- Tim Tszyu suffered the second defeat of his career
- He was defeated in three rounds by Bakhram Murtazaliev.
- The Australian was knocked down four times in the fight
A stunned Tim Tszyu delivered a stunning five-word statement following his shocking loss to Bakhram Murtazaliev on Sunday.
The Australian boxing star was the heavy favorite to win the fight, but was knocked down by his Russian opponent in three rounds.
The loss left many wondering where Tszyu’s career remains, as the 29-year-old Australian suffered his second loss following his split decision loss against Sebastian Fundora in March.
Murtazaliev proved to be the stronger fighter of the pair by knocking down Tszyu three times in the second round, with the latter appearing much slower in the ring.
While Tszyu showed his resilience and heart to get back up after every knockdown, Murtazaliev was too powerful for the Australian, using his brutal power to outlast the Sydneysider and retain his undefeated record and IBF super welterweight title.
Tszyu’s team would throw in the towel after the Australian star fell to the canvas again after his Russian opponent delivered a brutal left hook.
The 29-year-old bravely stood up but was again faced with a flurry of punches from the Russian, with the referee subsequently stopping the fight.
Tszyu would also suffer a nasty cut to his scalp during the fight, which left blood running down his forehead and into his eyes.
After the loss, a dejected Tszyu admitted that he was shocked by what happened in the ring.
A devastated Tim Tszyu delivered a five-word statement following his loss in Florida on Sunday.
The Australian (right) was outclassed in three rounds by Bakhram Murtazaliev during the fight.
Tszyu was knocked to the canvas four times during the fight, and his team eventually threw in the towel.
‘What the fuck just happened?’ Tszyu said, who was in disbelief.
‘What did they hit me with? I couldn’t regroup and… I don’t know, man. Shit doesn’t go your way and you just have to pick yourself up, you know?
‘I felt positive after Fundora.
The result means Tszyu has lost his last two fights and the Australian admits Murtazaliev was the best fighter of the night.
He added: “This didn’t go according to script. It was a little different. It felt amazing, to be honest with you. I felt like I had great preparation.
“So he got me, man.” He was the better man that night and we live and we learn.
The fight left others shocked, with Main Event commentator Ben Damon calling the result a “monstrous upset.”
“It’s been a destruction in Orlando,” Damon said.
“Tim Tszyu fell four times and Bakhram Murtazaliev retained his world title in a one-sided beatdown”.
Questions now revolve around who Tszyu could fight next after suffering two losses in a row, and Michael Zerafa now appears to be his best option.
“Every time I get in the ring, I’m ready to die here,” he added.
‘There are no excuses. Boxing does not pretend to be perfect, but it is lived and learned. After the first shot, things didn’t go as planned.’
