Tim Tszyu absolutely went to work on Errol Spence Jr. on Sunday in Sydney, securing a unanimous decision win and prompting Spence to claim he’s retiring. Now, after seeing Tszyu deliver on his pre-fight promise, you have to wonder if Spence’s “retirement” is truly the end, especially after a loss that felt way less traumatic than what he’s been through before.
The Saga of Errol Spence Jr. and the Ghost of Crawford
Let’s be real, Errol Spence was one of the best boxers of his generation. The dude won his first 28 fights, generating ear-splitting hype for that supposed 50-50 welterweight clash with Terence Crawford. But that Crawford fight? It was a surgical, brutal beating over nine rounds that showed those two were never on the same level. Crawford went on to win a title at junior middleweight and even astonishingly beat the legendary Saul “Canelo” Alvarez at super middleweight. Spence, on the other hand, took three years off, returning at age 36 to face Tszyu. Commentators Paulie Malignaggi and Shawn Porter watched as the prime Spence, who used to break opponents down with boundless energy and a constant jab, fought mostly in retreat against Tszyu, sneaking in straight lefts and body shots. His infamous pressure was just gone. So, when he says he’s really retired, believe it at your peril. If the annihilation from Crawford wasn’t enough to stop him, this “initially competitive, eventually one-sided” loss to Tszyu might not move the needle either.
Tim Tszyu: The Phoenix Rises
For Tszyu, this win against a weathered veteran like Spence is a massive turnaround. Just a couple years ago, back in 2024, an unbeaten Tszyu fought Sebastian Fundora for a unified junior middleweight title shot. He looked sharp, even broke Fundora’s nose in two rounds, then suffered freak misfortune, slicing his forehead open on an elbow. Tszyu fought 10 rounds practically blind, blood flowing everywhere, and lost the fight. Then he faced unheralded destroyer Bakhram Murtazaliev, fighting with such blind aggression he walked right into a concussive beating over three rounds, every bit as bad as what Crawford did to Spence. After a tune-up, Tszyu took a rematch with an improved Fundora and suffered another violent loss. No wonder he changed his nickname from “the Soul Taker” to “the Phoenix.” The dude had plenty of ashes to rise from, and he did it against Spence.
What’s Next for the Boxing World
This fight was billed as USA v AUS and sold for $79.99 on DAZN and Prime Video, with a pretty barren undercard, but it was truly magnetic as a “battle of broken soldiers.” Both guys had their moments in the first five rounds, but the opening act felt more like a vacance. Tszyu made good on his promise to take it to Spence, and now he’s got his eyes firmly set on a world title tilt. For Spence, the question remains: is he truly walking into the sunset? Or is this just another chapter for a fighter who knows how to suffer and come back? We’ll be watching closely.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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