Tim Tszyu is looking to bounce back from the first loss of his professional boxing career when he faces IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev in Orlando on Sunday afternoon.

Tyszu’s rapid rise came to a sudden halt in March earlier this year when he dropped a split decision to Sebastian Fundora, although the Australian also gained plenty of admirers in the process having put himself in a position to win the fight despite suffering a gruesome cut in the process.

BOXING: TSZYU V MURTAZALIEV | Tim Tszyu faces off against undefeated IBF super welterweight champ Bakhram Murtazaliev | SUN 20 OCT 10:30AM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports >

Tszyu was initially set to fight Vergil Ortiz Jr. in August but was forced to pull out of that fight, instead later targeting a bout with Erickson Lubin, which was also scrapped when the American suffered a hand injury.

It left Tszyu to face Murtazaliev, with the winner expected to face Lubin and it will be quite the challenge against the undefeated Russian, who boasts a 22-0 record with 16 stoppage wins.

It is the biggest fight of Tszyu’s career and, for the first time since his professional debut, he will have father Kostya in his corner.

The pair shared an embrace earlier on Sunday, with News Corp’s Peter Badel describing it as a “quite emotional moment”, with Tim on the brink of tears.

Earlier in the week, Kostya opened up on the reasons for the lengthy break between seeing his sons ahead of Tim’s fight against Murtazaliev.

The 55-year-old former world champion surprised his boys at Tim’s pre-fight press conference in Florida on Thursday morning Australian time to confirm that he will watch his elder son fight in person for the time since his professional debut.

Tim has entered the ring 25 times since that night in 2016 but his father has stuck to watching his fights via FaceTime courtesy of members of Tim’s corner.

Kostya moved back to his native Russia to start a second family more than a decade ago, and said he has often been too busy with work and caring for his two young children to travel around the globe to be ring side.

“Honestly, I want to be there every time they fight. Unfortunately, it’s too far away,” he said in an interview with Kayo Sports’ Ben Damon.

“Secondly, I’m extremely busy. I have a schedule months ahead of me. At the end of the year I only have three days off.”

BOXING: TSZYU V MURTAZALIEV | Tim Tszyu faces off against undefeated IBF super welterweight champ Bakhram Murtazaliev | SUN 20 OCT 10:30AM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports >

FULL FIGHT CARD RESULTS

Main card

Bakhram Murtazaliev vs Tim Tszyu (IBF junior middleweight/super welterweight title)

Yoenis Tellez vs Johan Gonzalez (super welterweight)

Cesar Mateo Tapia vs Endry Saavedra for the IBF world middleweight title ends majority draw (94-92 Tapia, 93-93 x2)

Prelims

Dainier Pero def. Willie Jake Jr via KO (heavyweight)

Justin Viloria def. Diuhl Olguin via TKO (super featherweight)

Ryan Lee Allen def. Carlos Jackson via TKO (super bantamweight)

Gary Antonio Russell def. Jaden Burnias via KO (super bantamweight)

Daniel Blancas def. Marco Delgado by unanimous decision (58-55 x3)

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EARLIER: TSZYU WARNED AGAINST MAKING ‘SILLY’ MISTAKE

American boxing great Shawn Porter has urged Tim Tszyu against chasing the division’s biggest name after becoming IBF champ — convinced the Australian beats every super welterweight but Terence Crawford.

The retired star’s warning comes as longtime arch rival Michael Zerafa also suggested that while Tszyu is set to become a two-time champion this weekend, he would be “stopped in six” by boxing’s pound for pound king.

While Zerafa would become a leading option for Tszyu if he loses a second straight title headliner this Sunday, the Melburnian is among a long list of fighters backing ‘The Soul Taker’ to dethrone IBF super welterweight champ Bakhram Murtazaliev.

Others predicting a Tszyu victory to Fox Sports Australia at Friday’s weigh-ins included Porter, Antonio Tarver and Caleb Plant.

Quizzed on Tszyu, Plant replied: “Man, hell of a fighter and has a great team around him.

“So while it’s a tough fight this weekend I’m tipping him to get the job done.”

Porter agreed, with the two-time welterweight champ saying Tszyu beats everyone in the division not named Crawford.

