Gervonta Davis has publicly backed Errol Spence Jr ahead of his middleweight fight against Tim Tszyu in Sydney on Saturday. Spence makes his return to the ring following a three-year layoff to face the Australian contender at Afterpay Arena.
The 160lb contest was originally agreed at a catchweight limit of 158lbs. However, Spence requested an additional two pounds shortly before the bout, a concession that was granted by fight organizers. Spence, 36, has been inactive since losing his WBC, IBF and WBA welterweight belts to Terence Crawford via a ninth-round stoppage. That defeat ended an unbeaten run at 147lbs, making Saturday’s bout his first major career fixture above the welterweight division.
Despite his lengthy absence, Spence enters the ring as a slight favourite due to his technical boxing background. On social media, former world champion Gervonta Davis offered his encouragement to his fellow American, writing: “Bring it home EJ!”
Tszyu enters the ring looking for a critical victory to revive his campaign. The 31-year-old has experienced a difficult period, losing three of his past six bouts. Stoppage losses to Sebastian Fundora in 2024 and Bakhram Murtazaliev in 2025 disrupted his trajectory, leaving his 2023 points decision over Brian Mendoza as his last major win.
Tszyu’s primary strategy lies in establishing a relentless pace early in the fight. By pressing forward with continuous attacks, the Australian aims to test whether Spence’s timing and physical sharpness have faded during his three years away from competitive boxing.
For Spence, overcoming the ring rust and securing a win in Australia would validate his move up in weight and confirm his capability to operate at the elite level once again. For Tszyu, defeating a high-profile former champion represents the clearest path back toward world title contention at super-welterweight.
