Tim Tszyu weighed in at 153.4 lbs and IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev came in at 152.8 lbs during the official weigh-in for their fight this Saturday, October 19 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. The ceremonial weigh-in will be held later.
Tszyu nervous
Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs) looked nervous all week during interviews. While he spoke in his normal bold manner, his face and body language did not match his words. He clearly knows that the undefeated Murtazaliev (22-0, 16 KOs) is a threat to him and his career.
Tszyu could lose and be knocked down by the big, powerful seek and destroy Murtazaliev. The timing for Tsyu to take on the killer boxer Murtazaliev, which fans feel is a mixture of these fighters: Artur Beterbiev, Gennady Golovkin and Sergey Kovalev.
If Tszyu can’t keep Murtazaliev out of him on Saturday, he won’t last long because this guy is lethal with his power and punching combo. There is a reason why he was shunned by the top fighters in the 154 lb division and paid money aside.
Weights:
Bakhram Murtazaliev 152.8
Tim Tszyu 153.4
“I just said he’s not as tall and strong as I thought he was,” Tim Tszyu told the media when asked what he told Bakhram Murtazaliev during his final press conference on Thursday. “It doesn’t look that great.”
It seems that Tszyu is trying to boost his own self-confidence by saying that Murtazaliev doesn’t “Look that big”. When the two fighters faced off, Murtazaliev looked the taller and more powerful of the two. Tszyu tries to project a false image of fearlessnessdesigned to disguise the fear he has for his opponent, Murtazaliev. Tszyu is clearly afraid.
You can see it in his face and the way he acts. He knows Murtazaliev can destroy his career by knocking him out on Saturday and permanently ruining his dreams of getting big money fights against Crawford, Fundora and Spence.
“This is the fight to prove myself. I can really show what I’m made of,” said Tszyu when asked if his fight with Murtazaliev will prove that he deserves to fight Sebastian Fundora, Terence Crawford and Errol Spence.
If Tszyu loses to Murtazaliev, his hopes of becoming a two-time 154lb champion will be temporarily derailed, and it would be a second straight defeat for the 29-year-old. In addition, Tszyu’s popularity will be further degraded because he failed once again, but this time against a fighter that casual boxing fans are not familiar with. Murtazaliev is not well known to Australians and US fans.
Tszyu cannot afford another loss
A loss against Murtazaliev will make it difficult for Tszyu to get the fights he wants against Crawford, Spence and Fundora. Tszyu would need to work his way back to the top by beating highly ranked contenders at 154, and it’s doubtful if he could do that in time to fight the older Spence and Crawford.
“I feel like he’s a little bit similar to Ocampo. He’s a little more gritty, more skillful,” Tszyu said of Murtazaliev. “I’ll see tonight. I’ve really adapted and adjusted. People really underestimate my boxing skills. They really think I’m just moving on. No, no, there’s a lot more to it.
This sounds like mind games from Tszyu, comparing Murtazaliev to his past opponent, Carlos Ocampo, whom he defeated in the first round last year on June 18, 2023. Murtazaliev does not fight like Ocampo, who had been defeated in the first round since 2023. Spence in 2018 and beaten by Fundora in 2022.
“Zero,” Tszyu said when asked if he thought he and Murtazaliev have somewhat similar fighting styles.
“I didn’t do that. That’s stupid,” Tszyu said when asked if he had rushed to make weight for the weigh-in because Murtazaliev had been seen doing that. “He even ate chips the other night. It doesn’t make any sense. No, I don’t think he’s struggling (to gain weight). I think he’s stupid.”
This comment from Tszyu is another example of him trying to get a mental edge over Murtazaliev, hoping he heard what he said about not being confident on fight night. It won’t work. Murtazaliev will be confident and will look to knock out Tszyu and potentially end his breakout career.
