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Philippines, 26 Jul 2026 |
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Tim Tszyu Dominates Spence in Wide UD Win as 'The Truth' Formally Retires By Dong Secuya PhilBoxing.com Sun, 26 Jul 2026  In front of a raucous, capacity crowd at the Afterpay Arena in Olympic Park, Australia's Tim "The Phoenix" Tszyu produced the crowning performance of his career on Sunday afternoon (Saturday night in the United States), systematically breaking down and dominating former unified world champion Errol "The Truth" Spence Jr. over 12 high-octane rounds. Coming off a grueling career chapter marked by physical setbacks and bloody defeats, Tszyu (28-3, 18 KOs) completed his redemption arc in breathtaking fashion, capturing a wide unanimous decision victory and solidifying his place alongside his hall-of-fame father, Kostya Tszyu, in Australian boxing lore. Official judges Carlos Costa and Ioana Schwalger both scored the bout 117–111, while judge Adam Height saw it 118–110, all in favor of the Sydney superstar. The bout—fought at the full 160-pound middleweight limit—began as a tense, high-level chess match with both former champions eager to establish authority early. In the opening rounds, Spence (28-2, 22 KOs) looked sharp despite his 3-year ring layoff, using his trademark southpaw jab and heavy body attack to try and outpunch the Australian. The first half of the fight featured fierce, back-and-forth exchanges in the center of the ring, with Spence landing crisp straight lefts and Tszyu responding with heavy right hands over the top. However, as the fight entered the second half, the physical toll of Spence’s long layoff and the relentless pace set by Tszyu began to tell. Guided by Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech in his corner, Tszyu took complete control from Round 7 onward, backing Spence up with a punishing lead jab, measured counters, and damaging combinations inside. Spence showed immense heart staying on his feet through heavy punishment in the championship rounds, but Tszyu's freshness and volume sealed a decisive victory. The victory brought a compassionate conclusion to weeks of intense pre-fight hostility. The two protagonists, who had exchanged cold snubs, verbal barbs, and refused handshakes throughout fight week, immediately embraced in the center of the ring after 36 minutes of war. In his emotional post-fight interview in the ring, Spence took the microphone to officially announce his retirement from the sport of boxing, closing the curtain on a legendary career as one of the finest welterweights of his generation. "It was a great fight. Congratulations to Tim and (trainer) Jeff Fenech,” Spence said. "It was a good showing by Tim. I answered a lot of questions about myself, and now it’s time to go home with my family and start a new life.” When explicitly asked to clarify if his statement meant he was retiring from professional boxing, Spence offered a graceful, definitive response: "Yeah, for sure. I’ve got my faculties intact. My money is good and working for itself, so everything’s good, man. I’ve got a beautiful family and I thank God that I’m able to leave this sport with my faculties intact and my family by my side. Everything’s going to go well.” For Tszyu, the victory completely erases the ghost of his recent losses and instantly transforms him into one of the premier draws in the sport across two weight classes. Having declared his permanent move to middleweight earlier in the week, Tszyu now sits in prime position to challenge reigning WBA Middleweight Champion Erislandy Lara, or pursue mega-paydays at 154 and 160 pounds against stars like Jaron "Boots" Ennis or a third fight with Sebastian Fundora. "A lifetime of work went into this moment," an emotional Tszyu told the Sydney crowd. "I put everything on the line, gambled on myself, and we did it for Australia." As Errol Spence Jr. heads back to Desoto, Texas, with a legacy secured and his health intact, Tim Tszyu steps firmly out of his father's shadow and into the global spotlight. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.  |
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