Former WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu 24-1 (17) could be forgiven for taking a few months off to regroup before rematching the lone man to defeat him later this year.
But that’s not the way he rolls.
The 29-year-old Australian suffered a nasty cut to the top of his head from an errant elbow early on his fight against six-foot-six Californian southpaw Sebastian Fundora 21-1-1 (13) in their world title fight in Las Vegas on the last weekend in March.
The wound bled for the remainder of the fight with Tszyu eventually losing a split decision by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 112-116.
Fundora, 26, had verbally agreed to a rematch but with that fight unlikely to take place until the tail-end of this year, Tszyu was never going to sit on his hands and wait.
Instead, the boxer who has often referred to himself as a “throwback fighter” has accepted a tough assignment against undefeated knockout artist Vergil Ortiz Jr 20-0 (20) on a high profile card at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California on August 3.
The fight will be the main support bout to the intriguing clash between two-weight undisputed world champion and pound-for-pound stalwart Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford 40-0 (31) and WBA junior middleweight champion Israil ‘The Dream’ Madrimov 10-0-1 (7).
“Only want the biggest and badass fights for the fans,” Tszyu posted to social media platform X yesterday before the fight was officially announced.
In a separate post today, Tszyu added: “FYI I don’t wait on no one. I create my own destiny. Get the job done this weekend @VergilOrtiz and we make a fight for the ages.”
Ortiz, who faces shopworn Thomas Dulorme 26-6-1 (17) this weekend, called out Tszyu after his last win over Fredrick Lawson 30-5 (22) in January. The first-round blowout was his first fight back after 18 months on the sidelines due to illness and injury.
“I know people would love people to see this fight so Tim Tszyu, with all respect, I would love to fight you,” said Ortiz, who previously campaigned at welterweight.
“I think you’re a hell of a fighter, let’s make it happen. It’s all business. I want to fight the best.”
He added he had already approached his promoter Oscar De La Hoya about getting him back in the ring as soon as possible.
“I’ve told Oscar ‘put me in (again) as soon as you can’,” Ortiz said. “Let’s do it. Let’s go tomorrow.
“This is a sport where we want to prove we’re the best, the strongest… that’s what fighters are supposed to do.
“I don’t fear anyone. I’ll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime.”
Tszyu’s promoter George Rose of No Limit Boxing said he wants to keep his boxer in the public eye against genuine opposition.
“People want to watch Tim Tszyu in good fights and he wants to take good fights. He wants to challenge himself,” Rose said to Fox Sports Australia.
“That’s what gets him up in the morning, gets him to really rip through training camps of 12 weeks to be the best version of himself that he can be.
“So taking an easy fight… that’s not Tim Tszyu.
“Tim Tszyu is the guy who takes fights that people want. And people want to watch a fight like this one.”
He added: “Ortiz Jr, he’s a very good fighter. Difficult fight and has a lot of power which makes him dangerous.
“But there are a lot of dangerous fights in this division.
“And while he has a great record, he is also moving up in weight so we’ll have to see how that goes.
“But Tim Tszyu is a modern day warrior.
“He fears no man, walks towards the fire and will again show the world why he’s on a path to greatness.”
