Tim Tszyu is planning a late March return in Australia with a clear goal in sight: a high-profile summer showdown against former unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr.

Discussions around Tszyu and Spence have been building for weeks. ProBox TV’s Paulie Malignaggi previously reported serious talks emerging, while The Ring noted Monday that an agreement is already in place for the pair to meet in the summer. Tszyu, 31, returned in December with a unanimous decision win over Anthony Velazquez, bouncing back from his second defeat in two years to Sebastian Fundora.

The Australian is expected to appear in a support bout beneath Crocker’s IBF title defense against Liam Paro. No Limit Boxing, which promotes Tszyu and Paro, secured the purse bid for Paro’s clash with the unbeaten Crocker, opening the door for Tszyu’s March placement. A victory there would move him directly toward Spence, according to an official connected to the negotiations.

A Tszyu–Spence fight would bring together two established names attempting to move beyond the most difficult stretches of their careers. Tszyu endured a brutal run that included a bloody first loss to Fundora in 2024, a subsequent TKO defeat in their rematch, and a punishing loss to Bakhram Murtazaliev. Spence, meanwhile, has not fought since his July 2023 stoppage loss to Terence Crawford, where he was dropped three times.

Tszyu recently addressed the possibility with Fox Sports Australia and did not hide his enthusiasm. “Of course” he would be interested, Tszyu said, calling the matchup “a megafight for Australia,” comparable to Jeff Horn versus Manny Pacquiao. “Do I still have it? Does Spence still have it?” he asked, framing the bout as one filled with intrigue and unanswered questions.

The timing aligns with a busy period at junior middleweight. Xander Zayas unified the WBA and WBO titles on January 31, Josh Kelly captured the IBF belt with an upset of Murtazaliev, and Sebastian Fundora will defend the WBC title against Keith Thurman on March 28. Against that backdrop, Tszyu’s March return could be the final step toward one of the division’s biggest possible fights later in 2026.

Image Credit: ESPN