Errol Spence Jr. Retires After 12-Round Loss to Tim Tszyu in Sydney

Q: After a career-defining victory, what unexpected world champion is Tim Tszyu targeting next to cement his legacy?

Tim Tszyu is targeting **WBA middleweight world champion Erislandy Lara** next. After beating Errol Spence Jr. by unanimous decision in Sydney in what he called a career-defining win, Tszyu said he wants another world-title opportunity. The additional reporting points to Lara as the specific champion now in his sights, an unexpected target given Lara’s veteran status and Tszyu’s recent rebuilding phase after losses to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev. The move makes sense strategically and historically. Tszyu said he felt strong at middleweight against Spence, and a fight with Lara would give him a direct route back to a world title while also adding a well-known former elite name to his résumé. Beating Spence already boosted his standing, but capturing a middleweight belt from Lara would further strengthen the case that Tszyu has fully re-established himself among boxing’s top names. So the champion he is now aiming at to cement his legacy is **Erislandy Lara**.

Q: Why did a former unified champion suddenly announce his retirement immediately following this grueling 12-round battle?

Errol Spence Jr. retired because he believed the Tszyu fight confirmed it was the right time to leave boxing on his own terms, with his health, finances and family life still intact. Immediately after the loss, Spence said he wanted to “go home” and start a new life, explaining that he was grateful to be leaving the sport with his “faculties intact.” He added that his money was secure and “working for itself,” removing any financial pressure to continue fighting. He also stressed that he wanted to be with his family. The decision was not purely about one defeat. The Tszyu bout came after a long layoff, a move up in weight, and lingering questions about how much Spence had left following the punishing 2023 loss to Terence Crawford and the toll of past physical setbacks, including his 2019 car crash. Against Tszyu, he showed toughness and had moments of success, but he was largely outworked and outpunched as the fight wore on, which appeared to reinforce that he was no longer at his peak. Pre-fight comments also pointed in this direction. Spence had already said he might retire regardless of the result, and trainer Ronnie Shields said the comeback was about personal closure and self-preservation, not chasing more titles. Shields indicated Spence’s own standard was simple: if he lost, he was done. So the retirement announcement was sudden in timing, but not in substance. It reflected a decision Spence had already been considering, and the Tszyu fight appears to have settled it.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jul 26

36-year-old Errol Spence Jr. said his comeback fight would be his last after Tim Tszyu beat him by unanimous decision at Sydney's Afterpay Arena.
118-110, 117-111 and 117-111 scorecards reflected Tszyu's control as he walked Spence down, landed repeated right hands and grew stronger over the 12-round middleweight bout.
Spence, fighting for the first time since his loss to Terence Crawford three years ago, showed flashes with body work but faded late and said he was leaving with his health, finances and family intact.
Tszyu called beating Spence bigger than a world title and said he now wants another title shot after a third straight win in his rebuild from losses to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev.
The main event rescued a disrupted Sydney card after Jermell Charlo was denied a visa and Stephen Fulton Jr.'s bout collapsed when he missed weight by 6.5 pounds.