17 hours Ago By Darren Walton
His career at a crossroads, Tim Tszyu is bracing for "one hell of a fight" after trading final verbal barbs with smarting American power puncher Joey Spencer. Tszyu is desperate to revive his battered international reputation in Newcastle on Sunday after suffering two seismic losses in the US last year to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev. Australia's fallen former world champion isn't taking Spencer lightly, even after the 26-year-old taunted Tszyu with verbal low blows at Friday's official pre-fight press conference.
"I think we're going to go to war, man. We're gonna go to war," Tszyu said after shaking off Spencer's sprays. "He's a good fighter, moves around and he brings the aggression as well.
"I've seen a couple of his fights. He really turns it on so when we meet at the centre, oh sweet, it's going to be one hell of a fight. "That's the beauty of boxing; all it takes it one punch and whoever lands the first punch is the one that is in control, so Sunday night you'll see.
" After confessing to being 'hangry" ahead of Saturday's weigh-in and following Spencer's relentless verbal barrage, Tszyu managed to regain his cool and predict a painful end for his "sooky" opponent. "The nightmare will begin very, very shortly," Tszyu (24-2, 17KOs) said after Spencer (19-1, 11KOs) repeatedly baited the Sydney super-welterweight, once again, over the ongoing judging furore. Spencer's camp still feel aggrieved that they had to formally complain before the Combat Authority of NSW on Wednesday appointed two international judges to officiate alongside an Australian.
"It pissed me off," Tszyu said of Spencer's team threatening to walk away if they didn't get two overseas judges. ""Whenever we travel, all of us Aussies, we didn't get that luxury. "We just get what we get.
For them to come with this mentality, your team is like diva-like in my eye." Spencer, though, claimed his team had it "in writing" three months ago that overseas judges would be assigned. "You've been lied to," Spencer said of reports he was going to boycott the fight.
"Your team lies to you. They need you to be all fired up. "They're worried about you because if you need so badly to manufacture and create this big drama that was never even there, then obviously you're worried about something.
"His name's The Soul Taker, but he got his soul taken (against Murtazaliev)." Tszyu promptly reminded Spencer he was the headliner in Sunday's pay-per-view blockbuster. "It's not about you," he said.
"It's about how you get back up and this is my redemption. This is how I get back up and you're part of the story. "So thank you for that.
" A victory for Tszyu would almost certainly set up a showdown with Keith Thurman after the American former unified world champion lived up to his end of the bargain with a brutal TKO win over Sydney's Brock Jarvis last month. Tszyu insists he doesn't need any extra motivation to put Spencer in his place. "I'm always pumped.
I'm always excited," he said. "It's been one hell of a build up, one hell of a show and I'm grateful to be in this position. "This is as good as it gets.
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