The ranking follows Tszyu’s December 17 win in Sydney, a 10-round unanimous decision over Anthony Velazquez. It was not a statement performance, but it was steady, controlled, and free of drama. That alone carried value after a difficult stretch in which Tszyu dropped three of five fights and saw his reputation take real wear.
Losses to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev exposed limits in his approach, particularly when opponents refused to trade and instead worked around his pressure with discipline.
The WBO’s decision to move Tszyu up so quickly also reshuffles familiar names. He now sits ahead of Keith Thurman and Israil Madrimov, fighters with recent credibility but less immediate positioning. The ranking places Tszyu closer to a possible shot at unified WBA and WBO champion Xander Zayas, a matchup that would test more than just durability.
Zayas has shown in recent outings that he is comfortable slowing fights down, leaning on movement, clinching, and small positional wins, as seen against Abass Baraou and Jorge Garcia Perez. Those are the types of fights Tszyu has struggled to force onto his own terms.
None of this guarantees Tszyu a title opportunity. His placement assumes continued wins and careful matchmaking. His team will need to be selective, particularly with opponents who replicate the same problems he has already faced.
A quick rematch with someone like Murtazaliev, fresh off a loss but still stylistically awkward, would risk undoing the progress his ranking suggests.
That placement does stand out. Tszyu now sits above Murtazaliev despite having been stopped by him not long ago. The explanation appears to rest less on Tszyu’s resurgence than on how Murtazaliev looked in defeat to Josh Kelly. It was a subdued showing, lacking the sharpness or control that usually keeps a fighter near the top after a loss.
Rankings often reflect recent impressions as much as past results, and in this case, the WBO seems to have leaned heavily on the most recent tape.
For Tszyu, the path forward is clearer than the destination. He is close enough to matter again, but not insulated. The ranking gives him room to rebuild, not permission to stumble.
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