5m agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 8:19am
Aokuso vs Abdullaev, Round 2
“Take your time with it,” is the instruction from the Aokuso corner.
I’m not sure you’ve got too much time in a six-round fight.
Better start from Aokuso, getting into the centre of the ring and throwing a couple of shots to the body.
Abdullaev gets on the front foot again though and Aokuso gets on his bike and skips away to his left.
Good body work from Aokuso.
Abdullaev comes in and Aokuso just lifts him – such power from the Aussie boxer.
Good body shots from Aokuso! The power left is darting in and out.
Now he goes to the head does Aokuso, and then back to the body.
It’s back-foot boxing but his hands are so fast.
Good left right from Aokuso.
He’s being forced back into the corner by Abdullaev though – and a solid left lands on the chest of the Aussie.
Good jab from Aokuso.
Good counter from Aokuso, right jab then a swift left hook that sees him beating the Uzbek to the punch every time.
9m agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 8:14am
Aokuso vs Abdullaev, Round 1
Very respectful touching of the gloves from Abdullaev, who was just as charitable at the weigh in.
I think that’s going to change now though as he goes into the centre of the ring and starts to dominate the space in the ring.
Good jab from Aokuso tilts the Uzbek’s head back. But just the single shot.
Abdullaev is forcing Aokuso back but isn’t pressing his advantage.
Good jabs from Aokuso.
And then a solid left from Aokuso.
Good right from Abdullaev.
And another. Good shot, but Abdullaev just loses the mouthguard as he exerts in throwing that right.
Good jab from Abdullaev, just waving it about and then landing it high on Aokuso.
Front foot boxing from Abdullaev at the moment.
Aokuso throws a couple of shots that miss.
Just a feeling out round from Aokuso.
11m agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 8:13am
Paulo Aokuso vs Shukhrat Abdullaev, tale of the tape
(No Limit Boxing)Paulo Aokuso (AUS)
Record: 9-0 (4 KOs)
Age: 30
Height: 184cm
Reach: 184cm
Weight: 78.86kg
Shukhrat Abdullaev (UZB)
Record: 5-0 (4 KOs)
Age: 35
Height: 179cm
Reach: 179cm
Weight: 78.50kg
14m agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 8:10am
Time for the first bout of the night
And we’re starting with the light heavyweights.
Paulo Aokuso vs Shukhrat Abdullaev, coming up for you right now.
Abdullaev is 35 but has only fought five times.
He has won all of those though, four by KO, with three of those in the first round.
Don’t let that fool you though – he’s had 50 amateur fights with a 30-16 record according to BoxRec.
So he’s been about the ring a fair bit.
Aukuso has had a pretty decent amateur career too, heading to the Olympics in 2020.
This pair were meant to fight a year or so ago.
This one is six rounds.
16m agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 8:08am
Terence Crawford retires at the peak of his powers
(Press Run/Ian Reyno)
Some other news from around the boxing world today, and it’s big.
One-time target of Tim Tszyu, Terence Crawford has retired at the very top of his game.
“When Alexander of Macedon was 33, he cried salt tears because there were no more worlds to conquer – Bristow’s only 27!” legendary darts commentator Sid Waddell squeaked about Eric Bristow.
The same couple reasonably be said about 38-year-old Crawford.
Undefeated, five-division world champion Crawford was the man who beat Jeff Horn and, stunningly, dethroned a legend in Canelo Alvarez to become an undisputed champion at a third weight.
A fair call, you’d have to say.
Read more about his decision here.
19m agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 8:05am
Jai Opetaia calls out Tim Tszyu’s new stablemate
(Getty Images)
As mentioned, Pedro Diaz has recently coached Noel Mikaeljan beat Badou Jack to win the WBC cruiserweight title.
Australian Jai Opetaia currently holds the IBF and The Ring titles in the cruiserweight division and has done for more than three years, with no other belt holder willing to challenge him for a unification fight.
It has been a source of great frustration for Opetaia and the Tasman Fighters team that a unification fight has not been able to be made.
So now there is a new title holder in town, he wants the smoke from him.
