BoxingScene: You recently spoke about how while preparing for Joseph Spencer you learned to “refresh” yourself. What, exactly, did you mean by that?
Tim Tszyu: Being in the zone as well, but also being able to spend some time away from the gym, and being able to switch off during that time. That’s what I meant by that. Just so that you’re not always over-stimulated. When I’m loose and relaxed, and when I’m feeling that way, it’s the best performances from me. [I was most] over-stimulated, probably the [Bakhram] Murtazaliev fight, and the [Sebastian] Fundora fight. It was Tony Harrison, and the last one, Joey Spencer [when I was most relaxed].
BS: For the first fight with Fundora you were the “A side." For the Bakhram Murtazaliev fight you were the “A side” again. This week Manny Pacquiao’s the star of the show – has it been helpful to go under the radar?
Tszyu: Oh, man, it’s been great, actually. I’ve been enjoying it, actually. I don’t have to do a big part of what’s required, so it’s been refreshing in terms of that, in that sense. All of that’s cool – I understand [it] – but being a little bit under the radar, and being able to just focus on the performance, rather than thinking of the event…
BS: Did you ever dream that the day would come when you might appear on the same bill as Pacquiao?
Tszyu: I wouldn’t have thought so, man – I wouldn’t have thought so. Yeah – who would have thought? One hundred per cent [it’s exciting] – it sort of feels like a childhood dream. I grew up watching Pacquiao; now I’m actually on an undercard. You’d never have thought so, because he retired, what, four years ago? Yeah [I’m a big fan of his]. I went to watch him versus Miguel Cotto. [His best era was] him versus [Ricky] Hatton; him versus [Oscar] De La Hoya; even the [Juan Manuel] Marquezes, the [Marco Antonio] Barreras, the [Erik] Morales [fights] – that was a good time as well.
BS: Do you want to be out of boxing by his age?
Tszyu: At 46? Yeah, for sure. Cuban cigar and the beaches of Italy. It’s pretty crazy, man. I think it’s a ballsy act. It just shows the type of character that he is, and the belief he’s got in himself.
BS: When you were preparing for Spencer, did you think your chance of a rematch with Fundora was behind you?
Tszyu: No. I thought that I was still one fight away from getting back to the very top, and this is the very top now.
BS: What do you think of what he’s done since then?
Tszyu: What has he done? His opponent [Chordale Booker], no disrespect – it’s two different calibres.
BS: Do you think there’s a chance he considers you vulnerable right now, and that that’s why he’s fighting you instead of Xander Zayas?
Tszyu: No. We had the rematch clause and he abided by it. It’s quite simple. I do respect that. He had to give up the WBO title, which means a lot as well, you know? There’s definitely respect there for him being a man of his word, that’s for sure.
BS: Where does he rank among the best you’ve fought?
Tszyu: He’s up there. He’s awkward. He’s the best, for sure. He’s got these punches that come from different angles that you don’t expect to come, and he’s also an inside fighter, and he can bang. [But] I think he’s a bit stiff.
BS: How much easier has it been to prepare for him this time, not only having shared the ring with him, but having had a full camp for him instead of making a last-minute change from a very different opponent?
Tszyu: We’ve been able to create a game plan this time – [look at] things that work and do things that don’t work. That’s been the biggest difference. [I’m better prepared] by 2,000 per cent. I was super confident – super confident [in March 2024]. It was a bit of the unknown, because to fight someone [at such late notice], you don’t know what to expect. It’s hard to find someone to emulate that type of style – you don’t really grow up fighting styles like that. Now I’ve been able to work on it for 10 weeks, and I’ve shared the ring with him for 12 rounds, so I expect everything.
BS: I’ve seen him suggest you’ve got PTSD from your first fight. What do you make of that?
Tszyu: I think his dad’s [Freddy] been telling him a lot of things and he listens to his dad a lot. Whatever his dad tells him, he sort of says it back. I think it’s whatever they need for a little edge, but there’s no PTSD – I can tell from my last fight.
BS: Do you agree this is the best possible way to hit the reset button on everything that happened that night?
Tszyu: Yeah, when I win, I’m back with the mantle. It creates the story that I can tell my kids, and kids of kids. What could have, should have, happened, is all in the past. Now I’m focused on what’s ahead of me.
BS: You got married to Alexandra Constantine in December. How has that changed your perspective?
Tszyu: It’s probably the best thing that’s happened in my life, so I’m pretty proud of that. It’s slowed time down, put life into perspective, and gave me another purpose to fight for. To a certain extent [getting married stopped me moving to Las Vegas]. The comfort of being at home, and all of that stuff, is pretty hard to beat; the Las Vegas heat and cold, to the Sydney weather – the beaches – it’s hard to beat that. I’m just a bit more comfortable at home. I feel happier; they say a happy fighter’s a dangerous fighter.
BS: You looked on course to fight Keith Thurman. How close did that come to happening, and is it still likely?
Tszyu: Yeah, it’s definitely still on the cards. There’s definitely unfinished business there, and I definitely want to revisit that once I get past this. It was very close. All of the stars were aligned; I needed one more tick, and that tick didn’t come, and that tick wasn’t approved by me, because I wanted Fundora.
BS: Has the 154lbs division become even more dangerous since you were last champion?
Tszyu: For sure. Red hot division; some red hot challenges; some big money to be made; this is a good time to be in this position.
BS: Your dad joined you last time you fought in America, against Murtazaliev. Is he around this week?
Tszyu: No. He’s holidaying in his holiday house.
