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Boxer Nikita Tszyu says he's out to honour the family name in Newcastle, where his father Kostya and brother Tim are unbeaten in nine fights.
It's among the most famous names in Australian boxing and Nikita Tszyu admits feeling the heat carrying it as he enters his second professional fight on Wednesday night.
Tszyu takes on undefeated countryman Mason Smith in a six-round super-welterweight showdown at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre.
Billed as the co-main event alongside the "King of the Castle" heavyweight battle between Paul Gallen and Kris Terzievski, Tszyu's tussle headlines the undercard as second-last fight of the night.
However it's promoted, the 27-year-old knows winning is non-negotiable at a venue where his father Kostya and brother Tim are a combined nine from nine during their distinguished careers.
Kostya is a perfect seven from seven in Newcastle, while Tim has also won both his fights in the steel city.
No surprise, then, that the youngest Tszyu can't bear thinking about losing in so-called "Tszyu-castle".
"There's a lot on the line with this," Nikita said after Tuesday's weigh-in.
"There's the family name, the legacy behind it. So that pressure is keeping me sharp. It's keeping me really motivated to perform at my absolute peak."
Smith (5-0, 2KO) has been taunting his challenger for weeks, saying not only is Tszyu taking a huge risk fighting him after seven years away from the ring while studying but also claiming he only got the chance through his famous family name.
Tszyu isn't taking the bait on either front.
"There's no denying it," Tszyu told AAP.
"I can't blame myself for it. I was born out of a ball sack, came out of a ball sack and I'm making the most of the opportunities that come with it.
"There's a lot to defend. There's a lot of honour that comes with it. I love it.
"You've got to take risks in life."
Gallen (12-1-1, 7KO) has been taking risks in the ring for years even before hanging up his football boots.
Now the 40-year-old rugby league great confesses to contemplating going out on top if he can conquer Terzievski (10-1-1, 8KO) and capture the vacant Australian heavyweight title as well as the Australasian strap his rival currently holds.
He can't go on forever and says retirement from boxing is a possibility after this fight.
"I'm not going to say because I don't know but there's a chance, without a doubt," Gallen said.
"I've had a wonderful sporting career for a long time, put my body through a hell of a lot, my mind through a hell of a lot and my head.
"There comes a time in life where you've got to put your family first, your health first and it's pretty close, to be honest."
In the other marquee bout on No Limit Boxing's bumper eight-fight program, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Harry Garside faces Layton McFerran, also over 10 rounds, for the Australian lightweight title.
