Boxing coach John Pullman, known for his sharp insights and deep knowledge of the sport, shared his thoughts after witnessing junior middleweight IBF titleholder Bakhram Murtazaliev score a technical knockout over Tim Tszyu on Saturday night at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.
Tszyu, who headlined Premier Boxing Champions’ first pay-per-view card in March, lost a majority decision to Sebastian Fundora. That fight left him with a significant gash, so severe it postponed a scheduled August bout with Vergil Ortiz Jnr.
Pullman reflected on the tough path Tszyu, 24-2 (17 KOs), has faced.
“I saw a guy coming off a tough fight with Fundora, but he looked good. He looked fast, strong,” Pullman said. “It was like two buzzsaws coming after each other, and Murtazaliev was cracking Tszyu with good shots. Murtazaliev could take them. Tszyu cracked him too, but he just couldn’t take it. It seemed like the other guy had a better chin, a better punch resistance.”
Pullman pinpointed the key factor that caused Tszyu’s struggles: the left hook from Murtazaliev, 23-0 (17 KOs).
“The left hook of Murtazaliev kept putting him down,” Pullman explained. “Tszyu would recover a bit, and then the left hook would get him again. Maybe he couldn’t see that punch well, but that shot kept hurting him.
“When you get knocked down, you realize this guy might be tougher than I thought. At that point you need another path to victory, but it seemed like Tszyu didn’t have any other answers but to just punch.”
Reflecting on the impact of Tszyu’s previous cut from the Fundora fight, Pullman considered it might have played a role in his performance.
“I think he was concerned about the cut he suffered against Fundora,” Pullman said. “He probably worried it would open up again, especially with the headbutt. That fight took a lot out of him. Maybe he could feel Murtazaliev’s strength and presence right away. You can sense someone’s energy when you get in the ring, and Tszyu might have realized he was in for more than he expected.”
Pullman acknowledged the cumulative toll Tszyu’s recent bouts may have taken.
“He bled a lot against Fundora, so he was probably thinking, ‘Am I bleeding again? Do I have to deal with this again?’” Pullman said. “That fight with Fundora didn’t seem like as much of a beating as this one. This fight took a lot out of him.”
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