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Add FightsATW on GoogleErrol Spence Jr (28-1, 22 KOs) is coming out of a long hiatus to face Tim Tszyu (27-2, 18 KOs), Saturday night on pay-per-view. However, according to Tszyu, Spence Jr might just have to prepare for his next hiatus.
Talking at their recent presser, Tszyu opened up about his plans to send Spence Jr into retirement.
“I respect what he’s done. But there comes a time in people’s journeys, and I believe that now is the right time. I’m supremely confident I can make it his last fight,” he said. “I’ve never felt this good before a fight. I’m dialed in. This feels like a Super Bowl-type fight. I’ll meet him in the centre on Sunday.”
Spence Jr is coming off the longest layoff of his career. He hasn’t fought in nearly three years since his one-sided loss to Terence Crawford in July 2023, where he lost his unified welterweight titles. Since then, he’s dealt with the physical and mental toll of that defeat. Tszyu, meanwhile, is trying to complete his own redemption arc.
After losing his WBO title to Sebastian Fundora in a bloody war and then suffering another stoppage loss to Bakhram Murtazaliev, many questioned whether he’d ever return to the top. He rebuilt his confidence with a comeback victory, changed trainers and has entered this fight with renewed momentum. A win over a future Hall of Famer like Spence would put him back in line for another world title and erase much of the disappointment from the last two years.
Spence Jr has publicly acknowledged that retirement is a possibility if he loses, and Tszyu has repeatedly questioned whether Spence should even be returning after such a long absence. However, it looks like Spence Jr has the same plan in mind for his opponent.
“That’s what everyone plans to do. That’s my plan [to retire Tszyu]. To impose my will and beat him up,” he said while also adding that he will have his eye out for an explosive end. “If it’s there, the knockout, I’ll take it.”
“Career Is Over”
However, trainer Ronnie Shields, is certain that Spence Jr does not have a lot of fights left in his belt, even hinting at an absolute retirement if he loses.
“If I was to come out and lose, my career is over. I’m done. There’s no sense in me trying to push for what. This is for him. He’s satisfying himself,” he said. “He just didn’t want to go out the way he went out. He may fight one, two maybe, but no more than three fights. Even if he wins, he says, ‘You know what? That’s it. I’m satisfied with what I accomplished.’ If he loses, definitely that’s it.”
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