Tim Tszyu’s world title fight with Bakhram Murtazaliev in doubt as Hurricane Milton hits Orlando
One of the worst hurricanes in American history is en route to Florida but Tim Tszyu’s world title fight, scheduled to be held at Orlando, will not be cancelled.
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Tim Tszyu’s world-title blockbuster will not be cancelled and could be relocated from Orlando to Las Vegas as one of America’s worst hurricanes this century threatens to wreak havoc in Florida.
American promoters are exploring Plan B, with Tszyu (24-1) to face Bakhram Murtazaliev (22-0) for the IBF super welterweight world title in Sin City if Hurricane Milton inflicts carnage in Orlando.
Moving the fight, slated for Sunday, October 20 (AEDT), would see Tszyu return to the scene of his bloody loss to Sebastian Fundora, when he suffered a shocking head cut at Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.
At this stage, Tszyu’s bout against Murtazaliev remains pencilled in for Orlando’s Caribe Royale but leading promoters Premier Boxing Champions will shift the fight to Vegas if the monster storm fails to subside.
T-Mobile Arena is an unlikely contingency as the venue is booked out, but one other option is MGM Grand - where Tszyu’s famous father Kostya famously clobbered Zab Judah in 2001.
Relocating the fight could play into the hands of Tszyu, who is already based in Vegas for a training camp and was due to arrive in Orlando, 118km north of Florida, on Sunday.
Another Aussie due to fight on the Tszyu card - Sydney-born middleweight world-title hopeful Mateo Tapia - was forced to evacuate Florida on Monday following advice from US officials.
Tapia has moved to Miami and is continuing preparations pending further advice from PBC, who have been in dialogue with Tszyu’s Australian promoters No Limit.
Hurricane Milton has reached Category 5 - just the third US storm to receive that rating since the turn of the century - and is surging towards Florida with wild winds reaching 290km/h.
According to Orlando Sentinel reports, evacuations on much of Florida’s west-coast barrier islands have already begun. American emergency experts have appealed for millions of residents to flee Tampa Bay or risk death.
“We’re talking about storm surge values higher than the ceiling,” Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie told American media.
“Please ... if you’re in the Tampa Bay area, you need to evacuate.
“If they have called for your evacuation order, I beg you, I implore you, to evacuate.
“Drowning deaths due to storm surge are 100 per cent preventable if you leave.
“We had situations where people died of drowning in Hurricane Ian (in 2022).
“Had they just gone to the first available shelter that had capacity, they’d still be alive today.”
The IBF world-title showdown is critical for Tszyu, who is desperate to atone for the first loss of his career to Fundora following a bloody 12-round war in his maiden main event in Vegas.
Tszyu (24-1) lost his WBO world-title, but the 29-year-old will reclaim world champion status if he beats Murtazaliev for the IBF strap.
His manager Glen Jennings arrived in America two days ago and said Tszyu was ready to rumble regardless of where the fight is held.
“We’re really pleased with everything, Tim is in tremendous shape,” Jennings said.
“It’s been a long camp, but a really great camp.
“The sparring in Vegas has been sensational and Tim is fine mentally, he’s put the Fundora fight well and truly behind him.
“It was a learning curve, it’s taught Tim how to handle any adversity and this fight gives him an opportunity to reset.”
Local weather experts believe Milton may ease if it reaches Orlando and Tszyu says he is primed to maul the unbeaten Murtazaliev (22-0) and return to Australia a two-time world champion.
“I’m bringing the heat,” he said.
“I’m feeling great and I’m all cleared from the cut in my last fight.
“I had to reset and put emotions aside when the cut happened. It is what it is, we had to move on.
“Now I’m fighting for the world title and I have no fear ... I’m ready to walk through the fire.
“The Aussie fans are the ones who put me into this position. When I go into the ring I feel like I have the whole country behind me. It means a lot to me.”
EARLIER: TSYZYU SUPER FIGHT UNCERTAIN
Tim Tszyu’s world-title blockbuster in America has been plunged into uncertainty by a “potentially catastrophic” hurricane that has smashed the US with winds exceeding 290km/h.
