Tim Tszyu sent a clear message to his super-welterweight competitors after a convincing victory over Joseph Spencer.
In front of a supportive crowd in Newcastle, Australia, Tszyu returned to winning form with a fourth-round technical knockout. This performance was reminiscent of Tszyu at his best, the kind fans were used to before defeats to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev slowed his progress.
The 30-year-old Tszyu admitted in a post-fight interview that he felt “a bit of pressure” before his 27th professional fight. After losing his previous two matches, Tszyu was determined to uphold his family`s undefeated record in Australia, which now stands at 50 wins.
“Fifty wins and zero losses in Australia, what more could you ask for? I couldn`t afford a third loss in a row,” he stated. “I hope I demonstrated, and taught others, that even when you are knocked down and face tough times, you can always recover and reach the top again.”
Reflecting on his loss to Murtazaliev, Tszyu added, “I`ve learned from my mistakes. You can`t just rush in aggressively from the start and abandon your strategy.” This hard-learned lesson is now motivating his comeback.
Against Spencer, the former WBO champion proved that any lingering negative effects from his difficult 2024, whether mental or physical, were gone. With his ambition to become a two-time world champion at 154 pounds, Tszyu`s next step might be a fight against Keith “One Time” Thurman.
Tszyu was originally scheduled to face the former unified welterweight champion in March 2024. However, Thurman withdrew due to injury as he moved up to super-welterweight. Fundora replaced him, surprisingly defeating Tszyu and taking both the WBO and vacant WBC titles.
Thurman recently ended a three-year break by fighting in Australia last month, stopping Brock Jarvis in the third round. He then challenged Tszyu, who was providing commentary for the fight, expressing his willingness to fight the Australian star in his home country.
“I just raised the bar for you, Tszyu,” Thurman said in his post-fight interview. “This is after three years of not fighting, and you see what I can do. I’m ready to fight anyone in boxing. If that Tszyu fight offer comes, you know what Keith Thurman will do. Send the contract, I`ll sign it, and I`ll be happy to make the fight happen.”
Last night, Tszyu used his own TV opportunity to respond. “Sign the contract, big boy, sign the contract,” he retorted. “If the fans want it, we can create a huge event in Australia. You know how to reach us, and we can make a big show here.”
The stage is now set for a major showdown as Tszyu aims to reclaim his position among boxing`s elite.
