What time does Tim Tszyu vs Joey Spencer fight start?

After a fiery build-up, it’s now or never for Tim Tszyu as the Aussie looks to bounce back from two brutal losses on Sunday.

Tensions boiled over between Tim Tszyu and his American opponent Joey Spencer over allegations the judging panel for this weekend’s fight will favour the Australian.

Tszyu (24-2) takes on Spencer (19-1) in Newcastle on Sunday afternoon as he looks to get his career back on track following a pair of disastrous losses to Sebastian Fundora and Bakram Murtazaliev last year.

Tszyu vs Spencer | SUN 6 APRIL 11AM AEDT | Tim Tszyu makes his highly anticipated return to the ring as he looks to push himself back into world title contention against Joey Spencer.| Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.

It’s a tough fight for Tszyu, who simply must win to keep his hopes of become super welterweight world champion again alive and avoid a third consecutive defeated that would likely spell the end of his dreams of superstardom.

Both fighters made weight on Saturday and the stage is set for Tszyu to get his career back on track.

Pre-fight judges scandal

A fight week scandal has broken out in the lead-up to Sunday’s showdown, with Spencer’s camp furious after learning all three judges for the fight would be Australian.

Spencer threatened to pull out of the fight, prompting Tszyu to label him a “diva”.

The judging panel has since been changed to have two international judges, avoiding any claims of hometown bias if the fight goes to the scorecards.

Tensions spilled over at Friday’s pre-fight press conference when Spencer claimed the drama had been “manufactured” in a bid to get Tszyu fired up for the bout.

Watch the fiery exchange between Tszyu and Spencer in the video above

Joey Spencer and Tim Tszyu lock horns at the press conference in Newcastle.

Spencer arrived almost 15 minutes late to the press conference, prompting No Limit CEO George Rose CEO to say: “The drama doesn’t stop .. it all adds to the hype of bringing a fight back to Tszyucastle.

“Joey Spencer will be here, he hasn’t flown home. He’s just around the corner.”

Rose joked: “Blame it on the Newcastle traffic” but Tszyu wasn’t having it, responding: “There’s no traffic, no excuses!”

Once Spencer took his seat at the press conference, it didn’t take long for the judging controversy to come up and it sparked a heated exchange between the two fighters.

Tszyu: “That pissed me off.

“The fact that whenever we travel, all of us Aussies, we don’t get that luxury. We just get what we get.

“For them to come with this mentality, it’s diva-like in my eyes.”

Spencer: “Your team wanted neutral judges.

“He’s trying to psych himself up.

“You’re trying to manufacture something that’s not there.

“It’s fiction, what you’re saying.

“Your team wanted neutral judges.”

Tszyu: Who was complaining? Who was sooking? Who was sooking about going back home because of neutral judges?

“It wasn’t me. I was kicking back at home.”

Spencer: “Your team lies to you.”

Tszyu: “Thank god you’re here. Fifteen minuets late, probably doing your hair, arrogant prick.”

Tim Tszyu and Joey Spencer are ready to rumble. (Photo by Roni Bintang/Getty Images)

Spencer: “Obviously he’s worried about something.”

Tszyu: “I’m worried? (mocking) I’m scared, I’m scared.”

Spencer: “His name’s the soul-taker. He got his soul taken.

“Don’t say something happened that didn’t happen, because we have it in writing.

“We can release it to the public.

“So don’t lie. You’re trying to make me the bad guy.

“We agreed to neutral judging before we came out here.

Tszyu: “I’m hangry, and he’s in the way.”

Spencer: “I forgive you.”

Tszyu: “I never said sorry, and what would I say sorry for?

“Don’t shoot the messenger.”

Speaking after the press conference, Spencer said he never considered pulling out of the fight.

“He was sitting there talking fiction, something that didn’t ever happen,” Spencer said.

“When I’m being question character-wise, especially on something that never happened, I’m going to respond.

“I would never pull our of a fight over something like that.”

Once tensions had cooled, Tszyu said: “I was just pushing some buttons.

“I was having fun with it. It’s all about reading your opponent.

“Honestly, I couldn’t care less about what he said.”

Tim Tszyu is aiming to get back in the winner’s circle. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

Tim, Nikita and Kostya Tszyu have never lost a fight in Newcastle and the 31-year-old will be hoping to keep that streak alive.

All eyes will be on Tim’s approach in the opening rounds after he came out all guns blazing in his loss to Murtazaliev, a bold strategy that brought him undone.

“He knows that he f***ed up,” Main Event commentator Shawn Porter said.

“He’s not going to make that mistake again.”

HOW TO WATCH TIM TSZYU VS JOEY SPENCER

Coverage of the preliminary fight card begins at 9.30am AEST on Fox Sports and Kayo.

The main pay-per-view card begins at 11am AEST. Boxing isn’t an exact science but Tim Tszyu and Joey Spencer should walk to the ring anytime from 1.30pm AEST onwards.

Order the pay-per-view via Kayo Sports or Main Event.

TIM TSZYU VS JOEY SPENCER FULL FIGHT CARD

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