‘Fight of the year’: Tim Tszyu secures incredible comeback victory over Terrell Gausha

The biggest fight of Tim Tszyu’s career got off to a horrible start but he showed he’s the real deal with an epic comeback win.

Tim Tszyu has done it. Photo: Fox Sports

Tim Tszyu has won the biggest fight of his boxing career, claiming a sensational comeback victory over Terrell Gausha on Sunday (AEDT).

In his blockbuster US debut in Minneapolis, Tszyu won the superwerlterweight world title eliminator via unanimous decision (114-113, 116-111, 115-112).

Watch Tim Tszyu vs Terrell Gausha LIVE on Main Event available on Kayo & Foxtel, Sunday 27th March from 11am AEDT. ORDER NOW >

Gausha came out swinging and knocked Tszyu to the canvas in the first round in a huge blow to the Australian’s chances.

Main Event commentator Ben Damon said the first round went “horribly wrong” for Tszyu.

“Tszyu’s in trouble in the opening round,” Damon said.

But the 27-year-old jumped straight back to his feet and began mounting an incredible comeback.

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.

Tim Tszyu was knocked down in the first round.

He battered Gausha with brutal jabs and body shots for the rest of the fight but the American somehow stayed on his feet as a knockout blow proved elusive for Tszyu.

“How did he stay up?” Damon asked.

“Tim Tszyu is going to start this next round like the last one. Can Gausha stay up with it? I don’t think he can,” Australian boxing legend Jeff Fenech added.

“He is hanging on for dear life.”

Tszyu clearly had the better of the fight as Gausha frequently retreated to the ropes to protect himself.

After 12 rounds, the judges awarded Tszyu the victory, ensuring his undefeated record in professional boxing remains in tact (21-0).

The epic fight went the distance and is already being heralded the “fight of the year” by boxing pundits.

“This has been a crazy fight,” Fenech said.

“This could be fight of the year.”

“This has showed he’s (Tszyu) made of something else,” Damon said.

Tim Tszyu knocked down Terrell Gausha in the fourth round. Photo: Getty Images

Tim Tszyu delivered on his US debut. Photo: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images/AFP

Despite controversy over how one judge scored the fight, Tszyu was clearly the better of the two boxers.

He landed landed 236 punches at 31.5 per cent, while Gausha only managed 163 at 27.8 per cent.

Tszyu retains his No .1 WBO super-welterweight ranking — the Aussie is in line for the unified titles after Brian Castano and Jermell Charlo have their rematch on Saturday, May 14.

“I’ll be definitely there, I’ll be coming for the two boys, whoever wants it can get it,” Tszyu said.

Round-by-round updates

Round 1: Gausha fired plenty of jabs early and knocked Tszyu down with a brutal right jab in a first round that “has gone horribly wrong” for the Australian, Main Event commentator Ben Damon said.

But to his credit, Tszyu got straight back up and responded with a few jabs of his own.

Tszyu was bleeding from his face and blinking as a result of the jab that knocked him down.

Round 2: A better round from Tszyu as he landed a body shot and a hook, but he’s got a lot of work to do to get back into it.

Round 3: Tszyu is hanging in there but Gausha is getting the better of their rapid exchanges.

Round 4: Tszyu is making an incredible comeback and swung the fight in his favour, landing a crucial knock down as he sent Gausha to the canvas with a huge body shot. Somehow Gausha stayed on his feet despite being battered by Tszyu for three minutes.

Round 5: The Aussie continued to land several hard jabs to Gausha’s head and body. Tszyu is looking for the killer blow.

Round 6: Gausha is still standing as Tszyu lifts to a new level as he closes in on a finishing blow.

Round 7: Gausha landed a solid jab with his right hand and is refusing to go down.

Round 8: An epic round with Tszyu and Gausha refusing to give an inch and both landing brutal uppercuts. This is shaping as an epic fight that could well go the distance.

Round 9: Both fighters are tiring slightly and continue to land solid blows. Gausha has got a second wind and it will take something special from Tszyu to knock him out.

Round 10: Tszyu is just on top and landed another solid jab on Gausha, who keeps using his lethal right jab to great effect.

Round 11: Gausha is dazed but still hanging in there as Tszyu peppers him with jabs.

Round 12: Tszyu constantly hammered Gausha with body shots but the American showed insane toughness to stay on his feet to the end.

Sign America is all aboard the Tszyu bandwagon

It’s nearly time for Tim Tszyu to step into the ring and show America what he can do in his first big fight on the world stage.

The 27-year-old is reportedly set to pocket $1 million for the fight with Gausha, which suggests there is genuine interest in the US around him.

It’s a packed house at the Amory in Minneapolis as US boxing fans prepare to get their first glimpse of Tszyu.

“Look at that venue,” Main Event commentator Ben Damon said.

“They’re packed in here because they want to see the next Tszyu. They all knew Kostya and America is about to meet Tim.”

Australian boxing legend Jeff Fenech added: “There’s a lot of talk about the father.

“They’re going to see a kid who’s going to do it on his own. I’ve never seen a kid as confident, as exciting and with more potential than Tim. He’s going to be very, very spectacular tonight.”

Tim Tszyu is in the house

Tim Tszyu has arrived for his US debut and is giving absolutely nothing away.

.@Tim_Tszyu is in the building ahead of his U.S. debut 🔥 #TszyuGaushapic.twitter.com/lqqrX1esAw

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 27, 2022

In what’s hopefully a good omen as well, undefeated Aussie heavyweight Joe Goodall claimed a first round TKO, ending Mathew McKinney with body shots.

‘Hyping dude up’: Tszyu not yet believed

Tim Tszyu weighs in ahead of his fight against Terrell Gausha. Photo courtesy of No Limit Boxing.

Having not seen him up close yet, the US does not yet believe the hype around Tim Tszyu.

Tszyu has cleared out the Australian market and claimed a massive victory over Takeshi Inoue but still the boxing world doesn’t not yet believe in Tszyu.

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 the Aussie.

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

Coach Manny Robles, who orchestrated Andy Ruiz’ KO of Anthony Joshua in 2019, said he believes Gausha will win as well.

“Terrell’s an Olympian (2012), he’s fought the best, if you look at his resume, with all due respect compared to Tim Tszyu’s, you can’t compare them,” Robles said.

“His claim to fame is Jeff Horn, you know what I mean? Enough said.”

It comes as rumour of Gausha beating up his training partner — who is Castano — coming out.

Robles refused to confirm the rumours, saying “what happens in the gym, stays in the gym.”

Then again for Tszyu, it’s never really mattered who he would fight as he wants the best of the best.

“I’m here to fight the best, not to pick and choose,” Tszyu told boxingscene.com.

“Terrell Gausha was the best opponent we were offered so we agreed.

“I was ready to fight (former WBC junior middleweight champion) Tony Harrison as well.

“It didn’t matter to me, I couldn’t care less.”

Full card

Tim Tszyu defeated Terrell Gausha (unanimous decision)

Michel Rivera defeated Joseph Adorno (unanimous decision)

Elvis Rodriguez defeated Juan Jose Velasco (Round 7 KO)

Joey Spencer defeated Ravshan Hudaynazarov (unanimous decision)