Cutman to the Champions, Jacob Duran, Claims Tim Tszyu’s Cut Was Mishandled: “They Should Have Stopped It”

Jacob Duran has seen it all. This 72-year-old legend has spent over four decades in the corner of champions. From the heavyweight dominance of the Klitschko brothers to Tyson Fury’s unorthodox brilliance, Duran has been a cornerman for many a champion. He’s even assisted famed boxers like Andre Ward and Chris Algieri. So his words hold a lot of accountability when it comes to dissecting the bloody fights of the sport. Enter Tim Tszyu versus Sebastian Fundora, a clash where glory hung in the balance, and blood painted the canvas.

In the latest bout, Tszyu stepped into the ring with his sights set on victory and two coveted titles on the line. But fate had other plans, as an errant elbow from Fundora in the second round left Tim Tszyu with a gaping wound on his head. As the fight wore on, it became apparent that Tszyu’s vision was compromised with blood gushing down his face. His path to victory was obstructed by the crimson mask that adorned his face.

Despite valiant efforts by Tim Tszyu, Sebastian Fundora emerged victorious, clinching the WBO and WBC light middleweight titles in a split decision. But in the aftermath of the battle, it wasn’t the outcome that captured Duran’s attention, but rather the handling of Tszyu’s injury. Taking to Twitter, the legendary cutman didn’t mince words. He stated, “I’ve been getting all kinds of messages and just finished doing an interview regarding the cut on Tim Tszyu.”

Duran continued, “Unfortunately, you know, that big vein that we have right there, if you pop it, you’re not going to stop it. And he got the cut. It’s the same vein. But it’s important to have a good corner with you because they should have stopped it before the start of the fifth round. It would’ve been a no-contest. They would’ve had a chance for a rematch and then protect him.” In Duran’s eyes, Tim Tszyu’s corner didn’t do enough to protect him.

Besides this, Duran also shared an important anecdote that talked about a similar incident that happened with a female fighter quite recently as well.

Not just Tim Tszyu

In the video, Jacob Duran said, “Same thing happened the night before with this young girl from Costa Rica. She got a bad cut and the cut man didn’t really know what he was doing. And unfortunately, both of them lost fights.” Here, Duran was talking about Yokasta Valle who was competing against Seniesa Estrada, and lost via unanimous decision because she suffered a cut on the right side of her eye. However, she ended up earning a lot of hearts.

This is one of the persisting problems in boxing right now. Claressa Shields agreed with the claims of Jacob Duran. She even made an Instagram Story, where she attached the video made by Jacob Duran. This was done to showcase their agreement with everything that Duran preached in the video, and indirectly extend support for Tim Tszyu.

What are your thoughts about the brutal bout? Tell us in the comments section.

Also Read: Sebastian Fundora Acknowledges Tim Tszyu’s “Incredible Bravery” in the Ring