Errol Spence Jr’s career came to an end in front of a hostile home crowd in Sydney, as Tim Tszyu delivered a comprehensive unanimous decision win that sent the American great into retirement. It was a fitting, if sobering, way for a nearly three-year comeback attempt to conclude: competitive in flashes, but ultimately a step too far after so long away from the ring.
A Long Layoff Finally Catches Up
Spence hadn’t fought since his 2023 defeat to Terence Crawford, a gap of 1,093 days that always looked like the central question heading into this one. He had early moments where the old timing showed through, but his balance never looked fully settled across the fight, and Tszyu, younger, fresher, and fighting on home soil, exploited every opening that gave him.
A Size and Volume Advantage That Told
Tszyu, moving up in weight himself but clearly the boxer better suited to the occasion, out-landed Spence 190 punches to 157 across the fight, with a lopsided 117-59 edge in power shots over the final seven rounds. The scorecards reflected the gap that opened as the rounds wore on: 118-110 and two cards of 117-111, all in the Australian’s favour.
Records That Mark the End of an Era
Tszyu improves to 28-2 overall and extends his unbeaten record on Australian soil, while Spence’s storied career closes at 28-3. For a fighter who once shared the ring with Terence Crawford and Shawn Porter at the top of the welterweight division, it’s a quieter ending than his best nights deserved, but not an undignified one.
Spence Bows Out on His Own Terms
Spence made clear afterwards that this wasn’t a decision forced on him by the sport. “I answered a lot of questions about myself,” he said. “It has been a great journey for myself but it’s time to be with my family and live that family life.” With his faculties intact and his finances secure by his own account, it’s as clean an exit as boxing tends to offer its biggest names, and Tszyu, for his part, has never had a better platform to build from.
