Tim Tszyu Explains Why Errol Spence Jr. is Making a Mistake

Tim Tszyu believes Errol Spence Jr. may have made a costly decision by returning directly to a high-risk fight instead of taking a tune-up bout first.

The Australian star will face the former unified welterweight champion on July 25 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney Olympic Park in a 158-pound catchweight main event promoted by No Limit Boxing in association with The Rose Brothers, Man Down Promotions and TGB Promotions.

For both fighters, the matchup represents a pivotal moment in their careers. A victory would put the winner back in the conversation for major championship opportunities, while a defeat could raise serious questions about what lies ahead.

Spence enters the contest with a 28-1 record and was once widely regarded as one of boxing's pound-for-pound elite. The Texas southpaw built his reputation with impressive victories over Kell Brook, Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia and Yordenis Ugas before suffering the lone loss of his career to Terence Crawford in their 2023 undisputed welterweight championship bout.

Since then, Spence has not fought, with injuries and lengthy inactivity adding to concerns following two serious car accidents earlier in his career.

Tszyu, meanwhile, has experienced his own rollercoaster journey. The former world champion owns notable wins over Terrell Gausha and Tony Harrison, but back-to-back defeats to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev led many to question whether he could return to the elite level.

Determined to revive his career, Tszyu has overhauled his training team, bringing Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech aboard as his lead trainer ahead of the biggest fight of 2026.

Speaking with The Ring, Tszyu admitted he was somewhat surprised that Spence chose to return against a dangerous opponent rather than ease his way back into competition.

"To a certain extent," Tszyu said when asked if he expected Spence to take a warm-up fight first.

"But I know the type of fighter he is. He likes to take on hard challenges, but I'm gonna give him that regret feeling. You should've taken a warmup fight," he added.

While many have focused on whether Spence can regain his previous form after nearly three years away from the ring, Tszyu believes the real battle will be psychological once the fight begins.

"The biggest thing for me is to test his heart," Tszyu said.

"How bad does he want it? When you've been there, done that in the sport, you're sort of like, 'Do I need to do this? Do I need to keep on going?' I want to test when he starts talking to himself."

The July 25 event features one of the strongest fight cards staged in Australia this year.

In the co-main event, former two-division world champion Jermall Charlo returns against Australia's Koen Mazoudier in a 10-round super middleweight contest. Former featherweight champion Stephen Fulton also appears on the card when he faces Liam Wilson in a 12-round super featherweight bout.

The undercard also includes Callum Peters taking on Ivan Actis in a 10-round middleweight clash, veteran Paul Fleming meeting Ahmad Reda over 10 rounds at lightweight, and light heavyweight contender Paulo Aokuso squaring off against Luis Tejeda.

With both Tszyu and Spence looking to reignite championship ambitions, the Sydney main event could determine whether either former world champion still has what it takes to compete among boxing's elite.