Tim Tszyu says his opponent, Joey Spencer, is a “roadblock” for him, and he plans on getting “rid” of him this Sunday, April 6th, in their 10-round headliner at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Broadmeadow, in Newcastle.

The former WBO junior middleweight champion Tszyu (24-2, 17 KOs) sounded confident in meeting with the media today to discuss his fight against Spencer. Tszyu wants to snap his two-fight losing streak and get back where he was previously with the top fighters in the division.

Roadblock Ahead

When Tszyu, 30, was asked about his thoughts about promoter Eddie Hearn saying that he has doubts that he’s a world class fighter after watching him lose to IBF 154-lb champion Bakhram Murtazaliev and Sebastian Fundor in back-to-back fights in 2024. Those defeats put Tszyu in a place where he can ill-afford a loss against Spencer, but it could happen.

“In my mind, he’s a roadblock, and I want to get rid of this roadblock,” said Tim Tszyu to the media, talking about his fight against Joey Spencer on Sunday. “Coming into the Orlando fight, I was in unreal shape.”

Spencer, 24, can punch, and he’s got the youth to take advantage of the problems that Tszyu has shown in his last two fights. Losing to this guy would leave Tim with no other options but to retire because he shouldn’t be getting beaten by this type of fighter.

“I’m just devastated that I didn’t get to show myself,” said Tim about his blowout third round knockout loss to IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev on October 19th last year in Orlando, Florida. “On Sunday, I get to show myself. I’m King.

Hearn’s Doubts

“Forget about what you’ve done in yourself and focus on what just happened. I respect Eddie Hearn. I’m here to show all the critics that I am still world class,” said Tszyu reacting to being told that Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn says he doesn’t know if he’s world class because each time he’s stepped up to fight world class opposition, he’s lost in his fights against Sebastian Fundora and Murtazaliev.

“He’s a professional, and he understands the magnitude of this event,” said Tim about Spencer.