Undefeated IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KOs) made it look easy, knocking out Tim Tszyu (24-2, 17 KOs) in the third round in a complete mismatch in the main event on Saturday night at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Tszyu foolishly came firing bombs in the second round with the huge puncher Murtazaliev, and he paid the price, getting dropped on his backside by a left hook during an exchange.
Murtazaliev dropped Tszyu twice more in the second round. In the third, Murtazaliev put Tszyu down again with a left hook. Moments later, Tszyu’s corner threw in the towel when he was getting hammered by Murtazaliev. The time was at 1:55.
Tszyu never made any adjustments after the first knockdown in the second round. He got up and continued to slug with Murtazaliev and even caught him with some big shots that knocked him off balance.
However, Murtazaliev was devastating with his left hook, catching Tszyu and dropping him for the second time in round two. In the final seconds of the round, Murtazaliev put Tszyu down with a massive right hand.
That punch appeared to do more damage than the first two knockdowns in the second because Tszyu was out on his feet when he got back up. There were only a few seconds left in the round, and he was able to escape.
Before the start of round three, the referee brought the ringside doctor into the ring to have him examine Tszyu to determine whether he was fit to continue. Unsurprisingly, the crowd booed the delay. Tszyu was given the green light and sent out for the third, looking in bad shape.
Murtazaliev then immediately went after Tszyu, firing huge punches, and floored him for the fourth time in the fight with a left hook. Tszyu made it easy for Murtazaliev by trading shots rather than heeding his corner’s advice to box. The contest was stopped moments later when Tszyu’s corner threw in the towel when he was getting battered against the ropes by Murtazaliev and could barely stand while being bombarded.
