American superstar Stephen Fulton has quietly jetted into Sydney for what is being dubbed the biggest fight card in Australian boxing history, and with question marks still hanging over countryman Jermall Charlo’s arrival.
The revelation comes as Australian boxing great Jeff Fenech has revealed former Socceroos coach Graham Arnold — who is fresh off his World Cup tilt with Iraq — will also now be joining Tszyu’s team on fight night against Errol Spence Jnr.
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Elsewhere, the four-time world champ also responded to claims from Spence that he has no idea who the Hall of Famer is.
After a rollercoaster couple of years, Tszyu is now readying for what shapes as the most important fight of his career against Spence in Sydney on July 26.
While the American dubbed ‘Big Fish’ arrived into the Harbour City amid much fanfare on Thursday morning, mystery has lingered over the other two countrymen also signed for the No Limit showcase — Charlo and Fulton.
Late on Friday afternoon however, Fox Sports Australia spotted Fulton waiting for an Uber outside No Limit’s Sydney fighter hotel, hidden away under a grey hoodie and looking like he was heated for an evening workout.
The popular Philadelphia native, who has won world titles in two separate weight classes, throws down against Australia’s super featherweight star Liam Wilson.
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American superstar Stephen Fulton has quietly jetted into Sydney.Source: FOX SPORTS
While the stacked undercard is also supposed to include the undefeated Charlo — who faces longtime domestic favourite Koen Mazoudier — question marks continue to linger over when exactly he will arrive.
As of Friday night, a No Limit spokesperson said there had been no updates from Stateside, however the fighter did post an image of himself on Instagram, weighing in at what he said was 173.3 pounds.
Alongside the photograph, a caption read: “In shape, on weight and ready. I’m not in Australia yet but I’m ready waiting on the call …”
Meanwhile, Fenech who also responded to Spence recently suggesting he has no idea who Tszyu’s new trainer is – despite the small matter of him having famously won world titles in four divisions.
Speaking with Main Event Australia’s Jonathan Brown a week ago, Spence took the big stick to both Tszyu and his new training crew, and only days after standing Team Tszyu up at a proposed satellite Face Off.
Asked about what impact Fenech would have on his opponent, especially after having dumped consecutive coaches in Pedro Diaz and Igor Goloubev, Spence deadpanned: “We’ll see. I don’t really know too much about his coach. I think he had a come-forward style or whatever …”
To which Australia’s greatest fighter says what?
“Look, I don’t care what anybody says,” he told us. “In fact, I’m happy about that – absolutely rapt.
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“Because while he mightn’t know me, I certainly know Errol Spence.
“So I know the guys we’re fighting.
“And I can also tell you the Tim Tszyu they’re fighting, it won’t be the same guy that fought Sebastian Fundora in two fights …”
Fenech also confirmed Arnold would be part of Team Tszyu on fight night.
“Graham is a close friend and we’ve spoken a lot about this preparation,” Fenech explained. “He will also be there on fight night and most likely walk out with us to the ring.
“Every day I have a messages from Graham asking ‘how is Tim, is he doing this, doing that?’.
“And when you have the support of someone like that, it really is reassuring.”
Only last month, Fenech revealed he had also spoken with South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett and how best to prepare Tszyu for the biggest test of his professional career.
“With Wayne, what we spoke about specifically was ensuring Tim is happy for this camp, then how we make sure that happens,” he said.
“And that means you eliminate all the bulls*** in his life. Ensure every day at the gym, Tim is coming in to do something he loves.
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“It’s all about the athlete knowing he’s cared for. And I think Wayne Bennett is the greatest ever advocate for that in the NRL. He’s the Johnny Lewis of rugby league.
“You can’t not love those people because they love you. They want you to be happy, want your family to be happy … which is why their athletes then arrive at training ready to give 100 per cent.”
On the discussions with Arnold, he continued: “It was about eliminating all distractions, and right down to things like social media.
“Even with the team Graham has now (Iraq), he’s eliminated all distractions. And it’s to the point where if any problem can be solved without a players’ intervention, it’s done … you don’t give them anything else to think about.”