‘Question marks’: Tim Tszyu’s ‘vulnerability’ exposed in milestone win

Tim Tszyu claimed the biggest win of his career on his US debut but he will have to step up his game if he is to become world champion.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 26: Tim Tszyu (white with blue trunks) v Terrell Gausha (white with red and gold trunks) box in the Super Welterweight main event at the Armory on March 26, 2022 in Minneapolis, United States. Tszyu, in his USA debut defeated Gausha by judges decision. Adam Bettcher/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Tim Tszyu is one step closer to a world title but there are “question marks” over whether he has what it takes to win the belt.

The 27-year-old retained his No .1 WBO super-welterweight ranking with a sensational comeback victory over Terrell Gausha in his US debut on Sunday.

It was panic stations when Gausha knocked Tszyu to the canvas with a brutal right jab in the opening round.

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Tszyu swung the fight in his favour when he landed a brutal body shot and secured a crucial knockdown in the fourth round that completely changed the momentum.

He dominated the remainder of the right and battered Gausha with body shots but the knockout blow proved elusive for Tszyu, who won via unanimous decision.

While the Australian impressed boxing fans with his composure and ability to put the first-round knockdown behind him, pundits said his inability to strike the killer blow is cause for concern.

Gausha used his longer reach to great effect and repeatedly landed heavy right jabs, which Tszyu wore well.

But boxing experts believe Tszyu won’t be so lucky when he comes up against the firepower of either Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano and will have to lift his game.

CBS Sports’s Brian Campbell tweeted: “Tszyu is a bit too willing to stand and eat everything Gausha is countering with in order to hold his position.

Terrell Gausha (right) landed several right jabs through Tim Tszyu’s defences. Photo: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images/AFP

“It may not cost him here but it’s something to watch the more he steps up in class.”

Boxing writer Chris Mannix said: “Tim Tszyu stands straight up, is flat footed and doesn’t move his head. Gausha — who knocked Tszyu down in the first round — may not have the firepower to stop Tszyu.

“But if Tszyu fights like this at a higher level, someone will.”

“The performance was great,” Australian boxing legend Jeff Fenech said.

“But there were so many different things that I’ve seen today that he can fix.

“He wasn’t slipping to the side, making the jab miss and coming over with the right hand. He was trying to go straight through it. He was leading with the left hook, which left him open for the straight right hand.

“And the biggest thing … was those pity-pat punches, where he was trying to set one big one up, instead of just getting to the side and working the body, and then coming up.”

Main Event commentator Ben Damon said the ease with which Gausha landed right jabs exposed some “frailties” in Tszyu’s armour.

Tim Tszyu will have to lift his game for a world title fight. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

Tszyu is in line for the unified titles after Castano and Charlo have their rematch on May 14.

Paul Kent said: “I think both Castano and Charlo will be a little bit encouraged after today’s performance.”

“Charlo especially...because he is a deadly puncher,” Barry White said.

“Tim learned some lessons there with those big overhand rights,” former WBO welterweight world champion Jeff Horn said on Main Event.

“He (Gausha) wasn’t throwing many punches, but when he did, they were landing.

“Tim didn’t look as good as we thought he was going to look in this fight. And I thought he was going to match it with those two big names … but now there’s big question marks.

“Will he beat those guys when he comes up against them?”

Kent asked: “Did that expose a vulnerability, do you think Jeff?”

“Definitely,” Horn replied.

There are some chinks in Tim Tszyu’s armour. Photo: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images/AFP

Before the fight, reigning WBC and IBF welterweight king Errol Spence Jr. took to social media to back Gausha, his teammate from the 2012 Olympics, to end the hype over Tszyu, who he believed was overrated.

“Let’s go bro,” Spence Jr. said. “They hyping dude up little too much.”

Spence Jr. changed his tune, posting on Twitter after Tszyu’s victory: “Good win kept a good pace the whole fight”.

But he also endorsed a tweet from American boxer Luis Arias, who wrote Tszyu could probably “shake off a Castano right hand but a Charlo right hand is a different story.

Facts https://t.co/MVw3to8xf0

— Errol Spence (@ErrolSpenceJr) March 27, 2022

Charlo is known for his brutal power — only time will tell if Tszyu has what it takes to beat him or Castano and become world champion.