‘Time to become two-time champ’: Tim Tszyu’s bold two-fight world title dreams finally confirmed

Tim Tszyu’s audacious plan to become a two-time world champion and fight twice before the end of the year is on with an upcoming title bout finally made official.

Tim Tszyu is locked and loaded for his next fight. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Tim Tszyu’s audacious plan to become a two-time world champion and fight twice before the end of the year is on after his IBF world title bout with Bakhram Murtazaliev was finally made official today.

The fight will take place on October 19 (October 20 in Australia) at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.

As first reported by this masthead, the fight will be broadcast to a possible 160 million people in America via streaming giant Amazon Prime.

The bout will be the first in Tszyu’s bold two-fight plan, with the 29-year-old adamant on winning the IBF title and fighting again before the end of 2024.

“I’ll take Bakhram out, man. I’ll take all of them out – they shall fall,” he told this masthead about his plans for a busy end to the year.

“That’s the plan, it’s happening – back-to-back.

“I live and breathe this sport, so there’s no resting for me. It’s gonna be an interesting fight, then it’s Fundora, Crawford or Spence in March.”

Tszyu hasn’t fought since his bloody defeat to Sebastian Fundora. Picture: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images

Today’s announcement ends months of speculation and false starts for the Sydneysider, who hasn’t fought since his bloodbath defeat to Sebastian Fundora in March.

“Good things come to those who wait,” Tszyu said. “I want to thank my promoter No Limit Boxing and PBC for putting me in this position.

“It’s where I belong.”

Tszyu was scheduled to return against Virgil Ortiz in August, but was forced out as the cut he sustained against Fundora hadn’t healed properly.

He was then close to locking in a comeback against Erickson Lubin, before the American pulled out for the third time.

Tszyu was left to call out Murtazaliev, Terence Crawford, Errol Spence and long-time rival Jermell Charlo.

And he still wants them all.

But Murtazaliev is first on the list.

“At this level, you have to take them out and Bakhram is the guy who has what I want,” he said. “The world knows me, they know what I’m about.

“I’ll stop at nothing to get it and prove why I’m still the man at 154 pounds.

“He has been on the radar for a while now. He has my respect as a world champion but let’s be real, he has what I want and I plan on taking it from him in spectacular fashion.

“It’s time to become a two-time world champion.”

Murtazaliev is undefeated in 22 fights. Picture: Hannes P. Albert/Getty Images

The announcement comes as Tszyu’s younger brother, Nikita revealed scary details of Tim’s brutal Las Vegas training camp.

Tszyu has been doing road runs in 40 degree heat, and has gone to another level as he works towards a second world title.

And Nikita has seen the difference in his sparring.

“I was only there for a few of his sparring sessions, but just as I was leaving, I saw him drop some guy,” Nikita told this masthead. “So he’s looking very good.”

Which is exactly why Nikita wasn’t about to get in the ring with Tim during their month-long training camp together in Vegas.

“I don’t have a death wish,” he joked.

No Limit CEO George Rose confirmed Tszyu has been even more driven after his shock defeat to Fundora.

“There are very few fighters in the world that can endure what he went through in his last fight and come out bigger, better and stronger than before,” he said. “Tim Tszyu is that guy.

“He lives to fight and has a warrior spirit that is completely unbreakable.

“You won’t want to miss this. He is about to remind everyone why he is best 154 pounder in the world on October 19.”

Russian-born Murtazaliev is a perfect 22-0 as a professional and has 16 knockouts to his name.

He claimed the IBF world title in an 11th round knockout win over Jack Culcay just seven days after Tszyu’s heartbreaking defeat to Fundora in Las Vegas.