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Errol Spence Jr (28-1, 22 KO) will return to fight Tim Tszyu (24-1, 17 KO) at 158-pound catchweight on July 25 after both camps reached an agreement following tardy negotiations in Las Vegas. The trade moves Spence up and takes Tszyu above the 154-pound limit, putting both fighters in fresh physical territory.

Tszyu and his team expected the fight to be held at 154 pounds junior middleweight, but Spence’s team pushed for a move up to 160 pounds. Talks between No Limit Boxing and Premier Boxing Champions representatives in Las Vegas lasted for hours before both sides agreed to meet in the middle of the 158-pound fight.

“Is he gigantic enough to be a middleweight? Looking at him, I’m not sure. It’s arduous,” Paulie Malignaggi told FoxSports.com Au, speaking about Spence.

Discussions, which continued by telephone after the initial meeting at Wynn, were described as tense at times but respectful, with both camps determined to keep the fight on track.

The final number puts Tszyu at his highest fighting weight in years, which raises questions about how he will handle the jump against a naturally larger opponent. Former world champion Paulie Malignaggi has already questioned whether Tszyu has the size to compete effectively in the middleweight division.

Tszyu has been fighting above 154 in recent fights, but this is a more significant move, especially against an opponent returning after a long absence.

For Spence, the higher weight reflects a turnaround from his defeat to Terence Crawford in 2023, which was followed by growing concerns about the impact of moving up to welterweight. Since then, his team has leaned towards operating in the higher leagues to avoid further burdens.

Jumping up two weight classes after a three-year break is a huge physical challenge for 36-year-old Spence.

A trade-off between health and performance appears to be at the heart of this decision. The prevailing theory is that the 147-pound limit was killing Spence.

After the loss to Crawford, the word from his camp was that he was “exhausted” and was basically a shell of himself when he hit the ring. As he moves up to middleweight, he is prioritizing his health and his chin.

The fight is expected to be announced soon in the United States.

Terence Crawford has commented on the current heavyweight scene ahead of major changes over the next twelve months.

Oleksandr Usyk is the current unified champion, holding the WBC, IBF and WBA belts. The vacant WBO title went to Fabio Wardley, who at the age of 31 still has years of intriguing fights ahead of him in this division

This may not be true for Usyk, who has outlined a three-fight plan that could see him retire next year. It’s a similar story for former champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. The Brits have been beaten twice by Usyk and have now signed a contract to fight each other later this year, with retirement not far away.

With three players retiring, the top league will have gaps to fill. British such as Moses Itauma, Wardley and Daniel Dubois – who is fighting for the WBO belt this month – they want to climb to the very top. There is also undefeated Agit Kabayel, who is a leading contender for Usyk’s WBC world title, either through a mandatory challenge or promotion if he resigns.

Crawford still considers Usyk – the man he was competing against for the top pound-for-pound spot – as the best heavyweight in the world, and he likely won’t change that view until the Ukrainian midfielder retires.

When asked to name his number two, the American omitted the likes of Wardley, Itauma and Kabayel, instead stating that he believed Fury was still just behind the Ukrainian.

Tyson

— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) March 30, 2026

Fury returned to action last month after more than a year off since his second defeat to Usyk. The “Gypsy King” contributed to his comprehensive points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov in the following rounds, but many expected a break.

Although he insisted he wanted to fight “AJ” next, the latter’s decision to fight little-known Kristian Prenga in June prompted the Morecambe fighter to consider an interim fight of his own.

Meanwhile, other heavyweights will continue to fight for a place in the top five, with 21-year-old Itauma widely predicted to replace Usyk.

Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani meet today in a fight rarely seen in boxing: two undefeated Japanese stars, both with pound-for-pound names, fighting for the undisputed super bantamweight championship at the Tokyo Dome, live on DAZN

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Last update: 2026/05/02 at 2:47