down from his father, Kostya Tszyu. However, the real ‘hero’ behind the scenes was Igor Goloubev, his uncle and trainer, who helped his father, Kostya, become a world champion. The Soviet-style training method emphasizes extreme cardiorespiratory endurance, high-volume sparring, and unconventional core conditioning.

“Making us do running drills as kids, the sand dune work we did, I am 100 per cent sure no one else in Australia does the same s*** we used to do,” Tim recalls. “You throw up, and then of course he makes you keep going.”

Tim’s gruelling Soviet-style training method consists of:

Boxing and Technical Drills

Every session begins with 15 minutes of skipping rope, followed by high-intensity sparring sessions three times a week. He also engages in bag training designed with endless rounds specifically to exhaust his muscles while maintaining power. He typically follows a rapid-fire combination on the heavy bag using a “2-4-6” sequence.

Soviet-Style Strength & Conditioning

As seen in the Instagram video shared by Ring Magazine, Tim practices a coin-catching drill that requires speed, precision, and extreme hand-eye coordination. A handler flicks five coins into the air from a tray, which Tim must catch mid-air. His speed and coordination are truly put to the test in this drill.

Structured Hardship

He also practices neck conditioning by holding an unsupported neck bridge for two minutes. This drill helps him develop extreme shock-absorbing neck strength.

Finally, he engages in medicine ball drops on his abdomen, designed to give him a tight and strong abdomen that can absorb any force. He also engages in traditional gym routines that include smashing large tyres with sledgehammers, explosive jump squats with steel drums, and more.

However, one of the most astonishing training methods involves Tim having to hold a 16-kilo kettlebell for 60 minutes. As gruelling as it sounds, Tim explains how it is more a test of his mental strength than his physical.

“It’s more to do with mental strength,” he tells Men’s Health Magazine.

People are on the edge of their seats as Tim gears up for his next fight against Errol Spence Jr. on July 25, 2026, in Sydney. Under his new trainer, Jeff Fenech, Tim is all set with new training methods added to his resume.

Do you think Tim will win this ultimate showdown against Spence?

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Written by

Avantika Das

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil