Teofimo Lopez has offered his honest thoughts on Errol Spence Jr vs Tim Tszyu, believing that one man already looks to be “in shape”.
The two former world champions will square off in Australia on July 25, with Spence entering his first outing since losing to Terence Crawford in July 2023.
Back then, ‘The Truth’ was widely regarded as a slight pre-fight favourite, only to be relieved of his WBC, IBF and WBA welterweight titles via a ninth-round stoppage.
Now gearing up to face Tszyu at a catchweight of 158lbs, the 36-year-old is bidding to join the world scene at either middle or super-welterweight.
Similarly, Tszyu has remained out of the world title picture since suffering a seventh-round stoppage defeat in his rematch with Sebastian Fundora last July.
Their first encounter, in 2024, saw the Australian lose a fiercely-contested split decision, before enduring a punishing three-round beatdown against Bakhram Murtazaliev later that year.
To his credit, though, Tszyu boasts a clear advantage over his next opponent with regards to activity, having been involved in seven fights since Spence’s one-sided defeat to Crawford.
But regardless of his inactivity, former world champion Lopez has told Fight Hub TV that he expects to see an impressive performance from the American.
“I really wanna see [Spence] win. I think Errol Spence has been truly non-stop working out – he already looks like he’s in shape.
“With the sparring and everything, he’ll look great [against Tszyu].”
While Spence attempts to reignite his career, there is perhaps more pressure on Tszyu to produce a statement performance, with the 31-year-old planning on eventually becoming a two-time world champion at 154lbs.
