Former super welterweight world champion Tim Tszyu will return to the ring on September 22 in Australia.
The 29-year-old has not fought since losing to Sebastian Fundora on March 30 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Fundora, who was set to face Serhii Bohachuk in a co-main event for the WBC 154lb title, replaced Tszyu’s original opponent Keith Thurman, who withdrew due to injury.
With less than two weeks’ notice, Fundora still managed to pull off a surprise victory, capturing the WBC and WBO world titles by split decision. Tszyu’s defeat was made worse when he suffered a bad cut in the second round after colliding with Fundora’s elbow. Tszyu’s crimson mask hampered him throughout the fight, and the injury has kept him out of his highly anticipated August 3 showdown with Vergil Ortiz Jr. in Los Angeles.
Tszyu can now look to return to world title contention with his September 22 return as an IBF knockout. Current IBF super welterweight world champion Bakhram Murtazaliev of Russia won the vacant title by 11 points.th playoffs in April with Jack Culcay.
One thing missing from Tszyu’s September fight date is an opponent. However, FOX Sports Australia boxing commentator Ben Damon has posted on X that discussions are underway for Tszyu to face American Erickson Lubin. In the current IBF world rankings, Lubin and Tszyu are the top two ranked contenders at third and fourth, with the top two spots vacant.
Lubin, 28, bounced back from his loss to Fundora in 2022 by picking up two wins in 2023 against Luis Arias and most recently against Jesus Alejandro Ramos Jr.