Tszyu’s promoters No Limit will hold urgent talks with American boxing authorities on Tuesday as Australia’s super welterweight star prepares for his IBF world-title bout with Bakhram Murtazaliev in Orlando on Sunday week (AEDT).
This masthead can reveal another Aussie due to fight on the Tszyu card – Sydney-born Mateo Tapia – was forced to evacuate Florida on Monday following advice from US officials.
Tapia has shifted his base to Miami, while Tszyu, currently in training camp in Las Vegas, is scheduled to arrive Orlando this Sunday, giving him a week to acclimatise before he fights Murtazaliev at Caribe Royale on October 20.
At this stage, there is no suggestion the marquee card will be cancelled.
But the Tszyu camp is monitoring the situation closely and hope Hurricane Milton – rated by American weather experts as the worst storm to lash the US in October in 58 years – will not torpedo the Soul Taker’s world-title comeback.
“We’re watching it with interest, it’s a category five catastrophic storm that goes over Tampa and Orlando,” Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings told this masthead.
“PBC will be looking at contingencies. We’re not making too much of a big of it with Tim, we’re letting him stay focused.
“It might get moved, they’ll wait and see what the extent of the damage is afterwards and have time to move it.”
Tszyu is scheduled to fly from Las Vegas to Orlando on Saturday.
“They’re talking 20 foot tidal surges, and saying they’ve never seen anything like this,” Jennings said.
“If you go on what they’re saying, will there be a venue standing? What happens to the airports?
“It’s a one in 50-year thing. It never goes on this particular path, and it’s going right over our venue.”
It’s the latest in a long line of “cursed” Tszyu fight build-ups, including dog bites and opponent injuries.
“I can’t recall any two week period before a Tim fight that hasn’t had a headline,” he said. “I called it cursed this morning.
“The list goes on and on. I’m going to the barber shop to get my hair dyed. It’s going grey.”
The monster storm has reached Category 5 and is surging towards Florida with American authorities saying Hurricane Milton had “explosively” intensified with a 150km/h increase in winds in the last 24 hours.
“Milton is a potentially catastrophic Category 5 hurricane,” said the US National Hurricane Centre in a statement on Tuesday.
“While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida.”
According to Orlando Sentinel reports, evacuations on much of Florida’s west-coast barrier islands have already begun.
Tapia contacted No Limit bosses overnight to advise he was being evacuated, but would continue training in Miami as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career.
The event shapes as equally critical for Tszyu, who is desperate to atone for the first loss of his career to Sebastian Fundora in Las Vegas in March, when he suffered a shocking head cut.
Tszyu (24-1) lost his WBO world-title, but the 29-year-old will reclaim world champion status if he beats Murtazaliev for the IBF strap.
His manager Glen Jennings arrived in America two days ago as Team Tszyu prepares to ramp up preparations by arriving in Orlando, which is 118km north of Florida.
American fight promoters would be shocked if the Hurricane forced a cancellation of the card but the Tszyu camp is preparing for every contingency as Florida management chiefs warned locals deaths could occur if they stayed home.
“We’re talking about storm surge values higher than the ceiling,” Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie told American media.
“Please ... if you’re in the Tampa Bay area, you need to evacuate.
“If they have called for your evacuation order, I beg you, I implore you, to evacuate.
“Drowning deaths due to storm surge are 100 per cent preventable if you leave.
“We had situations where people died of drowning in Hurricane Ian (in 2022).
“Had they just gone to the first available shelter that had capacity, they’d still be alive today.”
Local weather experts hope the Hurricane will ease if it reaches Orlando and Tszyu says he is primed to maul the unbeaten Murtazaliev (22-0) and return to Australia a two-time world champion.
“I’m bringing the heat,” he said.
“I’m feeling great and I’m all cleared from the cut in my last fight.
“I had to reset and put emotions aside when the cut happened. It is what it is, we had to move on.
“Now I’m fighting for the world title and I have no fear ... I’m ready to walk through the fire.
“The Aussie fans are the ones who put me into this position. When I go into the ring I feel like I have the whole country behind me. It means a lot to me.”
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Originally published as Tim Tszyu’s world title fight with Bakhram Murtazaliev in doubt as Hurricane Milton hits Orlando
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