Tim Tszyu secured the biggest win of his career, defeating Errol Spence Jr. by unanimous decision in a high-profile showdown held in Sydney, Australia. All three judges scored the bout comfortably for the Australian fighter, with two cards reading 117-111 and a third card scoring it 118-110 in favor of Tszyu.
Tszyu Claims Unanimous Decision Victory Over Spence in Sydney
The victory serves as a major career resurgence for Tszyu, who previously held the WBO super-welterweight world title and worked to rebuild following back-to-back defeats to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev. Following the bout, Tszyu paid tribute to his new trainer, legendary Australian boxer Jeff Fenech, and admitted he experienced doubts ahead of the matchup. I had sleepless nights – what am I gonna feel like facing a legend like that?
Tszyu said in the ring. Beating a great like Errol Spence tops any world title for me.
Spence Ends Three-Year Layoff and Announces Retirement
For Errol Spence Jr., the contest marked his long-awaited return to the ring following a three-year absence. The former unified welterweight champion had not fought since his stoppage defeat to Terence Crawford in 2023. Opting to move up in weight, the 36-year-old southpaw officially entered the middleweight division for the first time in his professional career, leaving his final boxing record at 28-2.
The bout was originally agreed upon at a 158-pound catchweight before Spence successfully requested an increase to the full middleweight limit of 160 pounds during fight week. Despite a spirited effort—which included a strong round in the eleventh—Spence appeared to lose steam under pressure in the later stages of the fight, with three years of inactivity ultimately making its mark on the former pound-for-pound star. Following the loss, Spence announced that he will retire from boxing for a second time. It was a good showing by Tim,
Spence said post-fight. I asked a lot of questions of myself.
Inside the Fight: How the Bout Unfolded
The main event began as a scrappy affair with competitive, back-and-forth rounds through the first half of the contest. Spence piled up effective body work and enjoyed bright moments of his own, but Tszyu stayed sharp and handled the pressure.
As the bout progressed into the later rounds, the American southpaw began to fade while the Sydneysider kept steady, taking control of the center of the ring and repeatedly scoring with power punches to the head. The performance was punctuated in the 12th and final round when Tszyu landed a heavy right hand that drove Spence back into the corner buckle, cementing the unanimous decision outcome in front of the home crowd.
Looking Ahead to the Middleweight Division
Having successfully made the jump to the 160-pound limit, Tszyu declared that the weight class is his new home and pointed toward potential future matchups. Looking ahead, Tszyu named WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara as a possible future opponent while celebrating the continuation of his family’s boxing legacy.
