Tszyu issued his challenge via a post shared by Premier Boxing Champions after his decision win over Denis Nurja, saying: “You know what they say, catch the big fish. Let’s go fishing.” The message positioned Tszyu towards a fight with Spence, who had been discussed as his next opponent.
Spence responded shortly after with a direct reply to X: “You think shit sweet I’m doing you so bad!”
The swap comes as Spence prepares for a comeback after more than a year out of the ring, having not fought since his July 2023 loss to Terence Crawford. The plan is for him to face former WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu next, provided he gets through the training camp without any problems.
Tszyu, coming off his win over Nurja, continues to rebuild after losing his title and then suffering further setbacks. His latest performance keeps him active and positioned for a higher profile fight, with Spence now getting openly involved.
No official announcement has been made, but the direct swap adds weight to expectations that Spence-Tszyu is the intended next move.
The switch to Pedro Diaz was supposed to add technical skills and defensive responsibility to Tszyu’s game, but if that “new” style looks anything like a hesitant version of the old Tim tonight against Nurja, Spence is going to have a field day.
If Errol Spence Jr. making it through a full camp with Stephen “Breadman” Edwards, the version of Spence we see will likely be very different from the one who looked drained against Crawford.
Moving to 154 lbs is huge for Errol. He killed himself for years to make 147. A hydrated, stronger Spence at junior middleweight is a scary prospect for anyone, especially a fighter like Tszyu, who has shown he can be hurt and outworked, as we saw in the Murtazaliev debacle.
Even a post-prime Spence has a higher ring IQ than Nurja. If Tszyu struggled to find his rhythm or looked less powerful against a guy like Nurja, Spence’s jab and bodywork will be a nightmare for him.
Errol’s dismissal is the only real out for Tszyu. Spence hasn’t fought in nearly three years. No matter how hard you work out, gym air is not fight air.
