Tim Tszyu has declared he has “zero fear” for the punching power of Sebastian Fundora, likening the American’s assaults to “a cheese stick constantly whipping you”.
The revelation comes as The Soul Taker has also vowed to silence his critics and end an Australian sports hoodoo stretching over 30 years – and including greats like Jeff Fenech, Michael Katsidis and Jeff Horn — while also emulating his father’s own MGM Grand heroics.
Now almost a year removed from his brutal world title loss against Bakhram Murtazaliev, Tszyu is gunning to become a two-time champion in Sunday’s showdown against WBC super welterweight champ Fundora.
Tszyu vs Fundora 2 & Pacquiao vs Barrios | SUN 20 JULY 10AM AEST | In the biggest fight of the year, Tim Tszyu faces Sebastian Fundora in a blockbuster rematch, plus Manny Pacquiao makes his highly anticipated return to the ring to face Mario Barrios. | Order now with Main Event on Kayo Sports
While Tszyu was kayoed by Murtazaliev in his last world title showdown, Australia’s pay-per-view king is far less concerned about the threat existing this time around in the hands of Fundora.
In fact, Tszyu says he still remembers taking the initial punches from The Towering Inferno during their now infamous 2024 bloodbath — which he lost via split decision — and thinking “Is this it?”.
“Big Shoes” – Fundora’s mind games | 01:51
Apart from being the world’s tallest boxing champion, Fundora is also among the most awkward.
Boasting a staggering 203cm reach – which is itself some 24cm longer than Tszyu’s span – the Californian also doesn’t fight like a traditional big man, continually coming inside to dogfight.
But as for Tszyu’s thoughts about his punching?
“It’s weird, man,” the Australian said this week.
“It’s like … stringy.
“Not impactful or heavy.
“It feels like someone is pushing it.
“Like a cheese stick constantly whipping you.”
Recounting their 2024 showcase, and how Fundora’s punches felt, Tszyu stressed he was never troubled in a bout where the biggest issue whose his nasty head cut suffered in the second round by a wayward elbow.
“I wasn’t intimidated by him,” Tszyu continued.
“I remember feeling his power and being in shock, thinking ‘Is this it? Is that what they have been talking about? This guy’s height and all that?”
So no fear?
“There is zero fear,” Tszyu deadpanned. “Zero.”
Tszyu embracing “Aussie takover” in LV | 02:46
Apart from becoming a two-time world champion this Sunday, Tszyu is also looking to end a hoodoo stretching 30 years and claiming 11 of the country’s greatest fighters — including Fenech, Katsidis, Shannan Taylor, Michael Zerafa, Horn, both Moloney twins, even Tszyu himself.
While several Australians have won big in the world’s fight capital – including Kostya Tszyu, Vic Darchinyan and Skye Nicolson – no Australian-born male has ever won a bona fide world title in Las Vegas.
Worryingly, eight of those losses have also taken place inside the MGM Grand, where The Soul Taker now finds himself challenging for WBC gold.
The run of defeats also extends well beyond title bouts, as shown by Fox Sports Australia’s table of 16 notable Las Vegas losses (outlined below).
Tszyu’s first with Fundora has made plenty of headlines this week, particularly following suggestions from Fundora that the Aussie was not blinded by blood from the head cut as he claims.
During Thursday’s press conference, Fundora was again asked why he thought the cut never played a role in the outcome of their first fight?
“Because they fought the whole fight,” the champ replied.
“If there was such a big problem, I think his corner would’ve stopped the fight.
“That’s what I think.
“I can only speak from my point of view.
“If he’s fighting me, I think he’s fine.
“If the fight stops, then the fighter isn’t fine.
“That’s what I saw.
“I was in the ring.”
Fundora vs Tszyu 2: Press Conference | 11:52
At which point, Tszyu interjected.
“You know what?” he started.
“When I hop into the ring, I come in with the mentality that I’m going to die.
“Sometimes that’s a problem.
“So for my corner to say ‘I’m going to stop the fight’, that’s not what I’m about.
“I’m about getting in there and going to the end.
“If it means you’re going to get knocked out then you’re going to get knocked out.
“Then you try to get back up, get back up, get back up.
“If my corner stopped it, I would’ve had the s***s with them.
“That answers the question of why the corner didn’t stop it.”
“Die in the ring”: Tim calls out Fundora | 02:22
Elsewhere, Tszyu has also spoken about emulating dad Kostya this Sunday.
