Tim Tszyu's path back to a world title is now clear following confirmation he'll face Bakhram Murtazaliev later this year.
The Australian will challenge the IBF super welterweight champion in Orlando, Florida at the Caribe Royale Resort on Saturday, October 19 (Oct. 20 in Australia).
It's a significant boost for the 29-year-old Sydneysider who had initially been gearing up for a world title eliminator before the IBF installed him as the mandatory challenger to the Russian's title.
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For the son of Russian-born boxing great Kostya Tszyu and someone trained in the "Soviet style", the fight with Murtazaliev shapes as an interesting proposition.
The undefeated 31-year-old claimed the IBF belt when stopping Jack Culcay in the 11th round of their vacant title bout back in April, improving to 22-0.
Tszyu (24-1) is by far Murtazaliev's best credentialed opponent to date and will likely go in to the fight as favourite with bookmakers.
“I just want to be the shot caller. I want to dictate and roll the dice the way I want to roll the dice,” Tszyu said of the prospect of challenging Murtazaliev earlier this month.
“I just want to be a world champ, that’s what appeals to me.
“When you get the belt, you’re the shot caller and instead of chasing, people come running to you. That’s the position I want to be at.”
A win would cap a rapid return to the status of titleholder after Tszyu was defeated by Sebastian Fundora in his last outing back in March in Las Vegas.
That loss, which came after an accidental elbow caused a nasty gash on Tszyu's head, compromising his vision for the final 10 rounds, saw the Aussie drop his WBO strap at 154-pounds.
In that victory, Fundora also picked up the vacant WBC belt, while the WBA title now belongs to Terrence Crawford following his decision win over Israil Madrimov on his divisional debut in early August.
Last week, the WBO had ordered Fundora to face Crawford, who also holds the interim belt with that sanctioning body, with the winner of that bout potentially in possession of three of the four belts at the weight.
That could then set up an undisputed super welterweight unification bout between the Tszyu-Murtazaliev winner some time next year, with Crawford eyeing off the possibility of becoming the first man to unify three divisions in the four-belt era.
Tszyu is expected to be joined by fellow Aussie and No Limit Boxing stablemate Mateo Tapia on the card in Orlando, with the rising middleweight looking to put his name in the frame for big fights in the division.
