Russell Crowe stuns Joe Rogan with VERY graphic behind-the-scenes story of Ricky Hatton’s iconic win over Kostya Tszyu

Russell Crowe has revealed the lengths he went to help his good friend Kostya Tszyu, an experience that gave the Hollywood superstar a glimpse into the brutality of boxing.

Crowe made a stunning revelation on Joe Rogan’s podcast this week, in which the pair discussed Tszyu’s legendary last fight against Britain’s Ricky Hatton and the Australians’ two boxing sons, Tim and Nikita.

The 60-year-old Australian sports fanatic Crowe revealed that he had travelled to Manchester to support Tszyu in defending his world title against local hero Hatton. Hatton put in one of his best performances ever, dethroning the champion due to a retirement.

He recalled being warned not to be too friendly with boxers because it took an emotional toll on you when you saw your friends getting hurt.

Over 11 gruelling rounds, Crowe felt the pain first-hand as Tszyu went down in what would be the final bout of his incredible career.

“I was at the fight between Kostya Tszyu and Ricky Hatton,” Crowe began.

“I have a buddy who’s a lawyer. He says, ‘You have to be careful when you become friends with boxers, because one night it’s all over.’

‘It was in Manchester and Hatton got robbed, man.

Russell Crowe shared a gruesome boxing story on the Joe Rogan podcast

The Australian actor was present at his friend Kostya Tszyu’s defeat to Ricky Hatton

Crowe said that while Hatton was celebrating, Tszyu was “urinating blood” backstage

‘His body was sculpted in a way I had never seen before.

‘And from my perspective it looked like he was throwing a few punches below the belt.

‘But you know, a crowd like that in Manchester, who were all for Ricky, who were all for him, (laughs) there weren’t many dissenters.’

Crowe then explained how after the fight he had helped his good friend Tszyu, who was in a lot of pain.

‘I was standing in the locker room holding Kostya over a bucket while he urinated blood, about 20 minutes after the game.

‘It made me understand what the boxing world really entails.’

A sympathetic Rogan said: “Anyone who does that is taking something away from the fighter.

“They will never be the same again.”

Crowe replied: ‘I don’t think he (Kostya) fought again after that. He had that big, long-awaited career, multiple world championships and all those things that he achieved and, you know, he knew that was the end for him.’

Rogan described Hatton as “a bad person, a fighter in his prime” and called Tim Tszyu’s most recent fight – a points defeat to Sebastian Fundora – a “crazy match.”