Tim Tszyu and Joey Spencer will fight each other this weekend at Newcastle’s Entertainment Center in New South Wales, Australia, after the row about judging was cleared up.
American Spencer, who resides in Fenton, Michigan, was unhappy with the appointment of Australian judges after claiming an agreement had previously been made that neutral officials would oversee their junior middleweight 10-rounder.
Promoters No Limit Boxing stated in a release that the governing body, Combat Sports NSW Authority, has deemed the contest “significant” and have thus appointed international judges.
“I don’t know what he’s [Spencer] thinking but when I went to America I wasn’t saying we’ve got to get Australian judges or that,” Tszyu said at the open workouts. “Whatever happens, happens. You deal with what is put in front of you. We come from different generations and different mindsets, whatever. Let him winge.”
Spencer, 19-1 (11 KOs), explained his point of view.
“I don’t think anyone is trying to cheat me or anything,” he said. “It’s just more about when I get in there, I don’t want somebody who could potentially be rooting for Tim judging the fight. Judging a fight is really subjective, so if there are rounds that are close I want a fair set of eyes that aren’t necessarily rooting for one or the other.
“It was something we agreed on before we ever made the deal so, that was two months ago when we made that deal we were making sure we got what we agreed too.”
Despite the row, and the run of consecutive defeats he’s enduring, the former WBO junior middleweight champion, 24-2 (17 KOs), seemed typically unruffled.
“There’s no different approach, I’ve got a opponent in front of me,” Tszyu said in response to coming back after back-to-back losses to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev last year. “I’m 100 per cent ready and focused on what to do. Sometimes these things happen in boxing but we’ve got to learn from the mistakes and come back stronger.
“You want to go back for the belts, you want to go on the biggest stages of them all. This is what it means, I want to do it for Australia. I’ve got a lot of people behind me and it’s a big responsibility.”
Spencer isn’t anticipating an easy night but he is envisioning an upset victory.
“I think Tim is going to come out hard,” he said. “This is an important fight for both of us, this is everything for both of us. You only get so many opportunities in boxing, so I have to get this win. But, when you’re in a position that Tim is in you’ve got to make sure you get back in that winners track.
“For me, I want to go to the next level. So I have to come in there and win that fight for that reason. It’s important for both of us and It’s going to bring the best out of both of us.”
