‘V for vengeance’: Scarred Tim Tszyu is battle hardened for date with Bakhram Murtazaliev

For Tim Tszyu, the cut he suffered earlier in 2024 is more than a reminder of a loss — it’s a mark of unfinished business.

After his defeat in April by Sebastian Fundora, a cut on his face required 15 stitches and kept Tszyu out for nearly seven months. 

The Australian, 29, is determined to prove that the scar doesn’t define him.

“You can see it’s a little V – V for vengeance,” he said.

The 29-year-old former junior-middleweight titleholder (24-1, 17 KOs) is set to challenge the unbeaten IBF champion Bakhram Murtazaliev (22-0, 16 KOs) of Russia on October 19, from Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.

The fight will mark the first Premier Boxing Champions event to air on Amazon Prime without a pay-per-view barrier – and therefore present Tszyu with a fitting stage for his comeback. In the inaugural Amazon Prime-PBC collaboration, Tszyu suffered the cut he now calls “a little tattoo for the rest of my life”. His fight against Murtazaliev, 31, represents the first step towards redemption after his loss to Fundora, who had been a late replacement for the inactive Keith Thurman.

“Could have, would have, should have — it’s all in the past,” Tszyu said. “The biggest lesson I learned was just focusing on the present.”

Tszyu’s road back has been challenging. He was scheduled to fight Vergil Ortiz in August on the undercard of Israil Madrimov-Terence Crawford, but the same medical issues prevented him doing so. Increasingly, he is eager to reclaim his place among boxing’s elite and aims to become a titleholder again.

“I just enjoy the whole fight game,” Tszyu said. “I enjoy the thrill of it. I enjoy training camps. I enjoy progression.”

Reflecting on his upcoming opponent, Tszyu recalled a brief encounter with Murtazaliev. “I was on the same card as Murtazaliev once and I do remember thinking that he’s a tall guy, but most of my opponents are taller than me,” he said. “We gave each other a little eye-to-eye, like we knew we’d see each other down the road.”

Their fight is imminent, and Tszyu’s scar tells a story — one he hopes is not about a fall from grace, but of a fighter rising again. Murtazaliev-Tszyu could determine the next chapter in his journey.