Boxing
Keys to Victory: The areas that will decide Errol Spence Jr.'s return against Tim Tszyu
Spence vs. Tszyu: Only on DAZN PPV - TONIGHT
‘The Truth’ is back.
Former unified welterweight world champion Errol Spence Jr. returns to boxing for the first time in nearly three years tonight when he clashes with Tim Tszyu. The bout takes place in Tszyu’s homeland of New South Wales, Australia, and live on DAZN PPV, set at 160 pounds as per Spence’s request.
The last time the boxing world saw Spence (28-1, 22 KOs) in action, he was getting thoroughly picked apart by Terence Crawford. The July 2023 mega fight had Crawford knocking Spence down three times toward capturing undisputed glory at 147 pounds via ninth-round TKO.
Spence could have selected an easier opponent to mark his return against, but throws himself into the fire against a gritty Tszyu (27-3, 18 KOs). The former 154-pound world champion followed a devastating stoppage loss against Sebastian Fundora in their July 2025 rematch by defeating Anthony Velazquez in December and Denis Nurja in April — both via unanimous decision.
Will Spence prove he has more fight left in him with a quality win in his return? Or will Tszyu reel in ‘The Big Fish’ and make it impossible for Spence to overcome ring rust? DAZN News unpacks the Keys to Victory in this highly anticipated bout.
Errol Spence Jr.’s Keys to Victory
Find range behind the jab early
Errol Spence Jr. has consistently thrown a stellar jab over the course of his career. What makes the weapon special is its blunt delivery, as the power on the shot allows him to settle into a fight early and begin to control its pace.
Finding the range behind that stiff jab is a major necessity for Spence in this fight with a very active Tim Tszyu. His ability to land it with some oomph during early rounds could be a tell-all sign whether ‘The Truth’ is indeed really back.
Pound the body
Another area in which Spence has excelled throughout his career is his ability to ravage opponents with body shots.
Effectively targeting Tszyu’s body with stab jabs and pounding hooks to the midsection could go a long way in Spence’s efforts to hurt and fatigue the Australian, forcing his motor and punching volume to sputter in the process.
Maintain composure and patience
In many ways, Spence must battle himself early on in this fight in anticipation of any ring rust a three-year hiatus is likely to bring.
That entails the Texas native maintaining his composure and patience as Tszyu is likely to bring some dismay to his front door. ‘The Truth’ is we shouldn’t take long to know how much fight Spence has left.
Tim Tszyu’s Keys to Victory
Pressure forward early
At his best, Tim Tszyu is a pressure boxer who fights forward aggressively. That’s just the kind of attack he needs to present against a returning Errol Spence Jr. who hasn’t fought since July 2023.
Therefore, it behooves Tszyu to generate immense pressure, especially early, to take those big rounds and send the message to Spence that he’s going to be in his face, bringing heat all fight long.
Forward progress off the front foot is vital for Tszyu's chances.
Crank up the volume
What goes hand in hand with Tszyu’s pressure is his volume punching. There is no better way for the Australian to make things turbulent for Spence than by driving the punch output way up.
With the home crowd behind him, Tszyu needs to rattle Spence early, and an uptick of volume could do just that.
Exercise caution
Working his way back into boxing, Spence should not overly press. That way he could ease his way into his fighting flow.
To disrupt that state, Tszyu should pressure with high volume. However, in doing so, Tszyu cannot afford to get overzealous and overextend because Spence’s ring savvy alone is rich enough to make him pay with shrewd counters.
So, Tszyu must exercise real caution even within the fires he ignites tonight.
Who has the edge in Spence vs. Tszyu?
Analysis: DAZN News’ Mark Lelinwalla
The biggest questions I have entering tonight's bout are: How much fight does Errol Spence Jr. have left in him? Will his legs be there following nearly three years away from the ring? We could get the answers to both those questions relatively early into this showdown.
I expect Tim Tszyu to take the fight to Spence early — as he should — setting the pace.
However, Spence has the experience to make adjustments and settle into this fight after weathering whatever early storm Tszyu brews. The jab and those body shots should be enough to lift Spence, who will need to shed ring rust as he operates his way around getting reaaclimated.
Tszyu could use his volume punching to score enough points to win, and I wouldn't be surprised, but I'm leaning toward 'The Truth' in a close, competitive decision.
Spence Jr. vs. Tszyu - on DAZN PPV and DAZN on Prime Video
Watch Errol Spence's long-awaited return to the ring against Tszyu this Saturday, July 25, as part of a huge 24 hours of boxing on DAZN PPV.
Buy as a one-off PPV or included along with Anthony Joshua versus Kristian Prenga on the same night, Moses Itauma vs. Hrgovic (Aug 29), Romero vs. Lopez (Aug 22) and Canelo vs. Mbilli (Oct) PPVs, with a DAZN Ultimate Tier subscription.
