Explained: The big stakes behind Tszyu blockbuster… and his plan to become the ‘unicorn’ of boxing

Tim Tszyu has unveiled his bold plan to become the “unicorn” of world boxing this Sunday — by winning an IBF blockbuster, defending 10 weeks later and going on a run that leads to Canelo Alvarez.

The incredible declaration comes as the US promoter Tszyu once branded ‘Weasel’ — Sampson Lewkowicz — also added his own huge fight week twist, declaring a Sebastian Fundora rematch on the table in victory.

BOXING: TSZYU V MURTAZALIEV | Tim Tszyu faces off against undefeated IBF super welterweight champ Bakhram Murtazaliev | SUN 20 OCT 10:30AM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports >

But as for what is really possible?

On the eve of what is undoubtedly the biggest fight of Tszyu’s career — where winning opens him to the world and losing is disastrous — Fox Sports Australia reviews every scenario …

What happens if Tszyu wins in style?

Kicking back at his Florida resort this week, Tszyu told us he is ready to become boxing’s most active superstar as IBF super welterweight king.

Manager Glen Jennings also suggested his client would become the sport’s “unicorn”, declaring: “Timmy is just built different to the rest of them”.

In victory, Tszyu wants to defend at home in December — a staggering declaration given a bout would be only 10 weeks away.

A win will also see Australia’s boxing poster boy move himself full-time to the US in January — where is already property shopping in Las Vegas.

If a December showdown is to happen, the most likely opponent would be American Erickson Lubin — who has been in discussions with Team Tszyu several times and would be the No. 1 IBF contender.

The only potential stumbling block is that Lubin is also angling for a title showdown against Fundora — who took both the WBO and WBC straps from Tszyu during that bloody Las Vegas split decision back in March.

For this reason, others in the mix for a December card Down Under include American Jesus Ramos Jnr, Englishman Josh Kelly, even Mexico’s Jorge Garcia Perez.

What happens if Tszyu wins but can’t fight December?

As world champion, huge opportunities open up for Tszyu — whose reputation as a bankable star is growing quickly, Stateside.

For proof, consider the huge faith No Limit’s US promoting partner PBC has already put into a Sydneysider who come Sunday will have headlined both Amazon Prime’s first PPV show and now first linear show — going out to a potential viewing audience of 100 million.

As Main Event’s Ben Damon told us this week: “PBC have a huge stable and could’ve chosen from so many fighters for these opportunities — yet they chose Tim Tszyu.”

If The Soul Taker cannot fight until, say, the first third of 2025, it gives No Limit time to sort deals with some of the division’s biggest names — among them elusive US superstar and former division king, Jermell Charlo.

Other options include both Errol Spence Jnr or Fundora, who have themselves been angling for a title fight early next year in Texas.

All the names mentioned for before Christmas could also still come into play if Tszyu cannot fight until 2025.

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What about the Fundora rematch?

Spence and Fundora are big options for Tszyu.

Fundora’s promoter Sampson Lewkowicz also added a major fight week twist here in the US overnight by declaring Tszyu a “major possibility” to be next for his champion.

“That is a great possibility, a major possibility,” Lewkowicz told Boxing Scene of a rematch. “We’re waiting to see how (Tszyu) looks, and we can make it happen. Nothing else is set in stone.

“He would be a great fight. Sebastian will fight anybody, and we promised we would fight.”

Lewkowicz, of course, is the man who Tszyu famously branded a ‘weasel’ prior to his Las Vegas blockbuster in March.

If Fundora and Spence instead first fight themselves early next year, the winner will be mandated to face Crawford — who somewhat bizarrely also holds the WBO interim title.

However, either man could simply give up the WBO strap and instead look to unify the WBC and IBF belts against Tszyu.

Importantly, Charlo, Fundora and Spence are all aligned with PBC, who will definitely be looking to stay in the Tszyu business if he wins.

