Tim Tszyu’s wife has questioned why no one ever took accountability for her husband’s bloody world title loss against Sebastian Fundora in 2024, revealing: “Tim could’ve died … he almost went into cardiac arrest”.
The revelation comes as Alexandra Tszyu has also opened up on the emotional phone call her husband made, only months ago, from training camp in the United States to say he was retiring from the sport.
Elsewhere, Alexandra even weighed in on her husband’s decision to dump not one, but two coaches for Australian boxing great Jeff Fenech – while also recounting the night she watched a bloodied Tim stand, bawling, in a dressing room shower and thought “this is f***ed”.
Tszyu v Spence Jr. | Sunday July 26 from 11am AEST | Tim Tszyu takes on the biggest name in his career so far – future hall-of-famer Errol Spence Jr, in a can’t miss event for boxing fans around the world. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
Tim Tszyu ‘could have died’ after first Fundora fightSource: FOX SPORTS
As part of Tszyu’s hyped build towards this Sunday’s Errol Spence Jnr blockbuster, the former champ has unveiled a powerful YouTube documentary explaining, in detail, his rollercoaster run since first winning gold.
In the latest episode, which was released overnight night, Alexandra revealed how only months back her husband phoned from inside camp in Miami, Florida to say he was going to make a shock retirement from the sport.
At the time, Tszyu was training with famed Cuban coach Pedro Diaz.
A decision that came amid an incredibly chaotic two years which included not only dropping three title fights against Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev, but also splitting from his longtime coach Igor Goloubev and manager Glen Jennings.
That decision also had family ramifications, given younger brother Nikita still has both men steering his own undefeated career.
So desperate to find a fresh start last September, Tszyu started working out of Miami with Diaz, only to then find himself adding homesickness to a growing list of dramas.
Recalling her phone call during Tszyu’s time with Diaz, Alexandra said: “Tim called me while he was in camp in Miami and said ‘that’s it, I’m retiring’.
“I was thinking ‘retiring? Why are you retiring? Are you crazy? I know things aren’t great at the moment but we’ll get through it.
“And he said ‘I can’t deal with a problem every day’. There were so many things that were happening that weren’t being handled correctly, unfortunately. And those are the negative consequences it can have on an athlete.
“We had to make sure that it wouldn’t happen again. And by that some people would no longer work …”
READ MORE
EXCLUSIVE: US great’s shock offer to join Tszyu card after visa drama
FENECH 2.0: Tszyu’s historic two-division title chance emerges as potential opponents revealed
‘Just a regular fighter to me’ | 00:58
Elsewhere, Alexandra also recounted the scenes in Tszyu’s dressing room after his contentious first title loss to Fundora, which afterwards saw his corner heavily criticised for allowing him to fight on with a serious head cut.
“I remember in the dressing room after, he was just bawling his eyes out in the shower,” she said. “He had blood gushing down and I remember thinking this is f***ed.”
Alexandra also commented on that same night at the end of episode one, saying: “No one really took responsibility for the outcome of Fundora one.
“I mean, Tim could’ve died. He almost went into cardiac arrest. They went through 55 towels [due to] blood. He had blood gushing down him and I’m thinking this is f***ed.”
While speaking himself on those consecutive losses against Fundora and Murtazaliev, Tszyu also recounted how tough things got.
“When I was in hospital there were only two people, my wife and [chef] Omar,” he said.
“When things are great, you should see the dressing room then. My phone is going off, getting thousands and thousands of notifications. There are people in my dressing room I don’t even know.
“But when you lose? You look at exactly who is there. And it’s not many. And the phone, it’s not going off …”
Elsewhere, Alexandra also revealed how after the second title loss to Murtazaliev, which saw him brutally stopped and younger brother Nikita throw in the towel, Tszyu’s team had discussed with him the idea of retiring.
Close friend and chef Omar Ifred also gave an insight into the fallout that came with losing consecutive title fights.
Tszyu v Spence Jr. | Sunday July 26 from 11am AEST | Tim Tszyu takes on the biggest name in his career so far – future hall-of-famer Errol Spence Jr, in a can’t miss event for boxing fans around the world. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
“That’s Cap” Tszyu/Spence fiery face-off | 01:42
“The amount of criticism he copped was unbelievable,” Ifred said of Tszyu. “Unbelievable. [People saying] he can’t box, he can’t do this one, he can’t do that one. You know how it is.”
As part of the documentary, Tszyu also shed light on his second fight with Fundora, over which plenty of questions existed in the aftermath following his decision to retire on the stool.
Explaining how the decision came about, Tszyu said: “Fundora hit me with a shot where I felt … [exhaling heavily] completely out of it.
“I remember coach repeating a couple of times ‘Tim you alright? You ready to go, you ready to go?’. I couldn’t even answer.
“People think I quit and all this bulls***. But I was just completely out of it. I’ve never felt anything like that before.”
At one point in the piece, Tszyu also took a dig at longtime rival Michael Zerafa, who back in January was forced out of an all-Australian blockbuster with Nikita after saying early in the third that he couldn’t continue due to an eye cut.
Zerafa told a ringside physician ‘I can’t see’.
Recounting his first bloody first Fundora fight in the documentary, Tszyu says: “Blood on my face, I would never say I can’t see. I will always say I’m ready. That’s the warrior inside of me …”
And as for Spence?
“He’s been off for three years, so he has got a lot to prove,” Tszyu said. “In three years, a lot of new faces arrive, including myself.”
Then, finally: “I will be victorious. This is my future. Let’s show the world how great I am.”