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“Tim is at that level,” the now Main Event analyst said, when comparing the Sydneysider to fighters like Bud and Errol Spence Jnr.

“And while I say respectfully that I don’t think he can beat Terence Crawford, Tim can beat everyone else at super welterweight.”

Elsewhere, Tarver also confirmed he was tipping Tszyu, especially after seeing him on the scales.

“He looked good in the skin, man,” said the American great boasting multiple title triumphs, including a win over Australian favourite Danny Green.

“He’s here to show the world that he’s back, mentally and physically.

“He’s in there with a tough guy defending his title, but Tim is in the top echelon of this division and that’s what he is going to show on fight night.”

Asked why he liked Tszyu, Tarver continued: “Tim got it on his own.

“He didn’t rely or depend on his famous father.

“He’s got there on his own.

“That’s big.

“And that’s what I like about him, standing on his own 10.”

So as for hanging with, say, Crawford?

“That would be a hell of a fight,” Tarver continued.

“Because Tim’s only loss against Fundora, it comes with an asterisk.

“So until somebody shows me that they can beat Tim Tszyu … let’s see after this weekend if he’s the guy we’re talking about.

“If Tim wins here Saturday night, everyone is gunna be talking about him Sunday morning.”

MORE TSZYU VS MURTAZALIEV NEWS

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‘STEP ASIDE MONEY’: Tszyu slams ‘stupid’ rival as Russian hits back

Porter, meanwhile, expects to be commentating another Tszyu victory for the Australian fans watching on Main Event and Kayo.

Asked how Tszyu dethrones the undefeated champ, he continued: “What happens with a lot of Russian fighters — and I know Murtazaliev has been in the States for a while — but most of them are very systematic.

“They don’t change from what they do, don’t make adjustments.

“Tim has the ability to make adjustments and that’s why he’s going to win this fight.”

Asked if he liked the idea of Tszyu doubling down with a fight in December, Porter added: He’ll yeah, I’m good with that.

“And he should.

“Tim is the busiest fighter in boxing.

“He’s doing what every other fighter in the world should be doing.

“He’s staying busy, staying in the public eye.”

Porter added that while he likes Tszyu talking about a December fight however, it likely won’t happen.

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, Zerafa also tipped Tszyu to score a tough, decision victory over the undefeated Russian at Orlando’s Caribe Royale Resort.

The fighter dubbed Pretty Boy added however that his countryman should avoid any talk of then challenging Crawford – describing the move as “silly”.

“I don’t think Crawford knows who Tim Tszyu is to be honest,” Zerafa said.

“And when you look at how things are playing out right now, I don’t think Crawford fights him anyway.

“It would be silly for Tim too, because he gets stopped in six.

“In the Fundora fight, we saw there were a lot of mistakes from Tim, and what I’d call ongoing mistakes.

“Tim gets hit a lot.

“And you can’t make those types of mistakes against the top guys in the division.

“I know he’s calling out Terence Crawford, and good on him.

“But you can’t make those mistakes against a guy like that.

“When you’re getting your head jabbed off by Fundora, countered by Fundora … guys like Crawford, Errol Spence, they’re both levels above that.”

Still, Zerafa will be cheering for Tszyu and is tipping him for the win.

“Against Murtazaliev, I really do hope Tszyu wins,” Zerafa said.

“It’s going to be a hard fight.

“Murtazaliev is a tough fighter who has that aggressive, walk forward style – wants to go for the knockout.

“He’s the toughest guy Tim Tszyu has faced.

“But I also think Tim is the toughest guy Murtazaliev has fought against too, and Tim’s own neat style can upset everyone.

“With neither having been stopped before, I’m expecting it to go the distance.

“It makes for a good fight and hopefully Tim comes out on top.”

Back in March, Tszyu suffered a shock world title loss when trying to unify against Fundora, however spent almost 30 minutes fighting blind in what would eventually be a split decision defeat, due to a large head wound suffered in the second round.

On the same night, Zerafa was also stopped in his own attempt to take a title from WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara – and is now aiming to throw down against Nikita Tszyu whenever his hand is healed.

Should he beat the younger Tszyu sibling, Zerafa is convinced he will go into the mix for Tim Tszyu, despite suggestions ‘The Soul Taker’ will be pitched straight at a host of big international names as champion.