Live updates: Bakhram Murtazaliev vs Tim Tszyu, IBF junior ...

Kostya Tszyu to walk Tim Tszyu to the ring

10 minutes agoSat 19 Oct 2024 at 11:59pm

Tapia lands to the body and then the guard, before a two-punch flurry ends in a clinch.

The Aussie the main protagonist there.

Good uppercut from Tapia as they come in close again.

Saavedra is 16-1.

He is a Mexican fighter, weighing in at 159.75lb.

"I trust in my ability and I trust in what I’ve learned in this sport. We’ve had a great camp and we’re going to put our hard work on display Saturday," he said.

Tapia is 17-0 and weight in bang on the middleweight limit of 160lb.

This is a 10 round fight for the vacant IBF International middleweight title.

Here's what we've got coming up on the main card.

That means we'll have ring walks for Tim Tszyu at about 12:00pm AEDT.

But we will keep you posted on that - because that assumes both these fights go the distance.

It's not just Tim Tszyu who is up for a big night tonight.

Mexico-born fighter Mateo Tapia is also stepping into the ring - and is ready to show that he's got what it takes to compete at the highest level.

“This is a big event and a big opportunity for me. This is a tough fight that I have in front of me, but I’m ready and I can’t wait to show the world that I’m a great fighter," he said at yesterday's weigh in.

The unbeaten (17-0) 26-year-old, known as El Tijuanero, takes on Mexican fighter Endry Saavedra (16-1) for the vacant IBF International middleweight title.

“Fans can expect a really good fight from me," he said.

"There are definitely going to be fireworks. I’ve been ruffling some feathers in the middleweight division and that’s what I’m here to do again on Saturday.

I love these photos from No Limit Boxing's Tom Pombart.

They show that once you've stepped inside the squared circle as a fighter, you never really leave.

The way Kostya is moving around the ring, casting his expert eye over things almost carries a wistful tone with it to me.

We all love to look back on past glories.

This canvas cage must hold so many memories for one of the all time greats.

Key Event

10m agoSat 19 Oct 2024 at 11:59pm

Main Event's Ben Damon is speaking to Kostya Tszyu.

He has confirmed that, for the first time, he will be walking his son to the ring.

"I am [nervous]," he says - and looks it.

"But its alright.

"They asked me to do this [walk Tim to the ring].

"You can't believe how much excitement there is.

"When I won my first world title in 95, it's nearly 30 years ago.

"All the excitement, it's coming back to me."

He says that his final instruction to his son will be to "smile".

"Use brains. It's very important to be aggressive but under control."

He added that he has helped put pressure on Murtazaliev, but refused to elaborate on that.

"First of all I'm here to help Tim take all the emotions, bad ones, to myself, I think I did this," he says.

"I put pressure on opponents. I did this."

He also said that he promised Tim he would not scream during the fight.

"I'm going to be proud anyway. I believe we are going to be victorious. I cannot see any other way," he says.

"How badly he's going to hurt the other one. I don't know.

"I will enjoy myself.

"I am going to watch the fight like a judge. Try to be very neutral."

Tim said his father was "a pain in the arse" the last time he saw him fight in the flesh.

Tszyu the elder was throwing every punch, ducking every shot, and barking instructions like any father likely would when seeing their son compete at the highest level when Tim Tszyu made his pro debut at the SCG back in 2016.

Kostya has not been at one of Tim's fights ever since, but he is here today.

Here's the former undisputed champion giving Tim a customary trap massage.

You can read more about their "reunion" here although, a small caveat from me.

This is not the first time Tim and Kostya have seen each other in years as some of the reporting suggests - Tim had a week's long training session with his father earlier this year.

Sure, they don't see each other often, but as the former champ recounts in this interview, he is still close with his sons, despite living in Russia.

"It's not that I need dad there. I want him there," Tszyu said.

Pat is confident, and so is Shawn Porter.

The American is very, very convinced that Tim Tszyu is going to win this fight.

Speaking on Main Event's broadcast, the two-time welterweight world champion dismissed Murtazaliev as "not a difficult puzzle to solve".

He's confident.

That's a great question.

The pay per view element of the night has just got underway.

What does that mean? Simply put, who knows.

There are two 10-rounders before Tszyu will get into the ring. If we allow 45 minutes each for those, if they go the distance, I expect we'll see some Tszyu ringwalk action within a couple of hours.

For more details about the fight, check here.

How does Tim Tszyu view his opponent tonight?

He doesn't really view him as anything other than another name to be ticked off.

Read more here.

I agree Jason, it's very mixed.

Every source I check is giving different information.

But when I know, so will you all.

Off the back of a first ever career loss in the professional ranks, Tim Tszyu could have gone back to an "easier" fight to lick his wounds and regain his confidence.

Instead, he's stepping right back into the lion's den.

Sure, the Caribe Resort is not quite Las Vegas.

But the opponent in front of him cannot be discounted - and the smaller venue should not detract from what is at stake.

Tszyu simply has to win this fight.

A second-career defeat in a row would be catastrophic for him.

The last fight was unfortunate - a split decision defeat after losing so much blood to a horrendous head gash that really should have resulted in a no contest.

But that means nothing in the long run if that 1 in the defeat column turns into a 2 tonight.

Tim Tszyu has entered the building.

There had been some concerns about whether or not the Caribe Resort was going to be able to host the fight after Hurricane Milton tore through Florida, killing 10 people and causing a damage bill that will run to millions.

But the resort survived unscathed and the fight did not have to be moved.

Morning folks and welcome to the ABC Sport coverage of Tim Tszyu's latest world title fight, as he looks to become a two-time World Champion.

He lost the WBO strap and missed the chance to claim the WBC belt in a brutal and bloody split decision defeat to the tallest super welterweight you've ever seen in Sebastian Fundora in March.

But now the IBF belt — currently owned by dangerous, undefeated Russian Bakhram Murtazaliev — is in his sights, along with it the chance to become a two-time world champ.

My name is Simon Smale and I am excited to bring you all the action as it happens over there in Orlando, Florida.

As ever, get involved, get chatting, let us know your predictions and we'll respond to as many as we can over the next couple of hours.