He also revealed how different things felt having him in camp prior to the brutal Bakhram stoppage, with many questioning afterwards if the Hall of Famer’s presence had ignited his surprisingly aggressive start.
While Tszyu has already stressed the old man is not banned from his camps, he admits now there was a different feel with him being present in Orlando, Florida.
“I didn’t really feel a pressure,” Tszyu says.
“But my dad isn’t just a normal dad that comes in and supports his son.
“He brings a different presence and feeling.
“Brings an aura when he walks in.
“I’m not used to that.
“And nor have I been used to him my whole time.
“That’s why it rattled me.
“Not in a disrespectful way, but it just felt different.”
Fundora teases gameplan twist for Tszyu | 03:56
Yet as for achieving history inside the same venue as some of his dad’s greatest wins?
“My dad won his first world title here,“ Tszyu said of the MGM Grand at Thursday’s press conference.
“He also won his undisputed title against Zab Judah here.
“So to create this Tszyu legacy, Australian sporting moments … it’s a big responsibility but a big pleasure.
“I can’t wait to get in there and live a young kid’s dream – chasing legacy.”
When it comes to Australians fighting in Las Vegas however, our list of losses is a long and troublesome one, with some of the most notable including …
1 Jeff Fenech v Azumah Nelson
June 28, 1991
Mirage Hotel & Casino
RESULT: SPLIT DRAW
Long considered one of the greatest robberies in Australian boxing history. While it was Fenech who appeared to have dominated the hyped WBC super featherweight blockbuster, ringside officials incredibly determined the bout a draw. While the decision was only recently overturned to a Fenech victory by WBC officials, the now Hall of Famer has long conceded he was never the same fighter after the decision.
Pacman explains why he’s fighting again | 02:31
2 Tim Tszyu v Sebastian Fundora
March 30, 2024
T Mobile Arena
RESULT: LOSS (SD)
While initially billed as the first step of Tim Tszyu’s American takeover, this showcase would eventually take a number of wild, and bloody twists, that included Keith Thurman withdrawing, Sebastian Fundora stepping up and, finally, The Soul Taker’s head being severely gashed just six minutes in. Eventually, Tszyu would suffer the first loss of his career — a split decision bloodbath that saw Fundora win the WBO and WBC crowns in a shock upset.
3 Jeff Horn v Terence Crawford
June 9, 2018
MGM Grand
RESULT: LOSS (TKO)
Less than a year after upsetting the legendary Manny Pacquiao, Brisbane’s most famous fighting schoolteacher would suffer a tough stoppage loss against a man then considered the world’s greatest – Terence Crawford. Fighting before a crowd boasting the likes of Mark Wahlberg and Lady Gaga, Horn fought gamely but eventually lost his WBO welterweight crown after being dropped and then stopped in the ninth.
‘I want to take my time’ | 01:46
4 Andrew Moloney v Joshua Franco
November 14, 2020
MGM Grand
RESULT: NO CONTEST
A Las Vegas robbery so bad, even Dame Helen Mirren was outraged. Fighting during the Covid pandemic, Moloney had the WBA super flyweight title snatched in the cruellest of circumstances — finishing Josh Franco within two rounds via big left hands, only for referee Russell Mora to declare a ‘No Contest’ after incorrectly suggesting the damage had been caused by a clash of heads. Afterwards, ringside officials spent 30 minutes reviewing tape, only to uphold the decision, which was widely panned by everyone from Jeff Fenech, Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier to Rosie Perez, LL Cool J, even Dame Helen.
5 Michael Katsidis v Juan Manuel Marquez
November 27, 2010
MGM Grand
RESULT: LOSS (TKO)
Michael Katsidis looked set to shock the boxing world when he dropped Mexican superstar Juan Manuel Marquez in just the third round of their hyped WBO lightweight title blockbuster. However Marquez not only beat the count, or rallied, but would eventually stop ‘The Great’ himself by the ninth. Despite the loss, Katsidis had an outstanding career Stateside – which included winning the interim WBO strap a year earlier, and inside the same venue, against American Vicente Escobedo.
