Tim Tszyu open to working with Turki Alalshikh in his bid to land big fights

Tim Tszyu is confident he and his team will be able to iron out any perceived differences with powerbroker Turki Alalshikh as he continues in his career.

The junior middleweight contender from Australia lost for the first time in his career when beaten by Sebastian Fundora in March in Las Vegas, but he is set to return in an IBF title bout against California-based Russian Bakhram Murtazaliev.

This week, Alalshikh said he needed to check in with Tszyu’s team to see if they would work together. Tszyu had been set to face Vergil Ortiz on the August 3 Riyadh Season bill in Los Angeles, but a wound on his scalp caused by a Fundora elbow in their bloody clash had not healed in time. 

“I’d love to work with him,” Tszyu said of the Riyadh Season head. “He’s all about making the big fights happen and I’m all for that. But I’ve got a team. I’ve got a professional team with me and everything is organized through that.”

Tszyu said his head is now fully healed. He is training in Las Vegas, sparring local fighters and wants to box sooner than later. Tszyu is still optimistic of two more fights in 2024. 

As well as Murtazaliev, Tszyu is often mentioned alongside other leading lights and big names in the division. He’d still like to face Ortiz, who he plans to watch against Serhii Bohachuck from ringside this weekend in Vegas, and he would also like to face the winner of the mooted bout between Fundora and Errol Spence, should it happen.

“Both fights are appetising,” Tszyu said on a media call. “Me and Vergil would be a cracking fight but at the same time an Errol Spence-Fundora fight would be good. I’m happy for both.

“He (Murtazaliev)’s the IBF champ, you can’t disrespect the guy. He’s world champion for a reason, but I don’t think he’s fought anyone like Tim Tszyu so that’s another story in itself.

“He brings something different, I guess.”

Then, asked what he wanted, Tszyu simply replied: “The top fights, man. I’m here to make the top fights possible.”

Tszyu is popular in Australia, but his gory and ultimately narrow loss to Fundora saw his stock rise in the U.S. He is now willing to fight anywhere to further his career.

“I’m living my dream and I’m enjoying it,” he added.

“I just want to be a shot caller. I want to dictate and roll the dice the way I want to roll the dice.”