Tim Tszyu warned by the WBO ahead of Keith Thurman fight
Aussie star Tim Tszyu is set to take on former world champion Keith Thurman, but ahead of the impending bout, the world super welterweight champion has been sent a warning by the World Boxing Organisation governing body.
The fight takes place on March 30 on Amazon Pay-Per-View Prime live in Las Vegas and pits the young, rising star against the older veteran in Thurman who has been rather inactive due to injury in recent years, but was once one of the best in the division.
In a message posted on X by Main Event’s Ben Damon, it has now been revealed that Australian ‘Soul Taker’ Tszyu could be stripped of the WBO super welterweight belt should he lose to the American, even though the bout itself is a non-title fight.
“The WBO has raised the stakes for Tim Tszyu v Keith Thurman with the decision that Tszyu will be stripped of his world title if he loses the 155lb non-title catchweight fight with Thurman”
The surprising move from the WBO comes just days after the organisation’s president Paco Valcarcel suggested that the undefeated Tszyu could see himself in one for a huge fight with former undisputed welterweight ruler Terence Crawford should he come through unscathed at the end of March.
The same night will also see Cuban star and reigning WBA Middleweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara defend his against mandatory challenger Michael Zerafa, while welterweight talent Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora will meet Serhii Bohachuk in the opening fight.