BoxRec

Errol Spence vs Tim Tszyu will now take place at 160lbs as Spence has made a request for the 158lbs catchweight to be increased, Tszyu's coach Jeff Fenech has revealed

Revealed: US star misses flight as Tszyu fires ‘motherf***er’ warning over rival’s shock weight move


American superstar Jermall Charlo has missed a flight to Australia with Errol Spence Jnr and trainer Ronnie Shields as part of a dramatic 24 hours that has also seen Tim Tszyu deliver a strong warning on a crazily late weight change.

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia on Wednesday evening, Tszyu suggested Spence’s “arrogance” was behind a demand to have their impending July 26 headliner switched up to a middleweight bout.

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As part of a whirlwind day for both Team Tszyu and promoters No Limit, it was revealed Spence’s crew have requested – and been granted – an increase of two pounds on the initially agreed catchweight, 158 pounds.

Asked why Spence would make such a late request, Tszyu said the former welterweight king was now trying to “convince himself he has a competitive edge” after leaving his trip Down Under later than initially planned.

“But I can tell you now,” Tszyu fired, “Errol Spence shouldn’t be underestimating me.

“Because if he does, that first time Errol gets hit he’ll was be saying ‘f***, I’m in a fight’.

“I’m not a 140 pound Danny Garcia. No, no, no.

“This is now a 160 pound Tim Tszyu, mother***er …”

While initially expected to arrive in Australia as early as Monday, Team Spence will now touch down in Sydney at 6.30am Thursday morning – albeit without the stablemate who is slated to fight Koen Mazoudier in the co-main.

In fact, and less than a fortnight out from a card being billed as Australia’s biggest ever, Charlo is yet to receive his visa to travel and take part in the July 26 Sydney extravaganza.

It comes as Spence was also initially denied entry onto a flight out of Los Angeles due to a clerical error, with the former welterweight king understood to have inadvertently used a number from his old passport.

However, promoters No Limit confirmed on Wednesday evening that both Spence and his new trainer Ronnie Shields had taken flight, however Charlo had not yet been granted permission to fly.

Over the past five years, the famed boxing twin of Jermell Charlo has been involved in a series of negative headlines which, in 2024, included being arrested at gunpoint in Texas after crashing his Lamborghini into another car and then fleeing the scene.

His placement on the card remains unknown.

Elsewhere, Tszyu has also explained his decision to sign off on a late request to have the main event increased to 160 pounds (72.6kg).

“Well, I took Sebastian Fundora on roughly a week’s notice,” the former world champion laughed, referencing the 2024 bloodbath loss that still saw his profile grow massively Stateside.

“So you think I’m worried about a couple of pounds? No, I go for it

“It doesn’t worry me, man.”

And as for why he thinks Spence made the request?

“I think he’s starting to realise the disadvantage that is travelling all the way down here for a fight,” he continued. “And so as a result, he’s now trying to convince himself he has a competitive edge.

“He’s trying to make himself feel better.”

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia on Wednesday morning, Tszyu’s coach Jeff Fenech revealed the hyped July 26 showdown will now take place at the middleweight limit of 160 pounds.

Given Spence has not fought in three years, there are suggestions the former welterweight king has grown increasingly concerned about getting down to the initially agreed catchweight limit of 158 pounds – especially given he hasn’t yet arrived in Australia.

The new weight will also be four pounds, or almost two kilos, heavier than what was initially discussed between the camps during preliminary talks late last year.

Asked if he was surprised Team Spence had left it until Thursday to arrive into Sydney for such a big fight, Tszyu continued: “Absolutely I’m surprised.

“But this really is all about the arrogance of the guy. He thinks this fight is going to be a walk in the park.

“That’s why he also didn’t attend a recent [Main Event] press conference, the guy is in cruise control thinking this is going to be an easy fight.

“But whatever he does, I don’t care. If he disadvantages himself, I don’t care. As long as he turns up on the night.”

While Spence has previously travelled successfully to fight, and famously beat Kell Brook in the UK, Tszyu stressed this was going to be a far different challenge, especially given the former champ has also had three years out of the sport.

Tszyu also revealed how he once underestimated a fighter, just like Spence was doing to him now.

“Yeah, Wade Ryan,” he revealed.

