Australia’s Tim Tszyu has once again gone to war with that powerful US boxing agent he dubbed ‘The Weasel’ – only this time over talk off a blockbuster Sydney trilogy with Sebastian Fundora.
On the eve of Sunday’s hyped WBC super welterweight showdown, The Soul Taker has promised to finish towering American southpaw Fundora so convincingly there is no need for a trilogy bout.
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It comes as the Californian’s promoter Sampson Lewkowicz – who Tszyu had a fiery exchange with prior to their 2024 press conference – revealed he would bring ‘The Towering Inferno’ to Sydney for a decider if Tszyu wins.
But Australia’s pay-per-view king isn’t having it.
Instead, Tszyu’s promoters No Limit have already drawn up a hitlist of three superstar American targets should their man win – Keith Thurman, Jermell Charlo and Sebastian Fundora.
Thurman also jetted into Las Vegas on Thursday and plans to be ringside when Tszyu fights, having told Fox Sports Australia this week: “You can’t hide Tszyu”.
While there is talk of a rematch clause being in place for Sunday’s fight, details around it remain incredibly secretive, as was the case when the pair first headlined T Mobile Arena early last year.
Asked by Fox Sports Australia after Thursday’s press event if he would win well enough to rule out any talk of trilogy, Tszyu replied: “That’s what I’m aiming for”.
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Told Lewkowicz had spoken only minutes earlier, and suggested a Harbour City decider was possible, Tszyu said it showed where the manager’s head was it.
“Yeah, OK, they’re already talking about it,” he grinned.
“It’s in the back of their mind.
“Because he knows … he knows what’s going to happen.”
Elsewhere, Tszyu also said he had no idea why Fundora continued to mislead fans about what took place in their initial bloodbath – which the American won via a split decision – including that the Aussie was lying about being blinded by blood, and that his own nose wasn’t broken.
The Australian also suggested it was Fundora who was likely still suffering PTSD from his own brutal knockout loss against Brian Mendoza, which had occurred in the fight before Tszyu challenged him on 11 days notice.
“He’s been saying I’ve got PTSD,” said the man coming off a strong stoppage win over Joey Spencer in April.
“But I feel he has PTSD from what Mendoza did to him.
“I feel like he still thinks about it.
“To be knocked out cold like that, it takes a bit out of you.
“Even though I was stopped by Bakhram (Murtazaliev), I made sure to get back up each time.
“He wasn’t up.
“He was gone.”
“Die in the ring”: Tim calls out Fundora | 02:22
So as for Fundora being worried about the power you bring?
“Of course,” Tszyu continued. “It was the same last time.
“He just started jabbing.
“That’s why I’ve invited him for war.
“Because if he wants to bring war, I’ll land the first shot.”
Asked about his final comments on stage about having only one prediction – “war” – Tszyu added: “If it means we have to bite down (on our mouthguards), so be it.
“If he wants to come to pappa, I’ll welcome him with open arms.
“Smack him around.”
And as for Fundora’s ongoing claims against him regarding how the first fight went?
“I don’t know why they’re lying,” Tszyu said.
“It must be his dad.”
At which point someone asked if, maybe, it was The Weasel behind suggestions Fundora’s nose never broke?
“Could be Sampson,” Tszyu shrugged. “Who knows.
“But we all saw it
“Big Shoes” – Fundora’s mind games | 01:51
“He had blood p****ing down, was breathing out of his mouth.
“It’s facts.”
Speaking with The Punch Podcast, Lewkowicz appeared to suggest there was no rematch clause in place, but that Team Fundora was willing to head Down Under for a decider.
“I hope so,” he asked if there would be a third fight if his client lost.
“If this is the case I would love it.”
Trilogy in Australia?
“Sebastian would love to go to Australia,” he continued. “It would be no major issue if he loses the fight.
“If they invite us to go to Australia, we go.”
Elsewhere, Tszyu said Sunday’s fight is more about redemption than a gold strap.
“It’s not the belt, it’s Fundora,” he said.
“Belts come and go.
“But to beat someone who you have a history with, the fact it was my first loss, to rewrite that history, that’s the challenge.”
Prior to his first Fundora press conference early last year, Tszyu got caught up in a heated row with Fundora’s manager inside the MGM Grand, telling the famed agent: “You disrespected me”.
Tszyu embracing “Aussie takover” in LV | 02:46
That showdown came amid growing bad blood between the teams.
Only 24 hours after Lewkowicz had questioned the way Team Tszyu were promoting the fight.
The promoter also suggested he would no longer be bringing Fundora Down Under for a rematch – as initially promised — when he unifies.
He suggested Tszyu may even have to take another fight before they clash again.
That followed on from an earlier article where the US agent revealed there was a rematch clause in play, which was headlined: “Fundora plans to knock Tim Tszyu out twice as rematch clause revealed”.
Asked about that headline early in fight camp, Tszyu had suggested it likely wasn’t Fundora who had said anything but his “weasel” manager.
As a result, things got lively when the pair finally met up for the first time before a huge press conference inside the sprawling MGM Grand ballroom.
Asked by Fox Sports Australia what was said between the two, Tszyu replied: “I just said ‘you disrespected me’.
“Told him ‘you said when we beat you we’ll come down to Australia’.
“I told him that ain’t happening.
“And I started calling him the weasel because he is a weasel.”