Nikita Tszyu has gone back to his amateur roots ahead of his super welterweight bout with Darkon Dryden in a bid to improve on his "barbaric" performance against Ben Horn.

After winning his first two professional bouts by knockout, Tszyu (3-0) was ambushed by Horn in July and faced the most significant challenge of his career so far.

He came away a winner by unanimous decision - but in need of a reset.

"The last performance was more a showcasing of the heart that I have, persevering through tough times," he told reporters.

"(But) I was searching for that one shot that would equalise the opponent. That's not boxing. Boxing is about hitting and not getting hit.

"It's an art, and that last fight wasn't a showcase of art. That was something barbaric."

Rather than settle back into the grind for Saturday's bout in Newcastle against Dryden (4-0), Tszyu took a month off and returned to work a new man.

"In terms of defence, in terms of tactics, yes. In terms of fitness, definitely," he said.

"(The break) was really beneficial for me, for clearing the mind and clearing the body.

"The first sparring session that I had for this camp - six, seven weeks ago - I felt better than I did a week before the last fight."

Now, Tszyu is hoping to recapture the raw talent he showcased as an amateur in a bid to hand Dryden his first loss as a professional.

"This next fight is going to be a close representation of how I used to fight in the amateurs," the 24-year-old Tszyu said.

"It was very tactical and more based on getting inside someone's head and taking away their skills and strengths."