“He’ll Be Champion Again”: Teddy Atlas Expresses His Admiration for Tim Tszyu for Being a “Class of a Man” Despite Losing Title

Last Saturday was not the best day for Tim Tszyu. However, as he lost claims to his WBO super welterweight title and the vacant WBC belt, he gained a lot more admiration in the boxing realm. In the wake of the dramatic showdown against Sebastian Fundora, how the Aussie fighter took the loss has won hearts. Legendary boxing coach, Teddy Atlas reflected these sentiments in the latest episode of his podcast.

On 30th March, in a Las Vegas matchup, American fighter, Fundora dealt an upsetting defeat to Tim Tszyu in their title clash. While Tszyu got off to a thumping start, a collision with his towering opponent’s elbow resulted in him incurring a major cut on his forehead. Since then, even though he exhibited perseverance throughout, the dominance slipped from his clutches. The shocking loss, however, did not faze him as he conceded to his opponent with grace. This sportsmanship conduct has prompted Teddy Atlas to say, “That’s what a champion is.”

“A gracious former champion”: Teddy Atlas

On the podcast, ‘THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas’, the trainer who spearheaded the careers of about 18 world champions had only nice things to say about 29-year-old Tszyu. He highlighted how the fighter did not let his injury hamper his spirit throughout the fight. When the split decision arrived, he kept his demeanor positive and congratulated the new world champion, Fundora.

That, to him, was a solid show of “sportsmanship.” The 67-year-old trainer noted, “It’s so seldom you see it, that it was refreshing, that it reminded me: that’s what sportsmanship is. That’s what class is. That’s what a champion is. He gets up there and he says, ‘Fundora was a better man. I take my hat off to him. I congratulate him. He did a great job and you know I’ll be back’. You talk about the humility, you talk about the honesty. You talk about the sheer class of a man.”

While he does not take away Fundora’s win from him, Teddy Atlas also does not undermine the constant resilience Tim Tszyu showcased on that night. He added, “You know, you saw him when he’s won, and now you see him when he’s lost and he was magnificent. I won’t even call him a loser. I won’t even use that word. I’ll say Fundora won, and he deserved the win. I’m not gonna stand here and say Tszyu was a loser.”

After the fight, with a smile on his face, 24-1, Tszyu noted on his social media, “You win some, You lose some. It’s how you bounce back. Appreciate all the love worldwide.”

He promises to bounce back and Atlas also believes the same. He remarked, “That is not a loser, that is a gracious former champion. If it’s meant to be, he’ll be champion again.” Though a rematch is stipulated in their contract, and Tszyu craves it, its occurrence seems doubtful.

Way forward for Tim Tszyu

It is unlikely that Tszyu will get a rematch against Fundora. Post his win, the Coachella-based fighter is on the brink of bagging a high-money defense against Terence Crawford, who has leveraged his position as the WBO welterweight titlist to be named as the mandatory challenger for the WBO super welterweight crown.

On the other hand, Tszyu can further bag a high-profile clash against Errol Spence Jr. ‘The Truth’ also finds himself in the same stable as Tszyu, with the PBC.

Do you think a rematch will be a good idea for Tim Tszyu? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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