Author: Sean Crose
Even if you’re not physically present in the audience, you can still hear the powerful impact of Tim Tszyu’s punches as they connect with his opponents. The sound resonates through broadcast technology, the striking of leather on flesh echoing with force and speed, relentless and damaging. The sound carries far beyond the confines of the ring, reaching those who witness Tszyu’s menacing delivery system. This Saturday in Las Vegas, however, the undefeated Australian junior middleweight, with boxing royalty in his bloodline, may face a challenging opponent himself.
Tim Tszyu, the son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, is set to face off against the towering 6.5 feet tall, 20-1-1 Sebastian Fundora in the headline event of Amazon Prime Video’s first Pay-Per-View card this Saturday night in Las Vegas. Initially scheduled to fight former welterweight titlist Keith Thurman, Tszyu is now preparing to battle Fundora, who has a significant height advantage. Despite this challenge, Tszyu remains confident in his ability to overcome any obstacle in the ring.
“I know how to handle southpaws,” Tszyu confidently mentioned, referring to the tall southpaw Fundora. “I have experience facing taller opponents. It’s all about adaptation, and I believe I’ve made the necessary adjustments.” When asked about his training, Tszyu casually responded, “It took me one day? Two hours? Yeah, just one session.” His intentions for Saturday night are evident and ominous. “I aim to inflict pain,” he stated. “To harm him. Severely.” For the undefeated Tszyu, the goal is clear. “That’s the strategy,” he affirmed. “Someone in the audience will witness a head flying.”
Fundora may harbor a similar sentiment, though with different expectations regarding whose head might be raised outside the ring. Like Tszyu, Fundora has embraced this challenge with short notice, entering uncharted waters. Many believe Fundora poses a more significant threat to Tszyu than Thurman did. With the WBC and WBO junior middleweight titles at stake, both fighters have a lot on the line in this weekend’s matchup. While there are numerous aspects to dissect about this fight, one thing is for sure – it’s anything but boring.