Tszyu ‘destined’ to take down Fundora | 03:21
6 Joe Bugner v Muhammad Ali
February 14, 1973
Convention Center
RESULT: LOSS (UD)
OK, so there were no world titles on the line for this one, but when it comes to Australians taking big fights in Las Vegas you have to include any involving ‘The Greatest’. Dubbed ‘Aussie Joe’, Bugner initially travelled Stateside early in his career to spar Ali before the pair fought for real on Valentine’s Day in 1973 – an entertaining bout that eventually saw the American win via decision. Bugner would eventually fight – and lose – twice to Ali by decision, the second time in Kuala Lumpur for the WBA, WBC and Ring heavyweight crowns.
7 Jason Moloney v Naoya Inoue
October 31, 2020
MGM Grand
RESULT: LOSS (KO)
Fighting for the IBF bantamweight title, ‘Mayhem’ Moloney was brutally stopped in the seventh round of his showdown with a Japanese megastar considered by many as the greatest fighter anywhere on earth. Despite starting solidly, Moloney was dropped in the sixth round by Inoue and then finished in the seventh via vicious right counter.
Pacman ready to prove doubters wrong | 02:03
8 Shannan Taylor v Shane Mosley
October 3, 2001
Caesars Palace
RESULT: LOSS (RTD)
Fighting a prime Mosley for WBC welterweight gold, the Bulli Blaster, unsurprisingly, fought tough and gamely through five rounds before trainer Johnny Lewis called the contest off.
9 Andrew Moloney v Junto Nakatani
May 20, 2023
MGM Grand
RESULT: LOSS (KO)
Moloney’s bid to win the WBO super flyweight title was taken by a brutal finish that earned his superstar Japanese rival a 2023 Knockout of the Year gong.
Porter expecting a ‘different Tim Tszyu’ | 02:36
10 Robbie Peden v Marco Antonio Barrera
September 17, 2005
MGM Grand
RESULT: LOSS (UD)
Robbie ‘Bomber’ Peden had already fought and won three times in Las Vegas when he challenged Barrera for the IBF & WBC super featherweight titles. Which is also, of course, when the nation’s Las Vegas curse struck — losing a wide decision to the Mexican star. The loss came one fight after winning the vacant IBF crown.
11 Troy Waters v Simon Brown
January 29, 1994
MGM Grand
RESULT: LOSS (MD)
The youngest of three fighting brothers from the Central Coast, Troy Waters competed for world titles on three separate occasions – including when he challenged Jamaican Simon Brown for the same WBC super welterweight strap Tim Tszyu is now chasing. The Aussie fight favourite would eventually lose a tough contest on the scorecards, 114-114, 112-116, 111-118. Waters sadly passed away aged 53 following a long battle with leukaemia.
“No Head Noise”: Why Tim has the edge… | 04:17
12 Michael Zerafa v Erislandy Lara
March 30, 2024
T Mobile Arena
RESULT: LOSS (KO)
Fighting on the undercard to Tim Tszyu, Australia’s boxing bad boy was stopped in just the second round of his bout against WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. The result was part of a horror weekend for Australian boxing that also saw Tszyu and Liam Wilson suffer world title losses.
13 Nedal Hussein v Oscar Larios
November 27, 2004
MGM Grand
RESULT: LOSS (UD)
While best remembered for being robbed of a win against Manny Pacquiao in 2000, tough Sydneysider ‘Skinny’ Hussein also challenged for the WBC super bantamweight title in Las Vegas – losing to Mexico’s Oscar Larios by decision.
Gallen edges SBW in gritty grudge match | 01:50
14 Lenny Zappavigna v Miguel Marquez
December 3, 2011
MGM Grand
RESULT: LOSS (UD)
Lenny ‘Zappa’ suffered the first loss of his career when challenging Mexico’s Varquez for the IBF lightweight judges. All three judges scored it for the winner: 118-110, 118-110 and 117-111.
15 Bilal Akkawy v John Ryder
May 4, 2019
T Mobile Arena
RESULT: LOSS (TKO)
A young Sydneysider with a huge punch, Akkawy suffered the first and only loss of his professional career when fighting Englishman John Ryder for the WBA interim middleweight title.
Fundora STILL ‘that much better’ | 06:34
16 Lovemore Ndou v Miguel Cotto
May 8, 2004
MGM Grand
RESULT: LOSS (UD)
A fighter famed for stepping up to any challenge, and never being stopped, Ndou bravely fought through eight rounds with what he revealed afterwards was a busted rib as part of a gutsy decision loss against Cotto. While no title was on the line in this one, the result had massive ramifications for the championship hopes of both – with Cotto claiming WBO gold in his next fight.