Tim Tszyu rejigs plans for world title struggle after shedding ‘massacre’ in opposition to Sebastian Fundora
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Tim Tszyu could be down however he’s removed from out, though his plans to change into a boxing massive canine must take a unique route after his factors loss to Sebastian Fundora on Sunday.
Tszyu entered his Las Vegas super-welterweight unification world title struggle in opposition to Fundora as one of many hottest properties within the sport, however a stray elbow from his 197-centimetre opponent left him with a gaping head wound late within the second spherical.
It left him unable to see clearly for 10 rounds and scuppered his plans to emulate his father Kostya as a unified world champion.
The 29-year-old described the struggle as a “massacre” on social media, and he took the split-decision loss — his first defeat in 25 fights — graciously regardless of the unlucky circumstances.
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“You are a legend. Congratulations on the victory, man. “You are a f***in’ warrior,” he instructed Fundora within the locker room after the struggle.
“[The belt is] all yours, man. Victory was hard-earned.”
Tszyu relinquished his WBO tremendous welterweight belt and missed the prospect to assert the vacant WBC strap in Las Vegas to take his place amongst boxing’s elite.
Earlier than the loss, the 29-year-old had a $US10 million ($15.3 million) deal on the desk to struggle both pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford or former unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr.
Tszyu will probably must enact a rematch clause with Fundora to regain his belts and put his plans for world domination again on observe.
“It undoubtedly impacts the schedule,” supervisor George Rose mentioned.
“All the things that we might deliberate for this 12 months is now re-jigged however I do not suppose it is for a nasty purpose. It simply means there’s one other struggle for Tim to contemplate.
“I’d like to see Tim have the rematch subsequent, but when a chance to struggle Errol Spence Jr pops up or a chance to struggle Terence Crawford … if a type of pops up, you are foolish to not take into account it.
“They’re fights he’d like to have.”
Rose mentioned talks over a Fundora rematch would start within the subsequent few days, with a return to Las Vegas or a struggle on house turf prospects.
“We could have a dialogue over once we will activate it or whether or not any of those different massive fish need to bounce up and swim with Tim,” he mentioned.
Whereas Tszyu’s world title is gone, Rose insisted the Sydney fighter had misplaced no followers, given his willingness to tackle the “Towering Inferno” with lower than two weeks’ discover after his authentic opponent, Keith Thurman, was injured.
Even US commentators applauded Tszyu for his bravery in persevering with in opposition to Fundora regardless of being just about blinded in a single eye.
“It simply confirmed how a lot of a warrior Tim really is and the way he is able to get in there and completely put every part on the road,” Rose mentioned.
“He is a bloke who could not see for 10 rounds and he nonetheless managed to push it to a break up choice.”
Hoping he hadn’t fallen down the pecking order, Tszyu was shattered however decided to rebound shortly.
“If it ain’t a win, I am not happy and I am fairly devastated. It’s what it’s,” he mentioned.
“However I’ll bounce again.”
He mentioned he had no regrets about his nook not pushing for the struggle to be known as a no-contest regardless of the “waterfall” of blood, which might have allowed Tszyu extra time to organize for the awkward southpaw.
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AAP
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