Errol Spence Jr moves Tim Tszyu fight to 160lb limit

Errol Spence Jr’s fight with Tim Tszyu has been shifted to the middleweight limit after a late demand from the American, according to Fox Sports Australia’s Nick Walshaw. The July 26 bout at Afterpay Arena in Sydney will now take place at 160lbs, with No Limit confirming the change after Tszyu’s coach Jeff Fenech revealed it on Wednesday.

The move is a significant late twist for an event already billed as one of the biggest fight cards staged in Australia. Tszyu and his team had initially wanted and expected the contest to be made at the super-welterweight limit of 154lbs, before negotiations with Spence’s side moved the fight to a 158lb catchweight. It has now been pushed up another two pounds, leaving Tszyu to fight at his heaviest in nine years.

Weight dispute shifts again

Fenech told Fox Sports Australia that Spence’s camp had sought the latest change during discussions over the agreed catchweight. “They’re wanting to go up two pounds, want the fight at 160,” Fenech said. “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.”

Asked whether Spence was struggling to make weight after three years out of the ring, Fenech replied: “Who knows?” He added: “But by July 26 we’re hoping Spence will be battling to get up.”

The 160lb limit is four pounds heavier than the weight discussed in preliminary talks late last year and two pounds above the catchweight that was eventually agreed after a difficult round of talks. Fox Sports Australia previously reported that Tszyu and promoter Matt Rose had travelled to Las Vegas in May to finalise the bout, which was later announced at an MGM Grand press conference, only for the weight issue to become a late complication. Rose then held an emergency meeting with executives from Spence’s promotional team, PBC, with the parties spending more than three hours on the issue before further talks by phone produced the 158lb agreement.

That agreement has now been overtaken by Spence’s push to fight at middleweight. The change will put renewed focus on how Tszyu carries himself above super-welterweight, particularly after his recent catchweight wins over Anthony Velazquez and Denis Nurja, when he weighed 156¼ and 157¼ respectively. He won both fights comfortably, though questions were raised over his inability to stop either opponent.

Tszyu’s size under scrutiny

Tszyu has continued to insist he can operate around the super-welterweight limit if required, including for the right world-title opportunity, but this fight now takes him into different physical territory. Since winning the WBO title in 2023, he has also suffered stoppage defeats at super-welterweight to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev, results which add to the debate over how he will handle Spence’s power at 160lbs.

For Spence, the move away from welterweight follows the most damaging night of his career. His only defeat came in 2023 against Terence Crawford, and there have long been suggestions since that loss that he had been badly drained making welterweight one more time.

Spence has not fought since the Crawford defeat and has yet to arrive in Australia, adding to speculation that the 158lb limit had become a concern. He has said he chose Tszyu because he views him as a tough, forward-coming opponent who will test where he is after the layoff, while also suggesting Fenech may try to alter Tszyu’s style. If Tszyu remains aggressive without adjustment, Spence has predicted he will win.

Promotional tensions continue

The weight change follows an earlier promotional issue around the event. On Thursday, Spence did not appear for a scheduled satellite television interview with Fox Sports, leaving Tszyu, his team and Main Event host Ben Damon waiting for more than an hour at Fox Sports studios. Tszyu later branded Spence a “diva” and vowed to target the American’s damaged left eye.

There has also been movement around what could follow the July 26 bout. Boxing insider Mike Coppinger has reported that discussions are under way to line up Jermell Charlo to face the winner of Tszyu-Spence, although that report came before the latest shift to the middleweight limit.

The immediate focus now turns to Spence’s arrival in Australia, fight-week obligations and the official weigh-in. With the contracted limit changed again, Tszyu’s camp has accepted the new terms, but the final days before July 26 are likely to centre heavily on how both men look at 160lbs and what that means for the winner’s next move.