Others connected to the powerhouse US promoter include Lubin, Ramos and the man who could eventually be a dream matchup for Tszyu, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.

BOXING: TSZYU V MURTAZALIEV | Tim Tszyu faces off against undefeated IBF super welterweight champ Bakhram Murtazaliev | SUN 20 OCT 10:30AM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports >

How likely a unification fight with Charlo?

Largely forgotten in all the title talk involving Tszyu is that Charlo still holds the WBA strap currently attributed to Terence Crawford.

While the former undisputed king hasn’t fought since his uninspiring Canelo loss a year ago, he remains the WBA champion in recess.

A wonderfully boxing term that, on return, means Charlo immediately resumes the organisation’s crown.

Tszyu has twice been slated to face the polarising US star — including when Charlo sensationally jagged the Canelo deal — and a title fight between the two now would be huge given their history.

Speaking recently with Fox Sports Australia, former world champ Shawn Porter said he thinks the Charlo blockbuster happens in 2025.

“I think Charlo might actually be in a position now where he knows he needs that fight with Tim Tszyu,” he said.

“I had Tszyu on my podcast (last year) and I told him ‘hey Tim, I’m gunna let you know, you’re never going to get that Charlo fight’.

“But now, I think he might.

“Not this year, but next year.

“And especially if he becomes IBF champion.

“That gives Charlo a real incentive to fight him.”

What about a Crawford blockbuster?

While Tszyu becomes a hot unification commodity in victory, it now seems his odds of a Crawford showdown are lengthening.

While talks between the camps initially started over a year ago, ‘Bud’ seems increasingly interested in only one more huge payday — against Canelo or even Conor McGregor — and could even retire if neither eventuates.

Crawford is also closely aligned with Saudi billionaire Turki Alalshikh, who is already on record saying he won’t work with Team Tszyu.

That came shortly after the Australian withdraw from a bout His Excellency made in April against undefeated US sensation Virgil Ortiz Jnr.

At the time, Tszyu was still recovering from a head wound suffered only weeks earlier against Fundora, with his surgeon then demanding a delayed return to sparring.

As a result Tszyu had to opt out of the bout against Ortiz Jnr, who still looms as a potential opponent in 2025.

Tszyu’s promoters No Limit know they will have a host of huge opportunities with Tszyu as world champion and could potentially join a heavyweight list of fighters not working with the Saudi matchmaker — among them Canelo, Tank Davis, and Japanese megastar Naoya Inoue.

What if Tszyu loses?

In short, disastrous.

Even though Tszyu’s profile Stateside has grown significantly since that bloody Fundora encounter — and his world ranking has remained intact — a second hit would be a difficult one to recover from.

Of course, when your surname is Tszyu there’s no going to the back of the line completely, with the most obvious option being an Australian PPV blockbuster against Michael Zerafa.

What if Tszyu loses controversially?

Still disastrous.

Obviously there are many ways to lose a fight and Tszyu could suffer another split loss, get cut, his knee could blow out, whatever.

Yet while his most recent loss against Fundora came with a giant asterisk, the odds of carrying two consecutively is extremely unlikely,

In fact, another loss, no matter how close or unfortunate, would almost certainly see all questions still attached to his bloody Fundora defeat wiped.

All of which would leave a long road back to where Tszyu sits right now.

Financially, the difference in purses would be staggering too and his move Stateside to live would also be squashed.

All of which, undeniably, makes this the biggest fight of Tszyu’s career.

How far off is Canelo?

Maybe not as far as most people think.

For a start, boxing’s biggest name is aligned to PBC and has shown he will take bouts with any fighter from any division so long as they provide a suitable payday.

If Tszyu can unify, and then potentially take a middleweight strap from the likes of Erislandy Lara (WBA) or Carlos Adames (WBC) — both of whom are also PBC men — a shot at Canelo would be no more surprising then, say, when Charlo went up two weight classes for his crack.

Still, none of this happens unless Tszyu earns that IBF title Sunday.