‘It can be deadly’: Tszyu’s secret run of sparring KOs … and why the footage will never be seen

Tim Tszyu, sometime late last year, hit one of his US sparring partners with such a devastating right hand, immediately a leg buckled.

Then within a blink, the other went.

All of which then instigated one of those chicken dances as said opponent — and, a fella never more thankful for the invention of headgear — then crumpled onto the canvas inside that Las Vegas gym.

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But as for the fighter’s name?

Sorry, we can’t say.

Just as Tszyu would never give it up, either.

With the 30-year-old, seated now across from Fox Sports Australia in fight week, even coy when discussing if the whole thing even took place.

But know that it did.

And there’s a video.

Not just of that one knockdown, either.

No, in the weeks leading up to last year’s world title blockbuster against Bakhram Murtazaliev, Tszyu was proving such a force that there exists an entire compilation video of rivals being damaged, dazed, rocked and dropped.

Or put another way, lots of people falling, or doing the stanky leg.

But as for Tszyu talking about it?

No, given everything that eventually took place against Murtazaliev last October – which included Tszyu being dropped four times, and a white towel thrown — the fighter has little interest in discussing anything that came before it.

Yet to watch that video would be to understand, at least in some part, why The Soul Taker fought the way he did that night in Orlando, Florida – and why this week, perhaps with a wink, he has hinted at fighting that way again.

On a run of consecutive losses and with his career on the line, Tszyu is this Sunday throwing down against hyped American prospect Joey Spencer at Newcastle Entertainment Centre.

Should Tszyu lose, it would not be so much a career in trouble — as over.

Yet despite his current situation, the nation’s most popular fighter insists little needs changing this time around.

And it’s because during his build to Murtazaliev, and again now — for this camp, at home — Tszyu has looked in outstanding shape as, first, he bettered some of America’s most exciting super welterweights, before more recently leaving a few more homegrown prospects aware that his power, and pressure, is no joke.

Indeed, so brutal was Tszyu looking by the time of his second last sparring session, it also became his last.

With longtime trainer, and uncle, Igor Goloubev determining his nephew so ready that he said another hit out wasn’t required.

Even better for this preparation, Tszyu is also fighting armed with all those lessons learned from the last one.

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In fact, while he may have talked this week about starting Sunday’s showdown exactly the same as his last loss against Murtazaliev, he says now, with the cameras removed, that there is no doubt things will be different against Spencer.

Even if only slightly.

With the fighter also going on to explain how his problem last time out wasn’t so much his style, or even his confidence, as where a mix of both took him.

“Before Murtazaliev,” the fighter says of his second big stint Stateside, “I was on another level sparring.

“Could really feel it.

“And when you’re doing all the stuff I was, when you feel like The Incredible Hulk, of course you’re going to have confidence.

“And that confidence as a weapon, it can be deadly.

“But you also have to understand what you possess, and how to control it.

“You can’t just come out swinging like a mad man.”

So you were the mad man?

“Against Murtazaliev, I was too confident,” Tszyu concedes.

“Everything was great during camp, and I’d added all these new tools to my arsenal, but then I went out into the fight and didn’t show any of it …”

Then, after a slight pause, he grins: “This Sunday though, I will.”

Elsewhere, No Limit CEO George Rose was also coy when asked about what he had seen from Tszyu in sparring this camp.

“But when I’ve listened to the people who sparred him talk afterwards,” the promoter says, “yeah, I know he’s ready.

“And to spar Tim Tszyu right now, it’s a great learning experience for our young fighters.

“And my advice each time is lick your wounds, and take your losses — it’s sparring, learn from what is a great opportunity.”

But as for it being fair to say he’s caused some damage?

“It’s fair to say he’s a f…ing beast,” Rose grinned.

“I’m telling you, Tim Tszyu is still the division’s best.

“He just has to go prove it now.”

Quizzed on his style overhaul for Sunday’s Spencer showdown, Tszyu continues: “For me, it’s not even about being that different.

“I just need to correct some really small mistakes.

“My last two fights, they honestly haven’t been big mistakes …”

But big consequences?

“Absolutely, man,” Tszyu shrugs.

“Boxing, it’s a sport of inches.”

Undeniably, Tszyu’s current position – coming off consecutive world title losses to Murtazaliev and Sebastian Fundora – is also due, in part, to his being everything he talks of as a “throwback fighter”.

When American Keith Thurman withdrew from their T-Mobile Arena headliner early last year, he accepted towering southpaw Fundora on 12 days notice.

Then when split open early, and dreadfully, he fought on, eventually taking a bloody, split decision loss.

Which is when somebody mentioned Murtazaliev.

Yep, no problem, Tszyu replied.

And on all of that, there has been plenty of debate regarding Team Tszyu’s choices.

But for the fighter, he insists you have to live what you talk.

Asked if given his attitude to fighting, Tszyu knew at some stage there would be a period like this, he replies: “Nah, you don’t expect it.

“And initially, it was a shock.

“Losing two straight, you don’t think it’s ever going to happen.

“But then, it does.

“Still though, I know what I possess.

“This sport, it’s hard.

“And again, a game of inches, man.

“You’re out by an inch, that’s all it takes.

“And as a fighter you’re judged on that.”

Which means what?

“Now, it’s my motivation,” he says simply. “When I look at all the s*** that’s happened, I now think ‘OK, time to get back’.”