Tszyu world title eliminator off after rival withdraws
Boxing star Tim Tszyu has been left in limbo once again after American Erickson Lubin pulled out of the pair’s scheduled world title eliminator in Australia.
Lubin has informed the IBF he is “medically unfit to fight” on the proposed September 22 date in either Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or the Gold Coast.
The purse bids set for July 30 have now been cancelled.
Leading US boxing journalist Dan Rafael broke the news on X on Wednesday morning, leaving Team Tszyu once again scrambling for an opponent.
Sydney’s former WBO super-welterweight champion hasn’t fought since losing for the first time in his 25-bout professional career against Sebastian Fundora in Las Vegas in March.
Tszyu had been favoured to follow in his legendary father Kostya’s footsteps and become a unified world champion before copping an accidental elbow to the head from Fundora in the second round and subsequently losing a bloody split-points decision.
It is the third time Lubin has avoided a fight with Tszyu after turning down the chance last year before the Australian took on Brian Mendoza on the Gold Coast instead.
He was also the leading candidate for a Tszyu Vegas headliner before a last-minute switch to Keith Thurman.
No Limit Boxing promoters are now awaiting an update from the IBF on who they will mandate to fight Tszyu in an eliminator for the world title and remain optimistic of the fight taking place in Australia on September 22 as planned.
Tszyu, currently in training camp in Vegas, has endured a series of disappointing pullouts over the past two years.
The 29-year-old was to have fought Jermell Charlo for undisputed world championship honours in January last year before the American initially postponed the blockbuster, citing a broken left hand.
Charlo then reneged altogether to instead fight pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez in mega-money super-fight which he lost unanimously.
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