Boxing fans pinpoint the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment they knew Tim Tszyu was going to lose his world title fight

Tim Tszyu’s crushing loss to Bakhram Murtazaliev has stunned many experts in the boxing world, but some fight fans believe they have found the moment that foreshadowed his demise.

The Aussie’s career is in tatters after the brutal world title loss to the Russian, where he was caught off guard four times before his corner twice threw in the towel to stop the fight.

‘What the hell happened? What hit me?,” a shattered Tszyu said at a post-fight news conference at the Caribe Royale resort in Orlando.

Boxing fans and pundits were left with the same question – and some think a moment early in the fight foreshadowed the brutal defeat.

Tszyu, whose last fight against Sebastian Fundora was derailed by a huge gash on his forehead, reached to the same spot early in the fight to check if he was bleeding after what appeared to be a minor accidental head clash against Murtazaliev.

Although no cut could be found, boxing reporter Dan Canobbio suggested it proved Tszyu had still not mentally recovered from his last fight.

‘This was the beginning of the end for Tszyu; he reached for the scar from the Fundora fight when there was no cut. PTSD is real,” he posted on social media alongside a clip of the moment.

Another boxing fan wrote on

Murtazaliev dominated the Australian throughout the fight, knocking his opponent down three times in the second round

Australian boxing journalist Peter Badel also emphasized that this bizarre moment ‘should set alarm bells ringing’.

“It was almost like muscle memory… which I think suggests there’s psychological scar tissue from Fundora,” Badel said after the fight.

‘I am shocked by the way Tim fought that battle. He’s usually such a great executioner and he’s so disciplined with his boxing IQ, but I thought his brains went out the window for Braun and you don’t shoot fire with Murtazaliev.”

Tszyu’s brother Nikita was the first to throw in the towel, before his trainer uncle Igor threw in a second.

Fans have suggested that Tszyu has still not recovered from his bloody defeat to Sebastian Fundora

Tszyu was completely outclassed by the powerful Murtazaliev on Sunday afternoon

‘It didn’t go according to plan. The better man won tonight, there are no excuses,” Tszyu said.

‘Yes, no excuses. I did my best and these things happen.

‘Boxing isn’t meant to be perfect. So you live and you learn, right?’

Tszyu had made a bid to join his Hall of Famer father Kostya as the second father-son to each win at least two world titles.

Instead, the 29-year-old will return to Australia with an uncertain future after a second straight defeat after opening his career with 23 wins.

Kostya had joined his son in Florida and walked into the ring with him after previously being banned from attending Tim’s fights because he became too volatile during the fights.

Tszyu had dreamed of fighting big names like Terence Crawford and Saul Alvarez, but will now have to find his way back to regain his status as a title contender.

Perhaps he should start by fighting compatriot Michael Zerafa, who Tszyu called out after the loss, with the pair sharing bad blood since Zerafa pulled out of a fight in 2021.