Tim Tszyu Back Home, Stops Spencer in Four

Former world champion Tim Tszyu of Sydney, Australia, was back in action and the win column as he took on challenger Joey Spencer of Michigan, stopping him in four rounds Saturday in Newcastle – renamed “Tszyu-Castle” for the occasion.

Time of the stoppage was 2:18 in the fourth round.

With the win, Tszyu is now 25-2, 18 KOs, while Spencer falls to 19-2, 11 KOs after coming in off a 3-fight win streak.

Slow Burn For Tszyu and Spencer

Tim Tszyu returned to the friendly fan support of Newcastle, Australia for his comeback fight. Photo: No LImit Boxing

It took a while for the action to get there, but if you blinked, it was over before you looked back.

In the final round of the fight, Tszyu threw 44 punches, many of them without return fire, which led Spencer’s corner to throw in the towel.

There was little action the early rounds as Tim Tszyu learned his lesson about rushing in, staying patient with Joey Spencer. Photo: No Limit Boxing

Tsyzu and Spencer chomped at the first bit of action, which would come from inside the ring well after the opening round. It was the usual feeling-out round. Spencer’s game plan was to move and stay out of range of Tszyu. In terms of action, it led to many feints and footwork until a brief exchange between the two midway through the second round.

A sign of a knockdown was quickly erased as a slip as the minutes closed. Other than that slip, it was a very tepid fight through two.

Tim Tszyu picked up the pace in the later rounds as he settled in. Photo: No Limit Boxing

Spencer decided to pick up the output in the third. Tszyu, however, was willing to press as well, which led to Spencer throwing combinations. Spencer was fighting around Tszyu’s guard, but Tszyu could answer with counter rights.

In the opening exchange, both got shots in, but Spencer suffered the worst encounters.

In the fourth and final round, Spencer became the victim of one-way traffic, as a flurry from Tszyu left Spencer defenseless. It started with a counter-right that stunned him, so much so that Joey Spencer’s father and trainer, Jason Spencer, threw in the towel. Ballgame.

Tszyu Calls Out Keith Thurman

Tim Tszyu found successful with uppercuts in combination. Photo: No Limit Boxing

“Sign the contract, big boy!” Tszyu exclaimed when Main Events/Fox Sports Australia host Ben Damon asked about a potential matchup with former unified welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman.

Tszyu had a rough 2024 in the ring. Thurman did his part earlier in March, defeating late replacement Brock Jarvis in Australia.

The Tszyu vs. Thurman matchup was planned for June, but Thurman withdrew due to injury. It led to a matchup for Tszyu with late replacement and current WBC and WBO super welterweight champion Sebastian Fundora. The outcome was a vicious, bloody battle after Tszyu suffered a cut to the top of his head from the 6-foot-6 Fundora’s elbow.

Tim Tszyu called out Keith Thurman for his next fight, as expected. Photo: No Limit Boxing

Tszyu followed up the forgivable loss with a shocking beatdown at the hands of IBF Super Welterweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev. Saturday’s fight was a must-win for Tsyzu. The sigh of relief was loud and clear.

Asked whether he felt any pressure, Tszyu joked, “Nah, no pressure, I’m happy,” he said before bursting into laughter. “Actually, yeah, there was a bit of pressure. I couldn’t do a third consecutive loss.”

Asked what he’d learned from his annus horribilis, Tszyu said, “I hope I can teach people that if they drop and go on the floor, if shit hits the fan, you can always rise back up and get back to the top.”