In 2020, Tszyu had the first key fight of his career, facing fellow Australian and former world champion, Jeff Horn. Tszyu battered the former champion using his jab, uppercuts and big right hands to the body and head, hurting him and breaking him down to force a retirement TKO in the eighth round.
Tszyu’s next key fight was against the durable and courageous Japanese fighter, Takeshi Inoue, in November 2021.
This was Tszyu’s 20th fight of his career, and this fight proved to be a turning point for him as a fighter on the international stage. Although he was outgunned, Inoue fought with passion and pride to give Tszyu a hard fight and take Tszyu the twelve-round distance for the first time.
In March, 2024, Tszyu, on late notice, traveled to Las Vegas to face the towering junior middleweight champion, Sebastian Fundora, in what was an iconic fight for both boxers. Both fighters, splattered in blood and both hurt by accident and intention, gave the fans a fight to remember, with Fundora winning by a split decision. Inexperience and a stubborn refusal to accept defeat cost him the fight.
Another key fight was his fight against the Chechen come-forward fighter, Bakhram Murtazaliev in October 2024, just six months after recovering and healing from a bad cut to the top of his head in the Fundora fight.
Tszyu was battered into a state of shock and disbelief, then knocked down numerous times until the fight was stopped in the third round in Orlando, Florida.
Tszyu returned to Sydney and back to the drawing board . Six months later, he took a confidence-building fight against the unrated and limited fighter Joey Spencer, to then go back three months later to face Sebastian Fundora for the WBC light middleweight championship of the world.
In the return match, Fundora fought smart, outboxing Tszyu by using his skill , timing, and natural ability, beating the Australian to force a corner retirement at the end of the 7th round.
Tszyu came back in December, beating unknown Anthony Velasquez in Sydney.
After beating Denis Nurja in April 2026, Tszyu focused on the Spence Jnr fight, and the win was deemed by many as a tremendous victory. My view on this is yes, it was good to have the name of Errol Spence Jnr on his record, but the key factor in the decision win was that it has kept his career alive.
So where does he go from here? With a new management and coaching team around him, as well as fighting at his new weight of 160 pounds, what’s next?
Erislandy Lara is the WBA middleweight champion. With a good record of 32 wins ( 19 KOs), 3 losses, and 1 draw, the Cuban southpaw is 43 years old, and since 2022, he has battered Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan, destroyed Michael Zerafa, proved to be too much for Danny Garcia, and in December 2025, he beat Johan Gonzales on points. Lara has not fought in 2026. On any given night, a motivated Lara is and can be an awkward and dangerous opponent for anyone.
Carlos Adames is the WBC middleweight champion. The Dominican Republic puncher has a great record with 25 ( 18 KOs) and 1 defeat. He is 32 years old, and he consistently fights only once a year.
Aaron McKenna is the IBF middleweight champion. The newly crowned Irishman is 27 years old, and he is an unbeaten, well-schooled boxer . His record stands at 21-0. ( 10 KOs) McKenna is 6’3, and he has a 75-inch reach. He won the World title, beating the Italian Etinosa Oliha in early August, and prior to that he outboxed the experienced Liam Smith. He has a tremendous work rate, and he has speed.
Denzel Bentley. WBO middleweight champion. With a record of 22 wins ( 18 KOs), 3 losses, and 1 draw, the 31-year-old Englishman was the interim champion, to then be elevated to the WBO champion due to Janibek Alimkhanuly relinquishing his title to move up to super middleweight.
My view is, all roads lead to Jermell Charlo. He could be the path of least resistance for a big money fight. He is still a name, and he was the junior middleweight champion of the world. He has been inactive since being outboxed and outmuscled by Saul Canelo Alvarez in September 2023. He has a record of 35-2-1 with 19 KOs. He would be moving up in weight to meet Tszyu, and that would suit the 36-year-old at this stage of his career. If staged in Australia, the fight will sell as there has been some history of trash talking by both fighters, and for Tszyu, this could be his swan song, so it makes great business sense for him and also lucrative for Charlo.
The question is, will Tszyu wait and fight for a mandatory shot at one of the world champions, or will he make a move on Charlo?
Gary Todd is an international best-selling author, and he has been involved in all aspects of the sport of boxing for decades . Check out his latest book, “ Greatest Ever Boxing Champions. Their mindset. Their Workouts, Their Journeys.”
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