‘Highly unusual’: Tim Tszyu and Sebastian Fundora both make weight significantly under the limit in Las Vegas

Renowned boxing broadcaster Jim Lampley has conveyed his surprise at the such low weight which Tim Tszyu has tipped the scales ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster in Las Vegas.

Tim Tszyu weighed in at 152.8 pounds, a full 1.2 pounds (a little more than half a kilo) below the super-welterweight limit, for what he labelled his “Super Bowl moment” in Las Vegas against Sebastian Fundora.

Tszyu was focused but relaxed tipping the scales on Friday in Las Vegas, and was an imposing physical presence opposite the rail-thin Fundora.

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“His legs are quite thin. His body’s thin,” Tszyu said. “We’re two completely different animals. He’s a giraffe and I’m a tiger.

“This is the NBA, clutch, Grand Final, three point moment. This is my NFL, Super Bowl moment.”

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While Fundora towered over Tszyu, ‘The Soul Taker’ made light of the 22cm height difference, jokingly throwing exaggerated jabs and hooks well over his head after their face-off.

Tszyu has likened his fight with the 197cm tall Fundora as a David and Goliath battle, and doubled down on those comparisons.

“Who won in the end?” he said. “It’s not the size of the man in the battle, it’s the size of the heart in the battle, and every man bleeds the same blood.

“I take inspiration from historical events like that coming into this fight. It gives me that edge.”

Tim Tszyu weighs-in.ahead of Sunday. Picture: Prime Video

Despite being spotted munching pizza just 36 hours before the weigh-ins, Fundora made weight comfortably at 152.8 pounds as well.

Veteran boxing broadcaster Jim Lampley said it was strange to see a world champion weigh in so far under the limit.

“It’s highly unusual,” Lampley told this masthead. “That’s one point of view.

“But the other point of view is that he’s fighting a highly unusual physical specimen, and a last minute throw-in opponent.

“He may be looking to gain quickness and energy. Something like that is possible.

“There’s any number of reasons he could weigh in at that weight, but I agree it’s highly unusual.”

Both fighters have weighed-in underweight. Picture: Prime Video

Having clearly done the weight easily, Tszyu revealed his unorthodox pre-weigh-in day routine, and admitted he will put on nearly 11 kilograms by the time he steps into the ring.

“Last night we actually played a game of pickleball – we had fun with it,” he said. “I actually had a bit of chicken and a cheesecake.

“A healthy cheesecake. I’ll be 80 kilos (on fight night).

“We’ll eat, play poker for money with the boys, watch a couple of movies, play by the pool, eat more and relax.

“I just grew up in the boxing era when fighters were fighters. I stand by that and that’s just how I am. Those are my beginnings.”

Lampley has been ringside for some of the biggest moments in boxing history in a half of fame career, and says he’s never seen such a stunning height difference between fighters.

“Not in a 154-pound fight have I ever seen a situation where a fighter is eight or nine inches taller,” Lampley said. “Especially not at the championship level.

“You might see that on a developmental level where people haven’t established what their skills are going to be.

“But to see it in a title fight, where the winner is going to be seen as the best 154 pound fighter in the world, is really unusual.”

Down the card, Michael Zerafa had no problems making weight, tipping the scales at 159.8 for his WBA middleweight world title clash with Erislandy Lara (158.6).

There was drama on the undercard though, with undefeated middleweight prospect Elijah Garcia dramatically pulling out due to illness.

Originally published as ‘Highly unusual’: Tim Tszyu and Sebastian Fundora both make weight significantly under the limit in Las Vegas