Tim Tszyu Challenges Erislandy Lara for WBA Middleweight Title in Australia
Tszyu aims to become the first in his famous boxing family to win world titles in two weight classes.
Tim Tszyu will challenge Erislandy Lara for the WBA middleweight title in Australia, the fighters' teams announced Monday. A date, venue, and broadcaster have not yet been confirmed, but promoters said details are expected in the coming weeks.
Tszyu, 28-3 with 18 knockouts, is riding a three-fight winning streak capped by an impressive points victory over Errol Spence Jr. in Sydney this past July. He previously held the WBO super welterweight title and has committed to staying at 160 pounds. A win over Lara would make him the first Tszyu family member to hold world titles in two weight classes. His father, Kostya Tszyu, unified the junior welterweight division but never campaigned above 140.
"At 160 I feel strong, I feel sharp and I feel dangerous," Tszyu said, per Boxing News 24. "Middleweight is my division now. Spence was just the appetiser."
Lara, 32-3-3 with 19 knockouts, is a 43-year-old Cuban southpaw who has held the WBA middleweight belt since 2021. He was elevated to full champion in 2023 and has made four successful defenses. Lara previously held WBA titles at super welterweight and has never been stopped as a professional.
Tszyu will be trained by Jeff Fenech, the former three-division champion who joined his corner in April and guided the Spence victory. The camp will lean on Tszyu's pressure fighting and body work, with a raucous Australian crowd expected to play a factor.
The matchup pits Lara's slick southpaw movement and veteran ring IQ against Tszyu's volume and aggression. At 43, Lara's durability will be tested against a younger fighter looking to make a major statement in a new division.
This is a smart fight for Tszyu and a dangerous one for Lara. Tszyu looked like a legitimate middleweight against Spence, and at 160 he carries real thump to the body. Lara is crafty as they come, but he's 43 and the legs aren't what they used to be.
If Tszyu can cut the ring off and make Lara work in the trenches, this ends somewhere in the middle rounds. Lara has never been stopped, so that would be a statement. But I've learned not to count Lara out. The man has frustrated better fighters than Tszyu with that jab and lateral movement.
The home crowd will be a factor. Tszyu has become one of Australia's biggest sporting draws, and if this lands in Sydney or Brisbane, the atmosphere will be electric. I lean Tszyu by late stoppage, but I wouldn't be shocked if Lara makes it ugly and steals rounds on the cards.
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