A fired up Tim Tszyu has slammed Errol Spence\u2019s decision to spar with his old opponent Brian Mendoza ahead of their July 26 blockbuster.<\/p>\n
Tszyu has also lashed \u2018The Truth\u2019 for using the fight as an excuse to come to Australia for a holiday.<\/p>\n
Spence hasn\u2019t fought since a one-sided 2023 defeat to Terence Crawford, and isn\u2019t taking a warm-up fight ahead of the multimillion dollar showdown.<\/p>\n
Instead, he has drafted in Mendoza as one of his main sparring partners.<\/p>\n
Tszyu dominated \u2018La Bala\u2019 in October 2023, scoring an impressive unanimous decision victory on the Gold Coast, and was shocked to see Spence sparring him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s bad. I\u2019ll be honest, that\u2019s bad, bro,\u201d Tszyu told Code Sports. \u201cMe and him are two completely different styles.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t be sparring Mendoza to fight me, that\u2019s for sure.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s giving him fake confidence. I sparred Mendoza as well when he was in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s nothing. He won\u2019t do anything.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s gonna be in a state of shock when it comes to fight night if he\u2019s been sparring Mendoza, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tszyu isn\u2019t concerned that a former opponent and one-time sparring partner is now helping his rival.<\/p>\n
It just plays into the Australia vs America rivalry.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the US, they\u2019re all with each other, it\u2019s fine,\u201d Tszyu said. \u201cIt\u2019s just them against us.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s all it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
The super-confident Spence backs the level of preparation Mendoza will give him as he prepares for his first fight under new coach Ronnie Shields.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrian Mendoza is a good fighter and a very good sparring partner,\u201d Spence said. \u201cI\u2019m feeling good, training hard and super focused.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m leaving no stone unturned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love Ronnie\u2019s style, I love how he implements the gameplan.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been night and day to different fights I\u2019ve had.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spence is bringing his family to Sydney, and plans on sticking around for a holiday after beating Tszyu and sending his career into a tailspin.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m kinda sad we\u2019re coming in the winter time when it\u2019s chilly,\u201d he said. \u201cWe might stay a few days afterwards (for a holiday).\u201d<\/p>\n
Tszyu slammed Spence\u2019s mindset, saying he isn\u2019t taking the bout seriously.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s cocky,\u201d he said. \u201cHe thinks I\u2019m a walk in the park.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe thinks I\u2019m easy. He thinks I\u2019m trash. Those are his words.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he\u2019s not taking it seriously.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe might be going to training and all that, but I can tell he\u2019s not taking it seriously.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s planning his holidays, and I\u2019m ready to give him a reality check.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter how much money you\u2019ve made in your career, and it doesn\u2019t matter what you\u2019ve gone through.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s that 36 minutes of that time that you live in the moment that all the reality of your training comes out.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no hiding then.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tim Tszyu vs Errol Spence Supercard \u2013 July 26 <\/p>\n
Tim Tszyu vs Errol Spence<\/p>\n
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Stephen Fulton Jr vs Liam Wilson \u2013 super-featherweight<\/p>\n
Callum Peters vs Ivan Ricardo Actis \u2013 middleweight<\/p>\n
Ahmad Reda vs Paul Fleming \u2013 lightweight <\/p>\n
Paulo Aokuso vs Luis Antonio Tejeda \u2013 light-heavyweight<\/p>\n
Tina Rahimi vs TBC<\/p>\n