Tim Tszyu believes that his opponent, IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev, might be overwhelmed by the second of being within the highlight for the primary time of their battle this Saturday, October nineteenth, on the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs) is attempting to make Murtazaliev (22-0, 16 KOs) query himself so he gained’t be at his finest on Saturday as a result of he wants him to not be.
(Credit score: Joseph Correa/Premier Boxing Champions)
Tszyu misplaced his final battle in opposition to Sebastian Fundora on March thirtieth, and he’s going into this match with quite a lot of doubt about his profession. He’s in a must-win state of affairs in opposition to Murtazaliev as a result of if he loses this, these cash fights that he’d dreamed about getting might be gone for good.
“I believe he’s not used to this highlight,” mentioned Tim Tszyu to Jai McAllister, about his perception that Bakhram Murtazaliev has by no means been in a strain state of affairs like this. “I really feel like a lion. A lion goes by way of loads of battles of their life, and it doesn’t matter what, they arrive up.
“If it pays, why not, and we do have unfinished enterprise?” mentioned Tszyu when requested about whether or not he’d be focused on preventing inactive former WBA and WBC welterweight champion Keith Thurman, who hasn’t fought in virtually three years, and can flip 36-years-old on November 23.
Thurman may have been inactive for 3 years in February, and no matter recognition he as soon as had a few years in the past, it’s diminished. He’s fought solely 4 occasions within the final seven years since 2017. Whereas a few of that’s injury-related, a lot of it has to do with only a lack of ambition to maintain his profession afloat. It could be dangerous for Tszyu to conform to a battle in opposition to Thurman as a result of he won’t make it by way of coaching camp with out struggling an harm associated to his age and bodily decline.
“Xander? I haven’t had my eyes on him in any respect. I’ve been kind of chasing the massive canine proper now,” mentioned Tszyu when advised that unbeaten #3 WBC Xander Zayas mentioned that he desires to battle him.
The High Rank-promoted Zayas regarded poor in his latest battle in opposition to Damian Sosa on September twenty eighth. Zayas isn’t well-known sufficient amongst followers and has no punching energy to make a battle between him and Tszyu worthwhile for followers to observe. High Rank goes to want to determine what they’re going to do with him as a result of he and a few different of their notable guys are going nowhere.
“Catch him when he’s unexpecting,” mentioned Tszyu about what his prediction is for his battle in opposition to Murtazaliev on Saturday evening. “I believe he understood a very long time in the past. I believe he’s been dreaming about this battle and excited about it. I believe he’s been overthinking it. In all honesty, I haven’t been pondering a lot in regards to the battle. Relating to battle evening, I do know when to place it on. I acquired different issues.”
Tszyu regularly denying that he’s been excited about his battle in opposition to Murtazaliev is an indication that if he have been to confess that he’s thought bout the matchup, it will be perceived as a weak spot on his half. So, he’s attempting to venture power by performing nonchalant in regards to the battle, because it’s simply a straightforward stroll within the park.
“This battle is tremendous essential for each guys. Ought to Murtazaliev win this battle, I believe he goes to a excessive stage. He takes a giant leap as much as preventing the highest canine on the market,” mentioned Shawn Porter to Jai McAllister about Saturday’s battle between IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev and Tim Tszyu.
If Murtazaliev seems to be like 24k gold beating Tszyu, he nonetheless might not get “the highest canine” within the 154-lb division to battle him as a result of it will be a state of affairs of him being excessive danger, low reward. That’s the rationale why Murtazaliev has been invisible his total 10-year skilled profession. He was too harmful for his personal good and never promoted by one of many main U.S. or British promoters that would get him fights.
“For Tim, it’s reclaiming the place he was earlier than. He was prime three. Now he goes to prime one or two within the division [if he’s victorious against Murtazaliev]. He has the loss to Fundora, so now we have to take that into consideration and present respect for that,” mentioned Porter.
Shawn doesn’t say who his prime three are at 154, but it surely sounds foolish for him to probably place Tszyu within the prime one or two within the division if he’s victorious in opposition to Murtazaliev. If Tszyu wins on Saturday, he’d nonetheless need to beat these fighters to take the #1 spot within the 154-lb division:
- Terence Crawford
- Sebastian Fundora
- Vergil Ortiz Jr.
- Serhii Bohachuk
- Israil Madrimov
- Charles Conwell
- Errol Spence
No matter how good he seems to be on Saturday in opposition to Murtazaliev, I may see Tszyu dropping to 4 or 5 of these fighters. Even one of many backside ones, Madrimov, Conwell, and Spence, may beat Tszyu.
“For Tim, his projection continues to remain regular. For Murtazaliev, it goes up actually shortly. So, for him, he’s simply acquired to remain regular. Regular wins the race for Tim. So, I believe he’s going to try this,” mentioned Porter.
Shawn Porter has been incorrect repeatedly together with his predictions currently. So, it’s need to tune him out, and consider the Tszyu vs. Murtazaliev contest as a toss up. Given Tszyu’s latest loss to Sebastian Fundora, I’d give the sting to Murtazaliev on this battle.
He’s the higher puncher, extra proficient mixture puncher, and nonetheless unbeaten. He’s catching Tszyu on the proper second in his profession, and he’s nonetheless licking his psychological wounds from his loss final March.
