Comment: Why Tim Tszyu’s best could be ahead of him – and the mistake he can’t afford to make

Like so many champion Australian boxers, Tim Tszyu is at a crossroads right now. And the next decision he makes will define Tszyu’s legacy. He can’t be afraid to chase greatness, writes JAMIE PANDARAM.

Tim Tszyu dared to be great, and now he’s getting hammered for it.

The last thing this excellent Australian boxer needs to do is listen to critics who are urging him to retire, or see out his career on local shores against mediocre opponents to collect cash.

Tszyu has already declared he’ll be back, fighting the big fights, likely in the United States again.

And while his devastating loss to Bakhram Murtazaliev has quashed his aura of invincibility, Tszyu is talented and hardworking enough to become a world champion once more, and draw the biggest names in the sport.

It’s inevitable that after a long lay-off, he’ll fight local rival Michael Zerafa in Australia. It’s the logical, big-money, ugly-rivalry fight to get Tszyu active and engaged.

Tim Tszyu’s best could still be ahead of him, despite his shocking defeat to Bakhram Murtazaliev. Picture: Getty

But following that, he needs to get back to the US and take on the best in the super-welterweight division and continue to chase his dream of being the top dog.

Because the opportunity will be rife.

It is perhaps the most stacked division in boxing now Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr are campaigning at the 154 pound limit.

And with Spence fighting WBC and WBO champion Sebastian Fundora next year, with the winner in line for Crawford, Murtazaliev potentially defending his IBF belt against Erickson Lubin, contenders Israil Madrimov fighting Serhii Bohachuk in December, and undefeated Vergil Ortiz – who was supposed to fight Tszyu before his head clash against Fundora cancelled their bout – and former champ Jermell Charlo waiting in the mix, there is no shortage of match-ups to be made.

There will be losers from those potential bouts that will be just as desperate as Tszyu to climb back up the ranks.

Terence Crawford (L) and Errol Spence Jr. have turned the super-welterweight division into the most stacked in boxing. Picture: Getty

Now, Tszyu will likely start as an underdog against those names given the punishment he took in Orlando.

But it wasn’t, as many now suggest, a mistake to take on Murtazaliev in the next fight after his bloody loss to Fundora.

Murtazaliev was holding a championship belt, which is what Tszyu wants. It would have been a fool’s errand to take a “tune up” fight because boxing is so unpredictable, there was no guarantee Murtazaliev would have waited around or disaster didn’t occur in such a tune up.

Also, a couple of factors have not been thoroughly explored in the aftermath.

First, it was obvious that Tszyu came in with the wrong tactics. Perhaps there was some leftover trauma from the Fundora cut, with Tszyu obviously worried in the opening round his scalp had reopened again.

But it was also clear he wanted to make “a statement” as he said pre-fight, and get a stoppage win. But Murtazaliev has six first-round knockouts in his career and it was wrong to trade with him early.

With his silky skills, Tszyu should have moved more and been patient.

Bakhram Murtazaliev lands a devastating punch on Tim Tszyu. Picture: Getty

The other factor was the IBF’s rehydration clause with the mandatory fight day weigh-in, which Murtazaliev is used to but Tszyu is not.

Tszyu usually comes in much heavier on fight day, but under the IBF’s rules a fighter cannot weigh more than 10 pounds (4.5kg) over the official limit. Tszyu and Murtazaliev both weighed 165 pounds (74.8kg) on fight day, but Tszyu has been known to get back up to 80kg on previous fight days after refuelling.

It’s impossible to know how much this affected Tszyu’s performance, but it’s doubtful he’ll be angling for the IBF title any time soon.

We certainly don’t need Tszyu to go into his shell and take meaningless fights in Australia to push up his bank balance.

Some of our biggest stars, like Anthony Mundine and Danny Green, made millions but never headlined shows in the US like they should have because they left it too late.

Tszyu has a name there and can build on it.

Andy Ruiz Jr knocks down Anthony Joshua at Madison Square Garden. Picture: Getty

Boxing’s great foreign fighters have had their worst moments in the US.

Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua suffered the first defeat of his career in New York, knocked out by Andy Ruiz, but came back to win multiple title belts.

Fellow Briton Prince Naseem Hamed endured the first and only loss of his career in Las Vegas, beaten by Marco Antonio Barrera, then came back to win the IBO featherweight belt in London before retiring.

Filipino great Manny Pacquiao was brutally knocked out cold by Juan Manuel Marquez in Vegas, but returned to become the welterweight champion.

A sparkling comeback is not beyond Tszyu if he reconfigures his fight tactics, pursues the weigh-in path that suits his body, and patiently picks apart the crumbs falling in the super-welterweight division.

Originally published as Comment: Why Tim Tszyu’s best could be ahead of him – and the mistake he can’t afford to make