Tim Tszyu Stops Errol Spence Jr., Eyes World Title Fight Next

Doors to a World Title Fight Open for Tim Tszyu After Retiring Errol Spence Jr.

A world title shot is firmly back on the table for Tim Tszyu after the Australian star delivered a career-defining performance, outclassing future Hall of Famer Errol Spence Jr. on Sunday afternoon at Afterpay Arena in Sydney — a win so emphatic it pushed the American great into retirement.

Tszyu (28-3, 18 KOs) never let Spence settle, walking him down round after round and landing heavy shots throughout their 12-round middleweight clash. The judges left no room for debate, scoring it 118-110, 117-111, and 117-111 in Tszyu’s favor. For a fighter whose international standing had taken a battering over the past 18 months, this was exactly the kind of statement win he needed.

A Reputation Restored

Beating Spence does more than add a name to Tszyu’s résumé — it effectively rewrites the narrative around him. Not long ago, Tszyu’s career appeared to be sliding after three consecutive world title defeats at 154 pounds. He lost twice to junior middleweight standout Sebastian Fundora, sandwiched around a stunning upset loss to Bakhram Murtazaliev. Those results had him dropping fast in the rankings and facing real questions about where his career was headed.

Sunday’s win changes all of that. Tszyu is once again a serious name in world title conversations, and this time he’s setting his sights on the middleweight division, where he intends to stay.

Two names are already emerging as the most likely next opponents: former undisputed champion Jermell Charlo, in a fight that has been talked about for years, or reigning WBA middleweight titleholder Erislandy Lara, who Tszyu directly called out inside the ring moments after his win.

“I’d love to fight for a title. Who’s there? Lara? That’s where I’m aiming for. I want to win a world title,” Tszyu said in his post-fight comments. He was quick to add, though, that this win carried its own weight regardless of what comes next, noting that beating a fighter of Spence’s caliber meant more to him than a title belt at this point in his career.

Tszyu also admitted the magnitude of the occasion had gotten to him beforehand, saying nerves and self-doubt had kept him up at night leading into fight week as he wondered how he’d hold up against a legitimate boxing legend. Looking back, he said the experience left him with a deeper respect for why Spence is considered one of the greats of his era.

No Limit Boxing Eyes Lara Fight in Australia

Tszyu’s promoter, No Limit CEO George Rose, wasted no time confirming that a Lara fight is the promotion’s preferred next move, and that they’d love to stage it on home soil.

Rose said he believes the Lara matchup should be the next fight, and that he’d love to host it in Sydney or elsewhere in Australia. He expressed full confidence that Tszyu is ready for the challenge, pointing to his experience in past world title fights as reason enough to believe he can get the job done.

As it stands, both potential opponents are currently without fights booked, which could make negotiations move quickly. Lara, 42, last had a fight scheduled against unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly in December, but that bout collapsed when Alimkhanuly tested positive for a banned substance and pulled out during fight week. Charlo is similarly without a confirmed opponent — his twin brother Jermall had been slated to fight Koen Mazoudier on the same Sydney card, but that bout was scrapped after Jermall couldn’t secure an Australian visa in time.

The End of the Road for Spence

While the win reopens doors for Tszyu, it appears to have closed them permanently for Spence. The loss — his second in as many fights, separated by three years — marks what looks like the definitive end of his professional career.

Speaking candidly after the fight, Spence reflected on leaving the sport with his health and family intact, saying he’s grateful to walk away from boxing with his mental faculties still sharp, his finances secure, and his family standing beside him.

It was Spence’s first fight since his high-profile loss to Terence Crawford three years ago, and from the opening bell it was clear he hadn’t fully recaptured his old form. He found some success early by targeting Tszyu’s body, but couldn’t sustain the pressure over 12 rounds and visibly tired as the fight wore on. Tszyu, meanwhile, only grew more confident and more aggressive as the rounds progressed, repeatedly walking Spence down and hunting for his chin — each landed right hand met with roars from the hometown Sydney crowd.

A Card Battered by Cancellations, Saved by the Main Event

The Tszyu-Spence headliner ended up carrying a card that had been hit hard by last-minute setbacks. Two marquee undercard bouts fell apart before fight night: Jermall Charlo’s clash with Koen Mazoudier was scrapped over visa issues, and Stephen Fulton Jr.’s scheduled world title eliminator against Liam Wilson was called off after Fulton missed weight by 6.5 pounds.

Despite those blows, the rest of the card delivered plenty of action. Australian light heavyweight Paulo Aokuso produced a highlight-reel 10th-round knockout of the Dominican Republic’s Luis Antonio Tejeda to claim the vacant IBF Pan Pacific title. Rising middleweight prospect Callum Peters kept his unbeaten momentum going with a seventh-round stoppage of Argentina’s Ivan Ricardo Actis, and in an all-Australian lightweight showdown that was elevated to co-main event status, Ahmad Reda scored a dominant win over Paul Fleming.

For Tszyu, though, all eyes are now on what comes next. With Spence’s chapter closed and two live options — Lara and Charlo — both sitting without opponents, a return to world title contention could come sooner rather than later.

Results from Errol Spence vs. Tim Tszyu:

• Errol Spence (28-2) def. by Tim Tszyu (28-3) by unanimous decision
• Paul Fleming (28-2-2) def. by Ahmad Reda (9-0) by unanimous decision
• Callum Peters (8-0) def. Ivan Ricardo Actis (13-1-1) by 7th-round TKO
• Paulo Aokuso (11-0) def. Luis Antonio Tejeda (12-1-1) by 10th-round KO for IBF Pan Pacific light heavyweight title
• Tina Rahimi (1-0) def. Sacha Ryan Dryden (2-3) by unanimous decision
• Ike Pluto def. by Brandon Grach by unanimous decision