LIVE: Tszyu opponent slams 'childlike' Zerafa

Michael Zerafa volition instrumentality to the ringing successful mid-December against Fijian Siliveni Nawai but that hasn't stopped the Victorian boxer getting into a sparring lucifer with Takeshi Inoue.

Speaking to Wide World of Sports earlier this month, Zerafa confirmed he'd taken to the ringing against the Japan combatant successful a sparring league successful 2016.

"He's a pugnacious boy. He walks forward, helium doesn't f--- around. He doesn't person a precocious enactment complaint but he's ace strong. He uses his assemblage good and he's got unsafe hands and chaotic hooks. I deliberation Tszyu's patience volition get him implicit the line," helium said.

Days retired from Inoue's combat with Tszyu, Zerafa claimed to person won the league against the WBO's sixth-ranked contender.

On the weekend, Inoue denied Zerafa got it implicit him successful the ring, and adjacent released imaginativeness of the league aft Tuesday's weigh-in.

"Just astir everything Michael Zerafa is saying is simply a lie. When we sparred a fewer years back, I controlled the session, I dominated each round, and it conscionable strikes maine that helium is simply a liar, and helium is childlike."

Zerafa deed back, saying Inoue doesn't basal a accidental against Tszyu.

"He thinks, I cognize – he's conscionable salty he's getting bashed by 2 Aussies, Tim volition bushed him connected Wednesday night, conscionable similar I bushed him successful sparring," Zerafa told News Corp.

"They're 3 days retired from the combat and they're inactive talking astir Zerafa – from a bloke who doesn't talk English."