Tim Tszyu is open to a permanent move to middleweight after his fight on April 5 with Denis Nurja.
The Australian fights for the second time since the defeat at 154lbs by Sebastian Fundora that precipitated the overhaul of his team that is being led by his new trainer, the Cuban Pedro Diaz.
In their first fight together in December, Tszyu convincingly outpointed Anthony Velazquez at a catchweight of 157lbs, and Sunday’s contest with Albania’s Nurja – at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong, Australia – is at 160.
With the WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames revealing plans to move to 168lbs and Janibek Alimkhanuly, previously the champion of the WBO and IBF, stripped of his IBF title and suspended by the WBO for a year after testing positive for the banned substance meldonium, the picture at middleweight is perhaps increasingly appealing for those established at junior middleweight, widely recognised as the most competitive weight division in the world.
The plan for the 31-year-old Tszyu – who still hopes to next fight Errol Spence at 154lbs – is to reassess his progress and his options again after Sunday, but even in the event of fighting Spence his future may yet prove at 160lbs.
“The discussion point, initially, was just coming into Velazquez, and even this fight, not to be burning down to the weight of 154lbs,” Mike Altamura, Tszyu’s co-manager, told BoxingScene. “We wanted to give Tim a bit of a weight reprieve. But obviously, with so much of the landscape changing, and with Tim being in the position he’s at in his career, if the right opportunities present at 160 or 154 we’d be in a position to take a look at either.
“I’m sure Tim doesn’t mind not being able to cut as tough as he would fighting at 154, like any fighter. Bit by bit we’ll assess what the best options are, moving forward.
“At middleweight what we see is the changing landscape. The IBF new champion being determined soon; WBO interim champion forthcoming; Janibek, effectively, out for a year. Of course, there’s other opportunities too. [Carlos] Adames; [WBA champion Erislandy] Lara. Good fighters. Decent names at the weight class. From our perspective, we’ll continue discussing the options going forward, with Tim’s promoter No Limit, and see what looks to be the best opportunity on the other side. The biggest and best fights that present there for him.
“It’s always smart, regardless of if there’s discussion points of a fight on the horizon – and [Spence is] still a fight we’re in deep discussions to finalise – to keep working towards bigger-picture things. Activity’s key with Tim. Nurja is a good opponent; very credible; well ranked in the WBA, and he’s unbeaten. He’s 20-0; rough and rugged, and very game, and he’s gonna be coming to keep Tim honest and present a challenge if Tim’s not on his game, so Tim needs to be sharp and look to reflect and display the tools we know he’s been working on in camp with Pedro Diaz.
“This outing was imperative to give Tim and Pedro another chance to continue to build their synergy, especially en route to what we see as a super fight in the latter part of the year. I know that Tim has prepared like he’s facing the greatest challenge of his career.”
Plans for Tszyu to fight Spence – they have a long-term rivalry – became public knowledge in the days before the victory over Velazquez in Tszyu’s home city of Sydney. The 32-year-old Nurja, incidentally, is fighting outside of Europe for the first time.
“On the other side of [Nurja], it’s either a super fight, a world-title opportunity, Spence, of course, and if nothing were to materialise in all of those aspects, keep ticking the boxes, stay patient, stay active, stay busy,” Altamura explained. “I really believe from last camp to this and the next camp, going forward, Tim will continue to be growing and adapting under the guidance of Pedro Diaz.
“They’ve got a really good understanding and he’s given Tim a new lease of life, in terms of his belief; his enjoyment, and his motivation to really build his way back to championship level.”