“That’s the last time I ever went into a fight thinking it was going to be a walk in the park. Thinking that I was unstoppable, unbeatable, that I was going in there for a f***ing demolition …”

Of course, it what was only Tszyu’s seventh fight way back in 2017, the then rising star had to recover after being dropped to eventually win the type of war that saw him take one card only 95-94.

“Wade gave me one of the hardest fights of my life,” Tszyu recounted. “I underestimated him and dropped me. Took me into a fight that was life and death.

“And that’s why for Spence, I know this fight is going to be a real big challenge for him.”

Errol Spence granted last-minute rule change request just days before Tim Tszyu comeback fight

Errol Spence Jr has managed to add 2lbs to the catchweight for his fight with Tim Tszyu at just one weeks notice.

Spence will return for the first time in three years against Aussie home favourite Tszyu down under in Sydney on July 26.

The American has now finally left to make the long journey to foreign soil, where he is hoping to make a big statement in his long-awaited latest bow.

However, there has already been some late drama surrounding the clash, with tensions rising between the two fighters and their camps.

And now things have become even more tense, with Spence making a request just 11 days out to change the catchweight from 158lbs to 160lbs.

It is clear the American is heavier than expected and is hoping to still make weight and ensure the fight will take place.

Surprisingly, the request has been approved at short notice and the former welterweight champion will have a bigger buffer to tip the scales.

A spokesperson from No Limit Boxing confirmed to FOX that the change has been made official, after a last-minute emergency meeting was called.

Tszyu had originally wanted the bout at the super-welterweight limit of 154lbs when negotiating the event.

But now it is unclear if the change could benefit Spence, with both set to weigh in at a career heaviest on the night.

Tszyu responds to late weight change

It was last minute drama for Tszyu, who has been criticial of Spence's approach to the fight build-up.

And he believes that his rival is trying to gain back other advantages, with the partisan crowd likely to roar the local native on.

He told Fox Sports Australia: "Well, I took Sebastian Fundora on roughly a week’s notice.

“So you think I’m worried about a couple of pounds? No, I go for it

“It doesn’t worry me, man. I think he’s starting to realise the disadvantage that is travelling all the way down here for a fight.

"And so as a result, he’s now trying to convince himself he has a competitive edge.

“He’s trying to make himself feel better.”

Spence will be hoping it will fall in his favour, and he can secure victory in his first appearance since a brutal defeat to Terence Crawford in 2023.

But he will face a resurgent Tszyu who has had two fights back in the winning column after losing in his bloody affair with Sebastian Fundora last year.

Errol Spence demands new weight limit for Tim Tszyu showdown

With July 26 drawing ever closer, the date on which Tim Tszyu and Errol Spence Jnr are due to fight in Australia, there is a sense of last-minute chaos in the air.

According to Jeff Fenech, Tszyu’s trainer, the come backing Spence – out of the ring since a brutal welterweight loss to Terence Crawford three years ago – requested the weight limit for their bout to be 160lbs. A catchweight of 158lbs had previously been agreed after 156 was initially on the table at the start of negotiations.

Before that, the 27-3 (18 KOs) Tszyu is understood to have wanted the bout to be set at 154lbs, the limit of the junior middleweight class in which the Australian has spent much of his career.

In the end, however, both parties agreed to 158 in the interest of getting the Afterplay Arena fight over the line.

“They’re wanting to go up two pounds, want the fight at 160,” Fenech told Fox Sports Australia on Wednesday.

“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.”

Tszyu, who was left waiting when Spence failed to show up for a digital face-off last month, is for now taking it all in his stride.

"Well, I took Sebastian Fundora on roughly a week’s notice,” he said, referencing his split-decision loss to Fundora in 2024. “So, you think I’m worried about a couple of pounds? No, I go for it.

“It doesn’t worry me, man. I think he’s starting to realise the disadvantage that is travelling all the way down here for a fight.

"And so, as a result, he’s now trying to convince himself he has a competitive edge.

“He’s trying to make himself feel better."

Spence and his team are expected to arrive in Australia Thursday.

I'm starting to lean towards Tsyzu in this one.

Jermall Charlo has revealed he is out of his return against Koen Mazoudier next week due to visa issues entering Australia.

He was scheduled for the undercard of Errol Spence vs Tim Tszyu.