Tim Tszyu is reportedly eyeing a homecoming fight in December if he defeats IBF junior middleweight beltholder Bakhram Murtazaliev when they meet on October 19 at Caribe Royale in Orlando, Fla.
According to News Corp, the 29-year-old from Sydney, Australia is keen to go around again this calendar year after spending months on the sidelines recovering from a nasty cut to his scalp sustained in his split decision loss to Sebastian Fundora in Las Vegas in March.
There are several names on the shortlist but it is understood Erickson Lubin is the frontrunner, if the 28-year-old American southpaw can be convinced to fly out to Australia. Lubin (26-2, 18 KOs) is The Ring’s No.7 contender at 154 pounds.
“It is important to remain connected with the Aussie fans because they are the ones who put me into this position,” said Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs) to the media yesterday.
“When I go into a fight, I feel I have a whole country behind me, so it’s a good feeling.
“Of course I would love to fight back in Australia for the fans, it means a lot. We’re a small little island, we’re deserted from the rest of the world. Even to LA, it’s a 15-hour flight.
“But we have some talent out there (in Australia). A lot of fighters. We have this stigma that Aussies are tough bastards who just fight, but we like to have a crack and we know what we are doing.
“It’s nice to be on top of that with the other Aussie combat athletes.”
Tszyu is planning a statement performance against Russia’s Murtazaliev (22-0, 16 KOs), who will be making the first defense of the IBF strap he won against Jack Culcay in Germany last April. In that bout, the 31-year-old pulled away late in the fight, knocking out the local lad in the penultimate round.
Tszyu has vowed to end his 10-year undefeated streak in the pros.
“I’m bringing the heat,“ said Tszyu, The Ring’s No.5 contender. “Hopefully he doesn’t take a step back, because everyone knows my style.
“You will see a bad-ass performance. The level will be ruthless and something that shocks people and shocks my opponent as well.”
In his Las Vegas debut against six-foot-six southpaw Fundora, Tszyu caught an errant elbow to the top of his head at the end of the second round that immediately produced a large gash on his scalp. The wound continued to bleed profusely for the rest of the bout and he was forced to fight through a mask of blood.
Tszyu fought valiantly in the circumstance, eventually dropping a 116-112, 113-115 and 112-116 decision. The loss cost him his WBO belt and the chance to pick up the vacant WBC bauble.
At the time Tszyu’s corner came under criticism for not stopping the bout in the first four rounds, but the gutsy Aussie says he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Forfeiting is not my blood,” said Tszyu. “I would rather die in the ring, that’s the mentality I’ve got. Losing the belt, it feels like you have to get back to the drawing board.
“There’s no fear in me. Whoever they call the ‘bad guy’ in this division, give him to me, feed him to me.
“He (Murtazaliev) has the dog in him and that presents a tremendous task.
“But nothing is supposed to be easy on the road to the top. There is no easy fight. If you want the big bucks, you have to go through the fire and right now, I will go through the fire.
“I want to be the shot caller and put on the big fights and you do that by having the straps.”
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