Errol Spence Jr. lost a unanimous decision to Tim Tszyu after twelve rounds at Afterpay Arena in Sydney, with all three judges scoring the fight for Tszyu, 118-110, 117-111 and 117-111.
The decision followed a fight in which Tszyu pressed the action and repeatedly landed a strong right hand. Ringside accounts noted Tszyu's higher output and cleaner, more consistent counters while Spence showed signs of ring rust after a lengthy layoff.
Spence mounted moments of offense and landed meaningful shots, but he could not sustain prolonged pressure. Observers cited the three-year absence from the ring and difficulty handling Tszyu's size and forward pace as factors in the result.
Tszyu said the victory was the biggest of his career, adding he would like to fight for a world title. Spence responded graciously in defeat, congratulating Tszyu and telling reporters he planned to leave the sport to be with his family.
Reports also noted this was Tszyu's first fight under trainer Jeff Fenech and that the Australian layered pressure with precise right-hand counters. Officials warned Spence for excessive holding and low blows during close exchanges, which influenced several clinch-heavy rounds.
Purses And Career Implications
Neither camp formally confirmed exact purses, but industry reporting placed the total event purse near fifteen million dollars. Multiple outlets expected Spence to receive the largest guaranteed share given his commercial profile.
Estimates circulating before the bout varied widely. Early speculation put Spence's guarantee between eight million and twelve million dollars, while a later two million five hundred thousand figure was publicly dismissed by his manager, Adrian Clark, who suggested the real number was well into eight figures.
By contrast, Tszyu's historical purses have been smaller. Reporting noted his April 2025 fight carried a guaranteed pool of about one million six hundred thousand dollars split between fighters, and pre-fight estimates set Tszyu's guarantee for this event between three million and five million dollars.
Commentators concluded the payday represented a major financial step for Tszyu regardless of outcome. For Spence the reported figures were discussed in light of his previous guarantees, including a one million five hundred thousand dollar guarantee for a 2022 unification bout and eight-figure guarantees linked to his 2023 title fight.
