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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n There was once a time, when his record was unblemished, that boxer Tim Tszyu spoke about retiring his opponents.<\/p>\n And yet, it wasn\u2019t so long ago that Tszyu himself almost quit. Worn down by boxing politics, family fractures and a series of beat-downs \u2013 including the loss of his world title belt \u2013 the Sydney-based pugilist lost the love of a sport that has been his life.<\/p>\n \u201cIt wasn\u2019t from my losses,\u201d Tszyu explained. \u201cTo a certain extent it was the politics of sport, I was thinking, \u2018This is not worth it.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cI joined the sport for the love of it, the thrill of it, the challenge of it. There are a lot of obstacles at certain times trying to stop me from doing that.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a time when I was thinking of retirement and giving it up \u2026 I won\u2019t go into detail, it was just life.\u201d<\/p>\n There were several low points. His first loss, at short notice, to Sebastian Fundora<\/a>, in which a horrific head cut cost him a chance of retaining the WBO super-welterweight world title he had wanted so much. His devastating knockout defeat to Russian Bakhram Murtazaliev<\/a>, followed by a subsequent KO loss in his rematch with Fundora<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were a lot of people in the change room after victory in the Tony Harrison<\/a> fight, a lot of people for that,\u201d Tszyu recalled, referring to his defeat of the American in 2023 to claim the interim WBO super welterweight belt.<\/p>\n \u201cBut after what I went through in the Bakhram fight, there weren\u2019t many people in the hospital, let\u2019s just say that. You learn who is there and who is not. You learn about the ugly truth about the sport.\u201d<\/p>\n But Tszyu\u2019s decision to endure has been rewarded. After overhauling his mindset and team \u2013 legendary boxer-turned-trainer Jeff Fenech is in his corner \u2013 Tszyu will on Sunday step into the ring for the biggest fight of his career.<\/p>\n The 31-year-old will take on Errol \u201cThe Truth\u201d Spence Jnr in a blockbuster middleweight bout at Sydney\u2019s Afterpay Arena. Spence is a future hall-of-famer, whose only loss was against Terence \u201cBud\u201d Crawford, who became the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era.<\/p>\n While a world title isn\u2019t at stake, it is a chance for Tszyu to take on the opponent who has been at the top of his hit list.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is way bigger than a world title,\u201d Tszyu said. \u201cThis is hall-of-fame status, we\u2019re talking about one of the fighters of our generation. I get to take him on and cement myself. It\u2019s a blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n When he first rose to prominence, Tszyu was dubbed \u201cThe Soul Taker\u201d. But after a wretched run that included three loses in four fights, he has been rebranded as \u201cThe Phoenix\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cAll these nicknames \u2013 I\u2019m Tim Tszyu,\u201d he said. \u201cThe Phoenix was like a new chapter in my life to burn from the ashes from what happened and go onto the new. That\u2019s what it is, this new phase of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n After a series of team changes, in a bid to start \u201ccontrolling the narrative more\u201d in his career, Tszyu has settled on Fenech as his mentor.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s not many people you can ask for advice who have been there and done that,\u201d Tszyu said. \u201cI\u2019ve never been in a team where someone has felt exactly what I felt.\u201d<\/p>\n It appears a peculiar comment given his father is hall-of-famer Kostya Tszyu, while his brother Nikita is an undefeated fighter closing in on his own world title shot. However, except for grandfather Boris \u2013 \u201che\u2019s stayed with me through thick and thin\u201d \u2013 Tszyu has a complex relationship with his family.<\/p>\n Kostya has for a long time lived in Russia, there has been a falling out with Nikita and there has been tension with others who were close to him.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone goes through different issues in their families,\u201d Tszyu said. \u201cWe are going to get through this fight and then we need to sit down and hug it out.\u201d<\/p>\n Fenech, a hall-of-famer who won four world titles in four weight divisions, has noticed a change in Tszyu since becoming his trainer.<\/p>\n \u201cThe person I saw in Tim prior to this is someone who had 110 things in his head, said some stupid things about opponents,\u201d Fenech said. \u201cI told him the only thing that will sell fights is not publicity, it\u2019s not shit talk. Your fists will sell fights.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not trying to change Tim. I\u2019m just trying to make him a better Tim. The one thing I have changed is I have a happy guy.\u201d<\/p>\n Given Spence\u2019s long lay-off \u2013 he hasn\u2019t fought for three years \u2013 and Tszyu\u2019s poor record in big fights, the loser could be forced into premature retirement. Having previously contemplated walking away from the sport, the Australian believes he is about to leave his mark on it.<\/p>\n \u201cI still believed in myself, I still got through it,\u201d Tszyu said. \u201cAnd here we are, on the verge of doing something special.\u201d<\/p>\n News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Tim](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/b5e01b1f465950a7b0ac0e43e676328244453dd5.jpeg\")
Tim Tszyu shadow boxes ahead of his fight against Errol Spence Jnr.Sam Mooy<\/p>\n![\"Tim](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f350b58942c63babdb59acba04ca0492e9f2e000.jpeg\")
Tim Tszyu is ready for business.Sam Mooy<\/p>\n![\"Tim](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f221ff0bb7b2560532b409b5a87b8a8f1f51fb9f.jpeg\")
Tim Tszyu poses for a photograph at the Overseas Passenger Terminal ahead of the fight against Errol \u201cThe Truth\u201d Spence Jr. on Sunday.Sam Mooy<\/p>\n![\"Errol](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/c12bf8ce1dbcc301e18dbf7703abc6a04a2933d9.jpeg\")
Errol Spence Jnr has arrived in Sydney in supreme shape.Sam Mooy<\/p>\n![\"Errol](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/998164f12869f314371ab57d6269e30f2e1aa5d0.jpeg\")
Errol \u201cThe Truth\u201d Spence Jr. shadow boxes at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.Sam Mooy<\/p>\n