The International Boxing Federation has mandated its reigning 154-pound titleholder Bakhram Murtazaliev to defend his belt against Australian contender Tim Tszyu. The fighters have been given a 30-day window to negotiate and finalize the bout, as reported by Dan Rafael of Fight Freaks Unite.
Tim Tszyu, aged 29, was initially set to face Erickson Lubin in an IBF eliminator during the first standalone PBC show on Prime Video. However, Lubin's withdrawal due to injury left Tszyu without a confirmed opponent, opening the door for the IBF to step in with this new directive. Tszyu, a former junior middleweight titleholder, previously defended his title successfully against Brian Mendoza but lost a unification attempt to Sebastian Fundora via a close split decision.
In that bout, Tszyu started strong but suffered a significant cut on his scalp from a collision with Fundora's elbow, leading to a bloody and challenging fight. The injury likely played a role in his eventual defeat, marking a setback in his bid to unify the division.
Hear first words from George Rose following Tim Tszyu IBF World Title Fight: Watch
Bakhram Murtazaliev, on the other hand, is looking to make a statement with a high-profile title defense. The Russian champion secured his IBF belt with an 11th-round stoppage victory over Jack Culcay in Falkansee, Germany. Murtazaliev has long sought a bout with former undisputed 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo, whose decision to vacate his titles allowed Murtazaliev to fight for and win the vacant IBF strap.
With both fighters eager to prove themselves, the potential matchup between Murtazaliev and Tszyu promises to be a thrilling encounter. Would you watch it too?
Read more about Tim Tszyu and his amazing career here.
Image Credit: DAZN