The ranking follows Tszyu’s Dec. 17 win in Sydney, a 10-round unanimous decision over Anthony Velazquez. It wasn’t a statement performance, but it was steady, controlled and free of drama. That alone carried value after a tough stretch in which Tszyu dropped three of five fights and saw his reputation tarnished.
Losses to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev exposed limitations in his approach, especially when opponents refused to trade and instead sidestepped his pressure with discipline.
The WBO’s decision to move Tszyu up so quickly also shakes up famous names. He now sits ahead of Keith Thurman and Israil Madrimov, fighters with recent credibility but less immediate positioning. The rankings put Tszyu closer to a possible shot at unified WBA and WBO champion Xander Zayas, a bout that will test more than just durability.
Zayas has shown in recent outings that he is comfortable slowing down fights, leaning on movement, clinch and small positional wins, as seen against Abass Baraou and Jorge Garcia Perez. These are the types of fights Tszyu has struggled to impose on his own terms.
None of this guarantees Tszyu a title opportunity. His placement assumes continued wins and careful matchups. His team will have to be selective, especially with opponents repeating the same problems he has already faced.
A quick rematch with someone like Murtazaliev, fresh off a loss but still stylistically awkward, would risk undoing the progress his rankings suggest.
That post does stand out. Tszyu now sits above Murtazaliev despite being stopped by him not long ago. The explanation seems to rest less on Tszyu’s resurgence than on how Murtazaliev looked in defeat to Josh Kelly. It was a subdued performance, lacking the sharpness or control that usually keeps a fighter near the top after a loss.
Rankings often reflect recent impressions as much as past results, and in this case the WBO seems to have leaned heavily on the most recent tape.
For Tszyu, the road ahead is clearer than the destination. He is close enough to matter again, but not isolated. The ranking gives him room to rebuild, not permission to stumble.
