Tim Tszyu’s latest win appears to have tee’d up a clash with the inactive Errol Spence Jr, and one of boxing’s top trainers believes that the fight may end in disaster for the latter, who has not fought since 2023.
Spence outpointed Albania’s Denis Nurja on Sunday, overcoming a cut to set up a summer showdown with ‘The Truth’, who was a dominant welterweight world champion until a devastating defeat to bitter rival, Terence Crawford, in July ’23, when bidding for the undisputed throne.
Since that maiden pro defeat, Spence has underdone cataract surgery and was in negotiations to take on Jermell Charlo last year, until talks collapsed.
However, it is now understood that a meeting with Tszyu is close to being formally announced, with Saturday, July 25, being the rumoured fight date.
Speaking to Boxing Scene, Robert Garcia, who trained Anthony Joshua and Nonito Donaire, believes that the three-year lay-off will take its toll on the American, whom he thinks ‘has nothing left’.
“The question is, ‘What Errol Spence will we see?’ Because we haven’t seen him in a while,”
“Honestly, it’s tough to say we’ll see a new Errol Spence. He might not have anything left, and that’s what I think: He has nothing left, and I’ll [pick] Tim Tszyu,”
“He’s not taking tune-ups because he knows he has nothing left. That tune-up may ruin him. He’s taking that big pay day and that’s it.”
For Tszyu, the fight will represent the opportunity to improve on his 1-3 record when fighting in the United States, with all three of his career defeats coming across the pond.