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

Published 04/06/2024, 3:31 PM EDT

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

Article continues below this ad

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.

Article continues below this ad

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.

Article continues below this ad

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

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

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Mohammed Shafiulla is a Boxing writer at EssentiallySports. With a Master’s degree in Journalism from a reputed institute, Shafi has cemented his position as one of the astute observers of boxing at ES. One of the early supporters of Naoya Inoue, Shafi has covered his transition from a Japanese boxer with a niche fan following to a power-punching global boxing star.

Edited by:

Gokul Pillai

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

“A gracious former champion”: Teddy Atlas

Trending

Jaime Munguia’s Wholesome Moment With His Wife and Baby Goes Unnoticed Due to Golden Boys’ Embarrassing Mistake, Fan Points Out

“She’s a Sweetheart”: Jaime Munguia’s Wife Alejandra Steals the Show Ahead of Canelo Alvarez Showdown

“He’s Not Stuck in Dubai”: Floyd Mayweather’s $30,000 Act of Kindness Towards Homeless Men in LA Raises Questions About Gervonta Davis’ Bombshell Claim

Terence Crawford Responds to Kendrick Lamar’s Drake Diss Track With Bold Declaration

Canelo Alvarez’s Hard-Hitting Confession About Floyd Mayweather Loss Goes Viral Hours Before Jaime Munguia Fight

Way forward for Tim Tszyu