Key Fight Highlights
- Tim Tszyu won a wide decision victory on Sunday in Australia over Denis Nurja of Albania, including a knockdown, seen on PBC on Prime.
- Tsyzu remains undefeated when fighting at home in Australia.
- Tsyzu is now firmly focused on luring American Errol Spence Jr. back for a fight this summer, three years after his lopsided loss to Terence Crawford.
Australian superstar and former world champion Tim Tszyu punched his ticket for an expected showdown with American Errol Spence Jr. on Easter Sunday in front of his fans at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre in Australia.
Tszyu of Sydney, Australia (27-3, 18 KOs) won in a shutout unanimous decision victory over previously undefeated Denis Nurja of Albania (20-1, 9 KOs) in the main event of PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video seen Saturday night in the U.S. All three cards read 100-108, with a Tszyu knockdown for good measure.
But is he ready for Errol Spence Jr.? Even an Errol Spence Jr. who has been out of the ring for three years after a thorough drubbing by Terence Crawford? We’ll get back to you on this while you think it over.
Tzsyu Reverts To His Old Form
Tszyu said before the fight, his second working with new trainer Pedro Diaz, training focused on lateral movement, angles, and a more active lead hand to create a more calculating style, rather than the headlong aggression that made Tszyu popular on his way up, but frequent got him into serious trouble against top talent like Sebastian Fundora.
Some of this was on display as Tzsyu methodically worked against the perfect opponent to test things out. With little high-level experience or threatening punching power, matchmakers did their best for Tszyu. But Tzsyu knew in the back of his mind that only a stoppage win would spark real interest in a fight with Errol Spence Jr.
When Tszyu found himself with a sense of déjà vu in round four after a headbutt caused a cut under his left eye, he threw away his plans and came at Nurja to prevent a stoppage due to the cut. He quickly caught Nurja with a left hook that put Nurja on the canvas.
Nurja got to his feet, but Tzsyu continued to dish out punishment to try and make it an early night. He landed an overhand right in round six that wobbled Nurja again, but he didn’t drop.
Nurja was deducted a point for excessive holding in the seventh round, making the margin even broader. Tszyu could have been excused for putting the fight back into cruise control, and it looked like it until the final seconds of the fight when he wobbled Nurja again. But they both made it to the final bell.
Tszyu Can’t Get KO
“This time we won with the cut. I can’t complain,” smiled Tszyu.
Asked whether Tzsyu took it easy in the later rounds, he was honest enough to deny it.
“He’s tough, and I expected that,” said Tszyu. “He came in with the perfect record, so I knew he was no joke. I had him a couple times, but he didn’t drop. Those were some good rounds. I was trying to take him out. He’s just tough. Big respect.”
Will A Fight With Errol Spence Jr. Happen?
With the Nurja tuneup in the books, Tszyu was asked about a potential Spence Jr. fight. zit has been openly discussed by both men, but no deal is signed and no date is on the calendar.
Tszyu’s response felt a bit lukewarm to start, but he got into it as the discussion went on.
“I feel like I’m up for Errol Spence Jr,” said Tszyu. “I think that would be one hell of a fight. That’s a banger. I don’t take a backward step. If he’s ready to meet me there, bring it on.”
You know what they say. Catch the Big Fish,” said Tszyu, mimicking casting his line into the water. “I’m coming to catch the Big Fsh. Let’s go fishing.”
It’s difficult to train a boxer to go against his nature. At age 30 and a veteran of 29 fights before Sunday, Diaz can only do so much with Tszyu. The minute he thought he could beat down and blow out Nurja, Tszyu swung away. He paid for it by taking several power shots. His matchmakers made sure Tszyu wouldn’t get hurt and ruin a big payday.
Tzsyu should have sounded enthusiastic when answering the post-fight questions about Spence Jr., but he came off lukewarm. Does he truly have faith in himself, or is he still in rebuilding mode before he’s regained all his lost confidence?
An inactive fighter like Spence Jr. shouldn’t be a big challenge. It’s looking like more of an even matchup. Like the Chisora vs Wilder fight earlier in the day, it could be a good thing.
Undercard Wins for Goodman, Peters, Solmona
In the co-main event, super bantamweight contender Sam Goodman of Albon Park, NSW (22-1, 8 KOs) won by unanimous decision over Rodrigo Ruiz of Argentina (23-2, 17 KOs) in a 12-round IBF 122-pound title eliminator. Scores were 118-110, 116-112, and 115-113.
Hometown favorite Goodman showed off his versatile skills for the fans against the typically rugged Argentine Ruiz. Goodman connected on over 51% of his power punches, while outlanding Ruiz overall 225 to 157. Goodman now puts himself in position to be a mandatory challenger for the winner of the Japanese showdown between Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani on May 2.
2024 Australian Olympian Callum Peters (6-0, 6 KOs) took out previously unbeaten Delio Mouzinho of Timor-Leste (4-1, 4 KOs) in the second round of their middleweight fight.
Peters put Mouzinho down in the first round, but Mouzinho got up and made it one minute into round two before Peters made it stick with a blistering straight right that dropped Mouzinho again and forced the stoppage.
Australian rugby star turned heavyweight brawler Nelson Asofa Solomona (2-0, 2 KOs) defeated Jarrod Wallace of Gold Coast (0-1) by third-round stoppage. Solomona found a home for a sharp right hand that sat Wallace down before following up with a second knockdown that ended the fight.
Solomona was then confronted in the ring by retired National Rugby League star George Burgess, who has reportedly been training with several Australian boxers, including Jeff Fenech and Danny Green. Burgess was reportedly steered toward a showdown with Solomona by actor Russell Crowe.
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist with more than four dozen awards for both written and video coverage from the Boxing Writers Association of America, Society of Professional Journalists, and San Diego Press Club, where she is the past president. She is the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the BWAA. She is the Boxing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.