Next weekend, Australia is set to stage its biggest boxing event of the year as Tim Tszyu collides with the returning Errol Spence Jr on home turf, but 11 days out from the fight there has been a request to change the weight.

Tszyu has found it difficult stateside despite prior expectation that he could take over the division, holding a 1-3 record when fighting in the U.S. compared to his 26-fight unbeaten streak Down Under.

Now, against the biggest named opponent of his career, it is he who will have the home backing, as Spence enters the lion’s den after a three-year stretch of inactivity, which has followed his unsuccessful bid for the undisputed welterweight title in 2023.

Ahead of his return, Spence had hoped to take on Tszyu in the middleweight division, whilst the Aussie planned for a super-welterweight affair – a disagreement which resulted in a three-hour meeting that culminated with a 158lb catchweight compromise.

Yet, with the fight around the corner, Tszyu’s newly-appointed trainer Jeff Fenech has told FOX Australia that Spence is now requesting that the weight be changed for a 160lb bout instead.

“They’re wanting to go up two pounds, [they] want the fight at 160.

“But OK, Tim Tszyu is a big kid. I remember his father Kostya used to put up to 20 pounds back on after weighing in. And his son is the same.”

It is understood that Tszyu has agreed to the demandwhilst it is also being reported that both Spence and Jermall Charlo, who fights on the undercardare having administrative issues that could delay their arrival into Australia – a possible excuse behind Spence’s late request to alter the weight.

“If Teo can’t make the adjustments to the mistakes that he made in the Shakur fight, because Teo was lunging in. He was relying too much on his athleticism, and he forgot the fundamentals. He forgot the jab. He forgot the check. He forgot the simple things that got him there,” said Rosado to Ring Magazine.

“Now, if he does that against Rolly, Rolly will make him pay because Rolly is fundamental. He’s a disciplined fighter. Rolly, he’ll just do the same thing over and over that’s working.

“It’s just mentally I want to see where Tio’s at. Athletic-wise, skill-wise, Tio’s the guy. He’s really that guy. But mentally, is he going to make those adjustments? Especially coming off a tough loss.

“The pressure is really on Teo. He has to come back, and he has to look like his old self, especially seeing where the chemistry is with him and his father in that corner. That’s going to play a big factor too.

“You can tell they were off in that Shakur fight. He’s getting yelled at. He’s not even getting yelled at instructions. He’s saying, ‘Where’s your power? Where’s the banana?’ That’s not a game plan. That’s not a strategy. But obviously they had a conversation, and hopefully they’re able to make the adjustment because I think if they’re in sync, it’s a problem.”

Rosado wasn’t alone in questioning Teofimo’s position. The panel noted that Romero enters the fight full of confidence after his victory over Ryan Garcia, while Teofimo is returning from the most one-sided defeat of his career. They also pointed to Romero’s move to welterweight as a possible turning point, arguing he looked stronger and more comfortable at 147 pounds than he ever did campaigning at junior welterweight.

The matchup pits two close friends against each other, but the Ring panel agreed the burden rests on Teofimo. A victory would reestablish him as a major force in a new division, while another loss would leave even more questions about whether he can regain the form that once made him one of boxing’s biggest stars.

Zab Judah believes Gervonta “Tank” Davis uses his burner account as part of a calculated strategy rather than reckless social media behavior.

Discussing Davis’ “G Money” account, Judah said the unbeaten star separates his business image from the account he uses to express himself more freely, calling it a smart move.

“That’s a business account. His G Money account, he can say what he want to say. He can pop it off because you notice he don’t talk like that from his Gervonta Davis account,” said Judah to MillCity Boxing.

“That’s a business account. That’s his politics. That’s his bread and butter. So you never mess up where the bread come from. Very smart on Gervonta. He’s a strategic, smart individual. You guys got to know this. There’s always a method to his madness. He’s very intelligent. People say he don’t know what he doing. He’s a very intelligent guy. That’s why he’s my guy.”

Judah also believes Gervonta is using his time away from the ring to build anticipation for his eventual return, saying the strategy could leave opponents scrambling once he decides to fight again.

“If I was him, I’ll do the same. I’ll say come back to him in 2028. Put everybody back on the couch and then out of nowhere pop up ready to go,” said Judah.

“You think he’s over there with the Benavidez camp just to come? They don’t do nothing over there. When they train, they train for something. Everybody relax, then check the mail. ‘Oh, it’s a contract from Gervonta Davis.’ You got 30 days or 60 days to go. It’s too late. Gervonta is very smart. He has a lot of strategy, and it’s part of the game.”

Judah said Davis’ approach is no different from the psychological tactics fighters have used for generations, recalling Muhammad Ali’s famous mind games before bouts and admitting he employed similar tricks before facing Danny Garcia.

“The night before I fought Danny Garcia, I was at his hotel. We was in the lobby calling his phone, messing with his phone because I knew the room he was in. We was doing prank calls,” said Zab.

“I wanted to be the last thing on your mind. Think about me all night, and you got to fight me tomorrow. You’re not going to have a good night’s sleep. Strategy-wise, it’s great. Gervonta is at a high level of the game. He’s going to play the highest-level games that you can play.”

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Last Updated on 2026/07/15 at 1:33 AM