Tim Tszyu linked to Joey Spencer fight as Johnny Lewis, Jeff Fenech and Anthony Mundine road map his way back to a world title
With Tim Tszyu rumoured to be making his comeback from 2024’s back-to-back world title defeats, boxing legends have told Brendan Bradford what advice they’d give Tszyu to help him return to the top of the rankings.
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A fight every two months, an addition to the corner and bringing Nikita into camp.
These are a few of the tips some of the most experienced boxing insiders have for Tim Tszyu as he plots his path back to the top of the super-welterweight rankings.
Coming off back-to-back world title defeats in 2024, Tszyu is strongly rumoured to be making his comeback against Joey Spencer in Australia in April.
Newcastle is the frontrunner to host the fight, but hasn’t been confirmed, with interstate cities still in the mix.
Beyond that though, and despite the torrent of online commentary from armchair experts urging him to change his team and ditch his long-time trainer Igor Goloubev, the likes of Johnny Lewis, Jeff Fenech and Anthony Mundine all agree that only minor adjustments need to be made.
CHANGING OF THE GUARD?
Lewis, who shared so much world title success with Kostya Tszyu, thinks Tim’s defeats to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev were mere speed bumps.
He hits back at suggestions Tszyu should change his team.
“I’m a huge fan of his Uncle Igor, who’s training him, and I think they can work it out,” the Hall of Fame trainer said. “I wouldn’t be asking everybody.
“Just listen to his uncle, and get the train back on track.”
Mundine says it can’t just be left up to Tszyu to figure out what went wrong.
“A lot of people will have opinions, but the team needs to look internally, evaluate their craft and their approach,” he said. “They need to do their due diligence and see where they can do better, what mistakes they made and how they make sure it won’t happen again.
“It’s a team effort.”
‘WHAT THE F**K JUST HAPPENED?’
Those were Tszyu’s words just moments after the loss to Murtazaliev in Orlando, and Fenech now gives an insight into what he believes went wrong.
And, more importantly, how to fix it.
“He drops his hands before he punches. Every time,” Fenech said. “Before he punches, his hand goes down, and anybody with a great left hook is gonna hit him straight away as he goes to throw a punch.
“He throws from his hips, but you need to bend down so you can throw punches from your chin.
“Use your hips and legs to escalate it so you don’t need to lower your hands.”
BLOCK OUT THE NOISE
Ironically, listening to too much outside noise – from the media and fans – may have played a part in Tszyu’s defeat to Murtazaliev.
Tszyu went into the bout as the overwhelming betting favourite, and much of the commentary in the build-up surrounded a fight against Terence Crawford or Canelo Alvarez, only for it to come crashing down in nine brutal minutes.
Former world champion Barry Michael thinks Team Tszyu overlooked Murtazaliev.
“Every fight you have, you’ve gotta focus on the person in front of you and what he can do to you,” Michael said. “That’s where they overlooked it, I believe.
“They thought it was just another day at the office – a smash and grab and see ya later.”
THAT’S MY TEAM
Tszyu told this masthead he has already ruled out making drastic changes to his team, but former fighter turned popular pundit, Ted Cofie, says there should be an addition to the corner.
“Tim has won 24 of 26 fights, which is a more than 90 per cent success rate, and when you make a mistake, you don’t just tear away the 90 per cent,” he said.
“You add five per cent here or there. He doesn’t need a new corner, but he needs an addition to his corner.
“He needs someone who can say, in the Fundora fight for instance, ‘You’re not fighting on, because you’ve got a massive cut on your head’.”
Lewis knows who that person should be.
“It was his younger brother who threw in the towel against Murtazaliev, and that was one of the best things I’ve seen in boxing,” he said.
“I really admired the young fella for his instinct to do that.
“It’s better to stop it a round or two early, than a round too late, so I’d be going with Igor and Nikita.”
CONFIDENCE MAN
Mundine carried the confidence of his rugby league career into the ring, and wants to see Tszyu regain the bluster he had during an impressive 2023.
But it could take time, as Choc knows from experience.
“I’m sure that last one took a bit of swagger out of him,” Mundine said.
“It’s hard to get back though.
“You’ve just gotta get back on that grind, back on the bike, and get back to your hustle.
“Do that and he’ll get his confidence back.”
BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME
All of the experts we spoke to agree that Tszyu should regroup with a handful of fights in Australia before attacking America again.
Lewis said it might only be one fight, but stressed it must be against the right level of opponent.
Mundine said two or three fights could be enough to get him back on track.
Meanwhile Michael, who fought in the rough and tumble days of the ‘70s and ‘80s has a more drastic option.
“Tim likes to be active, and ring time is what makes you better,” he said. “It’d be good to have a few fights in succession.
“One every two months for three fights and just see where he is.”
HE’LL BE BACK
To a man, the experts agree Tszyu can win another world title.
Like his dad – who unified the super-lightweight division after a shock knockout loss to Vince Phillips – Lewis has no doubts Tim will be back.
“He hasn’t been too hurt I don’t think,” he said.
“Pride’s a silly thing, but that might be the only thing that’s hurt.
“Tim’s his own man, and that’s what I’ve always admired about him, and he deserves another go at it.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he became world champion again.”
Originally published as Tim Tszyu linked to Joey Spencer fight as Johnny Lewis, Jeff Fenech and Anthony Mundine road map his way back to a world title
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