Nikita Tszyu, an Australian boxer, has found an unusual way to prep for his upcoming fight. He's been eating his wife's placenta capsules and drinking her breast milk to get ready for his August 20 bout against unbeaten Lulzim Ismaili.
Tszyu's wife recently gave birth to their daughter, and he's using this life-changing event to fuel his training. The new dad claims these unconventional practices have given him a big energy boost.
"I've gone on to technically be a cannibal. It's actually like a superpower."
Tszyu explained that his wife's placenta was freeze-dried and put into capsules. He believes these capsules have dramatically increased his energy levels, which he's tested out with his sparring partners.
But Tszyu didn't stop at placenta capsules. He's also tried his wife's breast milk.
"They say breast milk is the best thing you can have. It's so good for you, so clean."
While some new moms in Australia have started eating their placentas to help with recovery and breastfeeding, doctors aren't all on board with this trend. The typical process involves drying out the placenta, grinding it up, and putting it in capsules.
Tszyu's fight prep hasn't been all smooth sailing. He's had a hard time sticking to his diet and often finds himself watching food videos before bed.
"I literally sit in bed at night looking at videos for an hour. Just food videos. It doesn't matter what kind of food it is."
Despite these challenges, Tszyu feels ready for his fight against Ismaili. It's shaping up to be one of the biggest boxing matches in Australia this year.
