Tim Tszyu has reignited his international career with a brutal fourth-round TKO of American Joey Spencer in Newcastle. The referee stopped the fight at 2:18 of the round after the Australian landed a devastating combination to the head and body.
Spencer, who had lost only once in 19 professional fights, was seen as a major threat to Tszyu's comeback hopes. However, Tszyu delivered a dominant performance, his first win in 18 months following back-to-back world title defeats in the US last year.
“I’m back, baby,” Tszyu told the sellout crowd at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre. The victory sets up a likely blockbuster with Keith Thurman, who earlier in the night defeated Brock Jarvis in Sydney and called out Tszyu.
Tszyu improved his record to 25 wins and two defeats, extending his family's remarkable unbeaten streak in Australia to 51-0. His Hall-of-Fame father Kostya (18-0) and younger brother Nikita (10-0) are also undefeated on home soil.
The 30-year-old Tszyu said: “I couldn’t do a third consecutive loss. But I hope I teach people if they drop and they go on the floor and when s*** hits the fan, you can always get back up.”
