AFTER two mixed visits to the ring since their first meeting in March 2024, Tim Tszyu and Sebastian Fundora go at it again on July 19. While Tim’s loss to the ‘Towering Inferno’ was damaging, it could be explained away due to circumstances within the fight.
His second consecutive defeat, to Bakhram Murtazaliev in October, was not so easily accounted for. Overall, 2024 was the year of setbacks. Determined to make 2025 brighter, a confidence-building comeback win over Joey Spencer means the Aussie returns to Las Vegas in a more positive mindset.
“You learn a lot more from your losses, for sure. Adversity has taught me a lot of things. I’m glad to be back in this position, back on the big stage, and fighting for the world title again,” Tszyu told PBC interviewer Brian Campbell.
Planning with the luxury of hindsight and 12 rounds of knowledge in the bank, Tszyu won’t be throwing everything in anticipation of their second meeting going differently. Tszyu could argue that keeping the fight so close, even with the debilitating cut, showed how fine the margins were in defeat.
“You can take parts of it [the original game plan]. Me and Sebastian put on one hell of a show. We both went through fire. He’s the type of dance partner that you need. I’ll take the good, I’ll take the bad, and I’ll put on round 13.”
As strange as boxing sometimes is, despite his downward spiral and Fundora’s impressive trajectory, a Tszyu win on July 19 could see them swap places and return to similar positions they found themselves in around the time of the first meeting.
“Right now, he’s got the number one pound for pound in 154. The winner takes that crown. It’s quite simple,” agreed Tszyu.
