Murtazaliev Looking For Statement Win Against Tszyu

Former unified welterweight champion Keith Thurman will be commentating for the Bakhram Murtazaliev vs. Tim Tszyu fight for PBC on Prime Video Team this Saturday, October 19th at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. Thurman says he wants to see how well former WBO junior middleweight champion Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs) takes the powerful right hands from IBF 154-lb champion Murtazaliev (22-0, 16 KO) in this fight because he’s a big puncher.

(Credit: Joseph Correa/Premier Boxing Champions)

Tszyu might be vulnerable to Murtazaliev’s power after his loss to Sebastian Fundora earlier this year on March 30th. While Tszyu stayed on his feet the full 12 rounds and was never seriously hurt by Fundora, he still took many shots from the 6’6″ fighter and was a bloody mess at the end.

Murtazaliev’s power might prove to be too much for Tszyu in this fight if he can jump him, and unload with a storm of shots like he did in his victories over Jack Culcay and Ahmad Cheikho. For Tszyu, it would be a huge setback for his career if Murtazaliev knocks him out.

“Out of all the years fighting, all the obstacles, all the injuries, all the time off, all the setbacks, this year was a very challenging year,” said Keith Thurman to Fighthype.

“Luckily for me, I’ve always been a man of faith. Not only do I believe in myself, but I believe in the universal higher power that optimistically, Keith Thurman, has an opportunity right now in the world of boxing; as I come back, I have the opportunity to have one of the greatest comeback stories of this generation.”

If Thurman wants to come back, he can always team up with someone like Israil Madrimov, Vegil Ortiz Jr., or Serhii Bohachuk to show fans that he’s serious. Those guys would indulge Thurman, and if he beats them, fans would celebrate him.

“We’ve heard tremendous comeback stories throughout the years. Movies have been made up on it,” said Thurman. “Sometimes life feels like a dream, and looking back at it this year, it’s pretty dreamy. It’s like, ‘How did this happen? How did that happen?’

“I’m here. I’m healthy, and I’m holding strong. I still love the fight game, and I’m looking forward to what opens up at the start of next year. I believe that in early January or late December, hopefully, we can open up negotiations to see what manifests. I would still love the Tszyu fight.”

Thurman has been out of the ring for three years since his last fight against Mario Barrios, whom he beat by a 12-round unanimous decision on February 5, 2022. Before that fight, Thurman had been inactive for two and a half years. It seems obvious that Thurman doesn’t enjoy training or fighting. He’d be better off announcing his retirement, and quick teasing comebacks because fans are tired of it.

“I already know that if Tszyu becomes champion again, he’ll be looking toward unification bouts. He might want a rematch with Fundora. There’s [Jermell] Charlo out there that he never got to fight, but obviously, he’s got to get past this tough Russian [Murtazaliev] that people say Charlo avoided,” said Thurman.

It’s still early to talk about who Tszyu will be fighting next, because for all we know, he could be looking to rebuild his career after Saturday night if he gets knocked out by Murtazaliev. Rather than Tszyu fighting Fundora or Charlo, he’d be facing a second-tier fighter, trying to regain his confidence and work on the flaws that Murtazaliev has exposed.

“They saw a lot of people at 154 avoided. So, we’re going to see if he was someone truly to avoid or if it just takes someone who is willing to sign the contract, like Tim Tszyu, to prove that the Russian might be a champion, but he’s not as scary as everyone played him out to be.

“So, I think things are quite interesting at 154, and it’ll be fun to get back in that mix. We wanted to do it this year, but it looks like we’re going to have to do it at the start of next year.

“I’ll be working ringside commentating for the fight. I’m looking forward to it. We got Prime Video non-PPV. It’s going to be great for all those Prime members to get this world-class boxing in the comfort of their homes,” said Thurman.

Being a professional commentator suits Thurman more than talking about fighting but then never doing it.  As long as Thurman could stay on topic during broadcasts and not go off into left field, talking about stuff that has nothing to do with the fight he’s commentating, he might do a good job.

“A lot of people that have been boxing fans for a long time. We’ve been through a big shift recently with everything that’s happened with Showtime and HBO,” said Thurman. “I’ve been telling a lot of fight fans that boxing is new. Boxing is different.

“Keep expecting it to change, but hopefully all the different networks, all the different stream sites that they can put it together and get something really exciting for you guys. I believe that’s what they’re trying to do with this card here, with three terrific fights on the card.”

“They just love this fight because they like the style that their opponent is bringing to the table because they’re not going to have to find this guy,” said Thurman about Tszyu and Murtazaliev. “They believe their opponent does not bring anything special. So, they’re both confident that they’re going to overcome, which is what you want. We know that’s not going to happen. One will prevail.”

Murtazalev vs. Tszyu is a battle between two knockout punchers, both of whom possess the power to score stoppages earlier. Neither guy has a reverse gear, and it’s going to be interesting to see which of them will retreat when the going gets tough. Tszyu said he was going to do more boxing in this fight, but we’ll see if he actually does.

“Is it Tszyu? Is it Bakhram? I don’t know too much about Bakhram. I’ve seen very little film on him, but I’m looking forward to it. I want to see what kind of statement he wants to make tomorrow.

“Based on the little bit of the experience and the slow starting that Tszyu has, but how he really turns it up in the later rounds, I question if the new champion [Murtazaliev] will not fade.

“Once you start to fade and lean up against the ropes, it makes the fight easier for Tszyu. So, I believe that conditioning and never putting yourself in that bad position where you can’t move your feet and do what you need to do. That’s going to be a key to victory,” said Thurman.

Murtazaliev isn’t the type of fighter who leans against the ropes in his fights. He’s a well-schooled Russian fighter who tends to keep the action in the center of the ring. His style is similar to Artur Beterbiev, but he throws a lot more uppercuts in close than he does. Murtazaliev attacks his opponents like Beterbiev and goes after them, not letting them escape.

“The Russian [Murtazaliev] has a strong right hand, and he’s looking to make a statement. He said he’s not looking for a knockout, but if it comes, it comes. I’m interested in seeing if that overhand right is going to rock Tszyu. We know he’s tough. We just saw him fight a bloody war against Fundora,” said Thurman.

If Murtazaliev’s chin can withstand the big shots that Tszyu is going to be hitting him with early on in the contest, he’s got a good chance of defeating him on Saturday night. Tszyu looked good in the first four rounds against Fundora last March, but he trailed off and was beaten up in the last eight rounds.