Australian boxing sensation Tim Tszyu faced an unexpected setback in his highly anticipated IBF super welterweight title bout in Florida, being decisively defeated within three rounds by the undefeated Russian, Bakhram Murtazaliev. Tszyu seemed to sustain a cut midway through the first round, a result of Murtazaliev’s effective jab causing early damage. The situation worsened for the Australian in the second round as the taller Russian capitalized on his height advantage, delivering powerful combinations to Tszyu’s body.

When Murtazaliev knocked Tszyu down three times within the second round alone, the fight’s outcome was practically sealed. Despite emerging for the third round, Tszyu appeared disoriented and unsteady, with his defense nearly nonexistent. Although the referee did not halt the fight, the official doctor intervened. The ring medic permitted Tszyu to continue, but when he was sent to the canvas for a fourth time, his corner ultimately threw in the towel.

“Every time I step into the ring, I’m willing to die in here,” a disheartened Tszyu remarked after the defeat. “No excuses. Boxing is not meant to be perfect, but you live and you learn. After the first shot, things didn’t go according to plan.” Tszyu had aimed to follow in the footsteps of his father, Kostya, a Hall of Famer, by becoming only the second father-son duo to win two world titles. Kostya, a multiple world title winner, was present ringside in Florida for the first time in a decade, having reconciled with his sons earlier this year in Thailand.

However, this reunion took an unexpected and bitter turn when the 29-year-old Australian was swiftly defeated within three rounds, marking his second consecutive loss after an impressive start to his career with 23 wins. Following his victory, Murtazaliev added salt to the Tszyu family’s wounds, being hoisted onto his team’s shoulders and heard taunting: “Who’s your Daddy now?”

Tszyu, who was raised in Sydney, had been seeking to recover from a grueling loss to Sebastian Fundora in March, where a severe gash to his forehead impaired his vision. Despite valiantly completing the bout, he suffered his first career defeat. Originally scheduled to fight Vergil Ortiz Jr in August, the match was canceled on medical grounds, giving Tszyu more time to heal the cut on his head. Now, his reputation and future as a global drawcard have taken a significant blow.

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