Despite concerns about Errol’s long three-year absence from the ring, Shakur believes the former unified welterweight champion still has what it takes to beat Tszyu.

“I think so [Spence] I will do well. I wish Errol all the best; I hope Errol goes in there and beats up Tim Tszyu,” Shakur said on Andre Ward’s channel.

“I’m an Errol Spence fan; Errol Spence was OK before [Terence Crawford] fight. I know Errol is mentally robust. Errol is a dog when it comes to fighting, so I don’t think Tim Tszyu can beat him.

Spence has not fought since a ninth-round loss to Crawford in July 2023 that cost him the WBC, WBA and IBF welterweight titles. After almost three years of break from competition, the 36-year-old is now trying to resume his career in a fresh weight class.

Meanwhile, Tszyu enters the fight with regained momentum after a arduous period in 2024. The former WBO junior middleweight champion bounced back from setbacks to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev with back-to-back victories to get back into position for his next marquee fight.

Shakur has previously expressed confidence in Spence’s chances against Tszyu, but his latest comments suggest he remains confident that the Texan’s experience, mentality and overall ability will be the deciding factor on July 25.

The fight will be one of the biggest tests of Spence’s career. While Tszyu is looking to secure a spectacular win that could redefine his position in the junior middleweight division, Errol will be looking to show that he can still compete at the highest level after an extended period of inactivity.

Shawn Porter believes David Benavidez’s toughest assignment could come between the cruiserweight and lithe heavyweight divisions, against a former world champion with tremendous power.

Although the “Mexican Monster” has hinted at a possible move to heavyweight, it is more likely that he will stay at 200 pounds or drop back to 175 pounds for his next fight.

His last meeting with Gilberto Ramirez ended in a sixth-round stoppage, which made him a three-division world champion last month, winning the WBO and WBA titles.

Benavidez has since been named the mandatory challenger for the WBC title, putting him in line for a potential unification fight with cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian.

At the same time, the 29-year-old expressed interest in fighting Jai Opetaia, considered the No. 1 fighter in the cruiserweight division, while considering a return to lithe heavyweight, where he still holds the WBC title.

It would only be a desire to fight Dmitry Bivol or Artur Beterbiev, who could alternatively join the rubber match for Bivol’s IBF, WBO and WBA titles.

Beterbiev hasn’t fought since their rematch, that is Bivol won by majority decision in February 2025 and is certainly nearing the end of his career.

Former world champion Porter, however, went on to say his YouTube channel that he thinks the 41-year-old knockout could still cause problems for Benavidez.

“In the case of Beterbiev, there is this power. [Even now]it’s still a machine. Of all these players, I trust Beterbiev’s power to test Benavidez more than anything else.

“Bivol has amazing skills. For me, Opetaia [is] he is not experienced enough.”

Most believe that Bivol and Opetaia pose a greater threat to Benavidez’s unbeaten record, given that Beterbiev has a history of injuries and is perhaps even more out of shape.

Oleksandr Usyk’s performance against Rico Verhoeven continues to divide opinion, but John Fury believes the Ukrainian deserves much more recognition than he received after their heavyweight clash.

Usyk defended his WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles following an 11th-round victory over Verhoeven last month, although the result sparked debate after the Dutchman enjoyed considerable success throughout the competition.

Verhoeven had a slight advantage on one judge’s scorecard after 10 rounds, while the other two judges fought even at 95-95. Usyk eventually turned the tide with a right uppercut that knocked down the former kickboxing champion before referee Mark Lyson waved off the fight once the round had already ended.

Despite the criticism directed at Usyk’s performance, John Fury emphasized that the three-time undisputed champion should not be judged too harshly.

“No, you know, because ultimately he created problems. He’s a 6-foot-6 athlete, he trains like a demon, he’s as robust as a bull, and he plays like a badger. He’s going to cause problems. World kickboxing champion. I don’t know who said he doesn’t have a chance,” John told Secondsout about Usyk’s fight with the much larger Verhoeven.

Fury also pointed to a size disadvantage that Usyk has consistently overcome since moving up from cruiserweight.

“You have to give Usyk credit because he’s just a cruiserweight that’s blowing up, you know, and he’s won heavyweight titles, right? But you know what? He just seems to have done his job, right? And he’s done his job. So fair game to Usyk.”

However, Fury remained critical of the controversial ending, arguing that Verhoeven’s corner should have been used to determine whether their fighter was able to continue in the final round.

Verhoeven has since called for a rematch, although Usyk’s immediate future remains uncertain. The undefeated champion has been ordered by the WBC to make a mandatory defense against Agit Kabayel, and failure to do so could jeopardize his title reign.

Olly Campbell is a boxing journalist covering this sport since 2014, providing reports from the ring and technical analyzes of the most critical fights. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, tactical adjustments and the details that shape high-level competition.

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Last update: 2026/06/12 at 13:57