Can Tim Tszyu come back from devastating loss?

Bakhram Murtazaliev Obliterates Tim Tszyu

I will admit – the headline above surprised me.

Tszyu wasn’t supposed to lose to Bakhram Murtazaliev. He entered the ring, a 7-1 favorite.

But supposed to, like when someone says he (a fighter) did what he was supposed to do (I wouldn’t say I like that) is not always reality.

Tszyu exited a loser for the second time in his career. And boy, the loss was brutal. He was knocked off his feet four times during the three-round demolition.

Murtazaliev’s left hook, his Sunday punch, zeroed in on Tszyu’s chin early in the contest. But in the opening stanza, Tszyu who got off first, nailing the much bigger Russian with straight right hands. Murtazaliev returned fire – going to the head and body but ate another counter right.

So far, so go for Tszyu.

Tszyu landed two more rights in round two, but it would soon be all for naught. Murtazaliev was lining up his left hook – and when he let it go, it crashed off Tszyu’s chin, dropping the Australian native for the third time in his career.

This was no flash knockdown. Tszyu beat the count but was dazed and confused.

Some fighters hold on when they’re hurt. Let your brain clear.

Not Tszyu. He went back to war – and paid for it. He landed several hard shots, but his punches weren’t hurting Murtazaliev. Another loaded left hook knocked him down. He got up and again went toe-to-toe. The crowd was loving it, but Tszyu’s face told another story.

He was trying to survive and waging war at the same time. A sharp right sent him to his knees near the end of the round. Of course, he got up but the fight was basically over.

It officially ended a few minutes later in round three.

In his dressing room after the fight, Tszyu tried to explain what had happened – the problem was he couldn’t remember much.

“I can’t recall,” said a downcast Tszyu after the fight. “What did I get hit with.? Shit doesn’t go your way, and you just have to bounce back.”

Tszyu had hoped to bounce back from his first loss last year to Sebastian Fundora. Tszyu was pounding on Fundora until an accidental headbutt caused a terrible cut on his forehead. Fundora won the bloody fight by a split decision.

“Every time I step into the ring – I leave it all in there,” Tszyu said.

“After the first shot, things started not going according to plan. That’s part of boxing. You get hit, and reactions get slower. Bakhram is the man at 154.”

Murtazaliev was respectful of Tszyu’s warrior spirit.

“When I landed that first shot, I felt how hard it was, and everybody can be jealous of his will and what kind of warrior he is,” Murtazaliev said.

Tszyu suffered a concussion and stayed in the Florida area an extra day before returning home. Tszyu showed loads of courage. The guy is a fighter.

Can he rebound from his second consecutive loss?

“I will be back and still be in big fights soon,” said Tszyu. “But now I’ve got to find plenty of answers from myself, of course.”