Tim Tszyu has dismissed Sebastian Fundora’s suggestions he is suffering with PTSD as a consequence of their fight in March 2024.
The Australian was an undefeated fighter when, as the WBO junior-middleweight champion, he walked to the ring to fight Fundora for the first time.
An unintentional elbow from Fundora then inflicted a significant cut in Tszyu’s scalp in the second round, inhibiting his ability to fight despite his lasting the full 12 rounds and contributing to him losing for the first time, via split decision.
The suggestion that the 30-year-old ought to instead have been withdrawn contributed until he challenged the IBF champion Bakhram Murtazaliev seven months later, and on that night in the ring in Orlando, Florida, it appeared that at one stage he checked his scalp to see if he had again been cut.
On Saturday, on the undercard of Mario Barrios-Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand he will again confront Fundora in Las Vegas. They will instead contest the WBC title, and Tszyu may no longer be undefeated, but after two damaging defeats, the bravest of fighters insists that he is not on course to be held back by post-traumatic stress.
“I think his dad’s [Freddy] been telling him a lot of things and he listens to his dad a lot,” Tszyu told BoxingScene. “Whatever his dad tells him, he sort of says it back. I think it’s whatever they need for a little edge, but there’s no PTSD – I can tell from my last fight [the victory in April over Joseph Spencer].
“[When I was preparing for Spencer] I thought that I was still one fight away from getting back to the very top, and this is the very top now.
“When I win, I’m back with the mantle. It creates the story that I can tell my kids, and kids of kids.
“What could have, should have, happened, is all in the past. Now I’m focused on what’s ahead of me.”
Fundora, 27, agreed to fight Tszyu at late notice in 2024 after an injury suffered by Keith Thurman ruled Thurman out.
Ahead of Saturday’s contest they not only have the knowledge gained from 12 rounds shared together to draw on, they have had full training camps with each other in mind. Fundora even favoured fighting Tszyu instead the Puerto Rican Xander Zayas, and did so at the cost of his title from the WBO.
“We had the rematch clause and he abided by it,” Tszyu said. “It’s quite simple. I do respect that. He had to give up the WBO title, which means a lot as well, you know? There’s definitely respect there for him being a man of his word, that’s for sure.
“We’ve been able to create a game plan this time – [look at] things that work and do things that don’t work. That’s been the biggest difference. [I’m better prepared] by 2,000 per cent. I was super confident – super confident [for the first time]. It was a bit of the unknown, because to fight someone [at such late notice], you don’t know what to expect. It’s hard to find someone to emulate that type of style – you don’t really grow up fighting styles like that. Now I’ve been able to work on it for 10 weeks, and I’ve shared the ring with him for 12 rounds, so I expect everything.
“He’s awkward. He’s the best [I’ve fought], for sure. He’s got these punches that come from different angles that you don’t expect to come, and he’s also an inside fighter, and he can bang. [But] I think he’s a bit stiff.”