“He put in a strong, gritty performance against a very experienced fighter in Badou Jack and deserved the win. Becoming a two-time world champion is no small achievement,” Opetaia said.
“But now the time is right to unify the titles.
“This is the fight that makes sense for boxing and for the cruiserweight division.
“The fans want to see who the real number one is, and I’m ready to prove it.”
Opetaia was not at his best last weekend in defending his title, but will no doubt be using that to fuel the fire for another defence.
21m agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 8:03am
Tszyu under enormous pressure
Hello Simon, you’re looking well tonight. Like a lot of Aussies I’ve got my fingers crossed Tim can get his career back on track tonight…
– Mike
Evening Mike.
It really is make or break for Tim Tszyu tonight, isn’t it.
What sort of pressure does that add to him tonight?
One mistake. One failure to read a shot from a man who we are told carries some significant power in his gloves, and it could be all over.
Boxing is a high-pressure game. This could be the biggest pressure of them all.
25m agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 7:58am
Who is Tim Tszyu’s new trainer Pedro Diaz?
Jeff Fenench said, based on what he’s seen out of the Tszyu camp this week, that things are “f***ing worse than anything I’ve seen”.
For that, he laid the blame firmly at the feet of new coach, Miami-based Pedro Diaz.
Diaz didn’t seem too bothered.
“Who?” Diaz said.
“I’m going to tell you something.
“I’ve had God’s blessing to work with 22 Olympic champions, and 22 professional world champions.
“If my mitts are not good, those are the results.
“So where are his results? Whoever that is.”
Hector Bermudez, trainer of Anthony Velazquez, was just as scathing, pointing out that the language barrier will be an issue between the Cuban and Tszyu.
“I don’t know. He hardly speaks English,” he said, adding that he was an amateur coach.
Diaz, who is known as “El Doctor” has a superb record.
His most recent success took place this weekend, when Armenia’s Noel Mikaeljan beat Badou Jack to win the WBC cruiserweight title in Los Angeles on Saturday.
He said that he has been working on “everything,” with Tszyu.
“We know that Tim is a great warrior and a great boxer,” he said.
“Anthony is also a great undefeated boxer with a great team.
“In the ring the punches will talk.
“Everyone knows Tim is a great boxer with great discipline. We also work on the mental side of things.
“Whatever Tim has to demonstrate he will do tomorrow.”
30m agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 7:54am
Tim Tszyu plans to deliver ‘poetry with my hands’
Tim Tszyu is dialled in on this fight – no matter the barrage of comments swirling around his new camp with world champion trainer Pedro Diaz.
Tszyu responded to concerns from Jeff Fenech, batted back suggestions he had learned nothing in his new camp, and vowed to re-write his story.
Read now.
37m agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 7:46amTim Tszyu vs Anthony Velazquez: Main card
Here’s the full pay-per-view card for tonight’s action.
Tim Tszyu vs Anthony Velazquez — middleweightSam Goodman vs Tyler Blizzard — super bantamweightCallum Peters vs Cody Beekin — Australian middleweight titleKoen Mazoudier vs Dominic Molinaro — Australian super welterweight titlePaulo Aokuso vs Shukhrat Abdullaev — light heavyweight43m agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 7:40amWhat time is the Tim Tszyu fight?
The prelims got underway a tough earlier this evening, but the main card does not get underway until 7:00pm AEDT.
That means that Tim Tszyu will not walk to the ring until about 10:30pm AEDT.
But that could change, so just keep yourselves here so you don’t miss a thing.
50m agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 7:33am
Live updates: Tim Tszyu vs Anthony Velazquez
(No Limit Boxing)
Good evening folks and welcome to the ABC Sport live coverage of Tim Tszyu’s return to Sydney.
My name is Simon Smale and I will be with you all evening as the events get underway at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Darling Harbour.
Needless to say it is a big night for Tim Tszyu.
A new training team. A new outlook. A new fighter?
We’ll see what changes Tszyu has made to his approach after three losses in his last four fights and whether it makes a difference against the undefeated American, Anthony Velazquez.
We’ve got a bumper card for you this evening, so sit back and enjoy as we bring you all the action.