‘Some people sook about a lot of things’: Tim Tszyu sends message to Joey Spencer after judging drama
Tim Tszyu has shrugged off the judging drama that has overshadowed the lead-up to his blockbuster fight against American Joey Spencer, and taken a swipe at his opponent.
Boxing/MMA
Don't miss out on the headlines from Boxing/MMA. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Tim Tszyu has accused Joey Spencer’s team of having “a sook” after this week’s fight night judging drama, and questioned the American’s weight cut ahead of their pay-per-view showdown in Newcastle this Sunday.
Speaking after his open workout ahead of his must-win comeback bout, Tszyu also hit back at English promoter Eddie Hearn for questioning his credentials as an elite fighter.
Tszyu vs. Spencer | SUN 6 APRIL 11AM AEDT | Tim Tszyu makes his highly anticipated return to the ring as he looks to push himself back into world title contention against Joey Spencer | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports
Despite taking place inside a steaming hot Tszyu Fight Academy in Rockdale, Spencer wore a beanie, hoodie and track pants for his open workout, and limited his session to shadow boxing before stepping out of the ring.
Spencer has fought at middleweight (72.6kg) for his last three bouts, and is coming back down to super-welterweight (69.9kg) for the first time in two years to face Tszyu.
His limited workout sparked questions about how he is handling the weight cut ahead of Sunday’s clash.
“I can tell by him not working out, there’s probably something there,” Tszyu said after his own workout. “He wants to save himself.
“Stuff it, man. Just go hard until the bell goes.”
No Limit CEO George Rose is confident Spencer will make the weight, but admitted there was a clear difference between the fighters.
“People are saying he looked drained,” he said. “A few people have mentioned that maybe he’s doing it tough.
“I know he’s very professional and he’ll get there in the end, but a lot of people are saying today that he looked very drained.
“I was very surprised at the difference in the two – it was noticeable.”
Wednesday’s workouts took place just minutes after the Combat Sports Authority of New South Wales ruled the fight a “significant contest”, meaning two neutral judges will be flown in from overseas.
The ruling ended two days of drama after Spencer’s team reportedly threatened to pull out of the fight unless two overseas judges were appointed.
Tszyu shrugged off the judging drama, and took a swipe at his opponent.
“Some people sook about a lot of things, and I’ll just stay away from it,” he said. “We’re different generations.
“I’m old school, who cares?
“I’m wherever, whenever, whether it’s in the middle of nowhere, whatever.
“We’re different.
“I just want to make him pay. For whatever. It doesn’t matter whether he wanted this, this, or this.
“In my mind he’s a roadblock and I want to get rid of this roadblock.”
A laidback Spencer denied issues with his weight, saying preparation “couldn’t be going better” and hit back at Tszyu saying he wouldn’t need the judges because the fight will end in a knockout.
“He doesn’t even believe that,” he said. “I feel like he’s trying to psych himself up.
“We’re getting close to the fight now, but I just smiled and laughed.”
The 25-year-old also revealed more details about the officiating fiasco that threatened the fight.
“There was never going to be a time that I stepped out,” he said. “My team did a great job getting the judging thing arranged the way it needed to be.
“I’m not worried about the judges either. We got what we asked for.”
Tszyu is fighting to save his career after back-to-back losses in America last year, and the 30-year-old has hit back at claims this week from heavyweight English promoter Hearn that “the jury is still out” on his status as an elite fighter.
“People forget about what you’ve done in your career and they focus on what’s just happened,” he said. “I respect Eddie Hearn, but I’m here to show the critics I’m still world class.”
Tszyu’s manager, Glen Jennings, went even harder.
“Everyone’s entitled to an opinion, but I don’t see any wins for (Hearn) doing that considering he’s been to Australia and it hasn’t been hugely successful,” Jennings told Code Sports. “You do your thing, Eddie, we’ll do ours.
“You’ve seen how many people have jumped off the bandwagon after Tim lost, but they’ll all come back if he wins on Sunday.
“It’s like the Rabbitohs, mate. They have a great season, everybody loves them, if they lose two in a row, they’re shit.
“Then they come back and win at the end of the year, everyone’s loving them again.
“Personally, I like Eddie Hearn, but he makes off the cuff comments about everyone, and a part of that is constantly staying in front of the camera, and right now there’s not a lot going on for Eddie.”
Crisis averted: Tszyu showdown saved by 11th hour ruling
By Brendan Bradford
The Combat Sports Authority of New South Wales has officially deemed Tim Tszyu’s fight with Joey Spencer a “significant contest”, saving the card and avoiding an embarrassing multimillion dollar nightmare.
The 11th hour ruling, just four days before the bout, means two neutral judges from overseas will be flown in, satisfying Spencer’s team’s demands that there shouldn’t be three Australian officials scoring the fight.
Fights that aren’t considered significant contests in New South Wales only need local judges, while significant contests require neutral ringside officials.
Combat Sports generally makes decisions on significant bouts well in advance of fight day.
When Skye Nicolson and Cherneka Johnson defended their world titles in Sydney on March 22, Combat Sports deemed them significant bouts nearly two weeks earlier, on March 10.
Meanwhile, the decision to make UFC 312 fights significant contests was made more than a month before the pay-per-view event at Qudos Bank Arena on February 9 this year.
There were fears Spencer and his crew would leave Australia as early as Thursday night after claiming they were promised two neutral judges.
However, this masthead can confirm there was nothing in the contracts ordering two overseas officials to judge the bout.
Their concerns were real, but they had no firm legal footing to stand on.
