‘Let my fists do the talking’: Tszyu ready to rumble

Darren Walton | March 25, 2026

Tim Tszyu is vowing to “bring out the dog” if that’s what it takes to save his boxing career in a make-or-break battle with unbeaten Albanian Denis Nurja.

After three world-title defeats in his past five fights, Tszyu knows he will be walking a tightrope at Wollongong’s WIN Stadium on Easter Sunday.

Beat Nurja and set up a mega-money super fight with American superstar Errol Spence Jr or lose and face the grim prospect that his once-distinguished international career is over.

“There’s a lot on the line. F***, it’s a big gamble,” the former super-welterweight world champion said on Wednesday.

“But I think as us boxers and anyone that wants to achieve something, they’ve got to put it all on the line and gamble.

“It’s not a gamble when you know what you possess, what you bring out, so I’ll let my fists do the talking.”

Tszyu only arrived back home in Sydney on Tuesday following an intense eight-week training camp in Miami with his new coach Pedro Diaz.

The 31-year-old admits he lost his way after spending his whole life getting “too comfortable” with his former entourage led by his uncle and trainer Igor Goloubev.

“This camp has been completely different because I’ve actually got to learn different things and different methods, game plans and technical stuff, tactical stuff,” Tszyu said.

“Looking back on my last sparring back in the days, bro, I used to be sometimes a sitting duck.

“I see it, and I’ve seen the lessons that I’ve learned from it and it’s about improving and developing a new style.

“So this is why I took the fight because I believe in my skills, I know what I’m capable of and the world’s in my hands and so I’m going to take it with both hands.”

After going 23 from 23 in his first professional fights, the son of a gun candidly admits he also became too brazen in the ring before losing his WBO belt to Sebastian Fundora, then losing a rematch to the towering American as well as a world-title stoush with Russian hitman Bakhram Murtazaliev.

“I’m seeing boxing from a different perspective,” Tszyu said.

“I remember growing up as a young kid, we always used to be taught sort of the Soviet Union style – front hand up, being able to use the distance and use your legs and stuff like that.

“I sort of neglected it and I came towards this professional western boxing where it’s just seek and destroy, and unfortunately on that path, you get caught and I got caught and I’m just making small minor adjustments.”

The Sydney slayer is refusing to reveal what style he will bring against the brawling Nurja, other than “a bit of everything”.

“The boxing fundamentals. It’s quite simple,” he said.

“It’s working the front hand, not trying to get hit, not trying to go for the scrap all the time, but also having that dog in you if you need it.

“I’ve showed, as they say, kahunas all the time and, when it’s rough and dirty, I know when to bring it out, so I know I’ve got that up my sleeve at all times.

“Just do I need to expose it in round one straight away? No, I don’t.

“It’s all about timing, when to expose the kahunas, when to go dirty, deep and dirty. I’m still the same old Tim Tszyu, of course, but I feel like you need to keep learning.”