‘How many holidays?’: Tszyu queries Spence Jr’s desire
Darren Walton |
Tim Tszyu has questioned Errol Spence Jr’s commitment as the legacies of two boxing greats go on the line in a Sydney showstopper full of uncertainty.
The loser of Sunday’s middleweight super fight at Afterpay Arena will not only face seemingly inevitable retirement but also endure a crushing CV defeat with everlasting consequences.
Tszyu is protecting his family’s 31-year unbeaten record in Australia, while Spence’s only loss in a decorated career came against undefeated pound-for-pound legend Terence Crawford in 2023, four years after being involved in an horrific car accident in Texas.
The stakes could barely be higher.
Yet Tszyu on Friday questioned whether his 36-year-old rival “wants it” as badly as the hometown hero.
Spence has not fought in the three years since his mega-money showdown in Vegas with Crawford.
“How many holidays has he gone on? Kids, family. There’s a lot more to life than boxing. Let’s just say that,” Tszyu said on Friday when asked how he thought Spence had spent his time out of the ring.
“In my life currently, and what I’m going through, boxing is No.1, 2 and 3 unfortunately. I wish it would change one day, hopefully soon. But, yeah, it’s just we’re on different paths.
“When you make $20 million in one fight, of course your perspective is going to change. You’re going to train or go to the gym to feel good. Not to be a warrior.
“Unfortunately when I’ve lost, I’ve just gone into back-to-back-to-back sparring. I keep on going because I need to get to that very, very top … until I make my 20 million.”
With Tszyu having won all 25 of his previous fights in Australia, and his Hall of Fame father Kostya (18-0) and younger brother Nikita (12-0) also going unbeaten, the trio are 55-0 on home territory.
“He’s fighting for Australia. He’s fighting for that Tszyu legacy, the undefeated Tszyu family legacies,” said No Limit Boxing promoter George Rose.
“The only fights that he’s ever lost have been overseas in world title fights. Nobody has been able to come close to him here in Australia.
“Many men have tried, many men have failed. So this is going to be a big opportunity to see what these guys deliver on Sunday and some of the best boxing analysts across the world are sitting there, they’re not knowing what we’re going to get from this fight.
“The uncertainty about Errol Spence, the only man who ever beat him is classed as one of the greatest fighters of all time, and before that fight he was a pound-for-pound great.
“So the man that stepped into the ring then, he was a very, very dangerous fighter, a very, very dangerous man, and I really don’t know what’s going to happen between these two on Sunday. Nobody knows.”
Tszyu thinks he knows.
“I do want to make it his last fight, of course,” said Sydney’s former WBO super-welterweight champion.
“I’ve trained my hardest and I’m supremely confident, and of course it’s up to him, but that is my plan.
“It’s not a personal thing, but of course I want to punch him as hard as I can in the face, in the body. Every limb I want him to feel in pain.”
AAP