Tim Tszyu’s promoter George Rose has condemned Turki Alalshikh for “kicking a man while he’s down” after the Saudi power broker mocked Tszyu in the wake of his seventh-round defeat to Sebastian Fundora in July. Alalshikh posted - and later deleted - a message claiming Tszyu “does not deserve” a Riyadh Season or Ring Magazine card and should serve only as a sparring partner, a remark Rose called out as unfair and unnecessary.
Rose stressed there’s “no animosity” from No Limit, but defended the level Tszyu has operated at: losing a world-title fight at the MGM Grand on a Manny Pacquiao card is hardly grounds for derision. “Boxing’s a tough sport for everyone involved,” he said. “I’m not into kicking someone when they’re down.” Tszyu himself avoided direct back-and-forth, writing that public failure is part of the price paid when chasing a life worth being proud of.
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The friction follows earlier tensions when a severe cut in Tszyu’s first fight with Fundora scuppered a proposed clash with Vergil Ortiz Jr. - context Rose says makes Alalshikh’s criticism puzzling. Meanwhile, fellow No Limit standout Sam Goodman impressed in defeat to WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball on a Riyadh promotion overseen by Alalshikh, underscoring the promoter’s point that respect should run both ways.
Rose also pushed back on the “sparring partner” swipe, noting elite camps are built on high-level sparring and that Australian fighters often struggle for depth at home compared to the U.S. and Europe. As Tszyu resets - he’s preparing for the Sydney Marathon at month’s end - his younger brother Nikita returns Wednesday against Lulzim Ismaili in Sydney, with No Limit intent on letting results, not rhetoric, do the talking.
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