Tim Tszyu has established himself as one of the most formidable operators at super welterweight following his remarkably brave performance against Sebastian Fundora.
The 29-year-old showed tremendous mental resolve to see the final bell after sustaining a gruesome cut when he was caught by an accidental elbow in only the second round.
Despite making a strong recovery, the Australian lost via a split decision and was forced to hand his WBO world title over to his more rangy opponent.
And yet, the high-volume puncher has only earned a greater degree of respect following his gutsy display, as Tim Tszyu now looks to become a two-time world champion.
Paulie Malignaggi highlights Tim Tszyu’s greatest strength
Since his first professional defeat at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Tszyu has responded by jumping back into the deep end for his next outing.
In fact, his incredible attitude has caught the attention of former world champion Paulie Malignaggi, who explains why he believes that “The Soul Taker” is constantly striving for greatness.
“I’ve said this before – Eastern fighters are different,” Malignaggi said on ProBox TV. “Tszyu is an Australian fighter but has Russian blood. I’m going to keep saying this – they want all the smoke.
“It’s very rare for Western fighters to behave this way. [Eastern fighters] want all the smoke. They want to fight the best consistently; they do not care at what point in their careers they fight them; they do not care about nurturing their records.
“They want to fight the best because, for them, it’s about more than money, more than legacy – it’s about being the best.”
How will Bakhram Murtazaliev vs Tim Tszyu unfold?
Tszyu will headline Amazon Prime Video’s first non-pay-per-view card against newly-crowned IBF world champion Bakhram Murtazaliev at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, on October 19.
| Potential factors | Tim Tszyu | Bakhram Murtazaliev |
| Knockout percentage | 70.83 | 72.73 |
| Height (in cm) | 174 | 183 |
| Years as a professional | 7 | 10 |
This matchup should deliver another barnburner at 154 lbs, with both fighters seemingly carring enough power to stop the fight at any moment.
However, it could be said that Tszyu – with wins over seasoned campaigners Tony Harrison and Brian Mendoza – has garnered more experience at world level.
But, regardless of the outcome, it is nonetheless refreshing to see the son of boxing legend Kostya Tszyu forge his own pathway in the sport.