No Limit had even threatened to launch million dollar legal proceedings for breach of contract if Spencer left.
But, after Wednesday morning’s decision from Combat Sports, the fight and event will go ahead as planned.
With the WBO intercontinental title on the line, the WBO will now assign two overseas judges to fly to Australia for Sunday’s fights in Newcastle.
“The fight is on. It’s official. There’s no excuses now,” No Limit CEO George Rose said.
“We were never in doubt about Tim stepping into the ring on Sunday, but there was some uncertainty while we were waiting on the official ruling.
“Now that it’s confirmed, we can look forward to what will be an incredible fight.”
Tszyu was never concerned about the judging fiasco, promising that the fight wouldn’t go the distance anyway.
“They want international judges,” he said. “But we don’t need judges.”
Michael Zerafa threw his hat into the ring to fight Tszyu when it appeared Spencer may pull out, as No Limit frantically searched for a late-notice replacement.
Super-welterweights Koen Mazoudier and Dan Hill – who fight each other on Sunday – were reportedly considered as potential alternates, but Spencer leaving would have been a disaster.
Fix it or we’re out: Team Spencer’s stunning Tszyu Ultimatum
By Brendan Bradford and Peter Badel
Joey Spencer’s team has given No Limit 48 hours to organise two neutral judges for this weekend’s showdown with Tim Tszyu.
Code Sports understands there are fears Team Spencer could refuse to travel from their base in Sydney to Newcastle on Thursday if the time limit is not met.
If Spencer does hightail it, Michael Zerafa has been tapped on the shoulder to step in on late notice, although ‘The Small Town Soldier’ balked at that suggestion.
“I didn’t even know that,” Spencer said on Wednesday morning when asked about being replaced by Australian fighter Zerafa.
“I don’t even think about that – Tim’s not getting off that easily.
“I highly, highly doubt that.”
Spencer leaving would be a disaster for No Limit.
Tszyu has long said he will never fight Zerafa after the Melbournian pulled out of their scheduled fight in 2021, and that stance has not changed.
“Surely that’s an April Fools joke, and if it is, it’s a good one,” Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings said of Zerafa offering to step in.
“Michael has timed it perfectly to get major media interest.”
Zerafa injured his hand during his win over Besir Ay on March 12, but returned to sparring after a week of being limited to cardio.
A Tszyu-Zerafa showdown would be a money-making megafight if it had months of build-up, but putting it together on just several days’ notice is a nightmare scenario.
Jennings said Tszyu is fully focused on fighting Spencer, and wouldn’t entertain the idea of a late-notice replacement.
Especially considering it has been just over a year since the Aussie lost a bloody showdown with Sebastian Fundora, who replaced Keith Thurman on just 11 days’ notice.
“We are one hundred percent focused on Joey Spencer, there are no thoughts on him not being there,” Jennings said. “As for the judging, it’s up to the Combat Sports Authority of New South Wales, which is a government department, and you can’t sway those guys.
“It’s no different from when we go to Las Vegas and it’s the Nevada State Athletic Commission controlling the entire process of officials and appointments.”
Spencer’s team say they were promised two neutral judges and one Australian judge.
That would have been the split of judges had the Combat Sport Authority of New South Wales deemed the fight a “significant contest.”
Combat Sports rules on whether to deem a fight a significant contest “on a case by case basis after considering the type, level and public interest in the contest”.
A promoter can apply to have a fight ordered a significant contest, but as of Wednesday afternoon, Combat Sports hadn’t made a judgement on the status of the bout.
With the WBO intercontinental belt on the line, if the fight is made a significant contest, the WBO will appoint overseas judges, who must then make their way to Australia.
“We are waiting and hoping,” No Limit boss George Rose said. “Their camp is furious about this judging issue, they are threatening to go home.
“It’s not made up. This is genuine. We’ve been in talks with PBC (promoters Premier Boxing Champions) for the past 24 hours trying to resolve this issue.
“It’s not in the contract about us having to supply international judges. We don’t make that call.”
Spencer is adamant there was an agreement to have two neutral judges at ringside.
“That’s what we agreed to,” he said. “That made the difference of me taking this fight and not taking this fight, because I’m not coming here just to share the ring with Tim, I’m coming here to win the fight.
“I don’t know who’s responsible or who’s trying to pull what, but I know it’s not right.
“From a moral standpoint, I’ve come out here and done everything I need to do, and now it’s time to keep your end of the deal.”
Spencer travelled to Australia with both of his parents, his younger brother, wife and two young kids and will have been here for three weeks by fight day.
His dad and trainer, Jason, wouldn’t confirm whether they’d all fly home if the judging issue wasn’t put to rest.
“I can’t make a definitive statement on that,” he said. “We’ve conveyed our position to our management.
“That’s all we can say about it now. I don’t want to go there.
Asked again whether his son would fight if three local judges are appointed to the bout, Jason said: “We’ve communicated what our position will be if that happens.
“I’m sorry you’re looking for a definitive hard answer, but I just can’t give it to you.”
More Coverage
Originally published as ‘Some people sook about a lot of things’: Tim Tszyu sends message to Joey Spencer after judging drama
Mind over matter: Tszyu’s mystery secret weapon for mental edge
There were fears for Tim Tszyu’s long-term health after hitting the canvas four times in his last loss. But brain scans have cleared Tszyu of any damage — and he has a secret mental weapon in his corner.
‘He left’: Why the real missing piece in Team Tszyu was never Kostya
Kostya Tszyu won’t be in Tim’s corner this weekend, but there’s another change to Team Tszyu that could prove even more crucial as he looks to halt his losing run.