Errol Spence Jr. has officially retired from professional boxing, bringing the curtain down on one of the most accomplished careers of his generation. The 36-year-old former unified welterweight champion announced his decision immediately after suffering a unanimous decision loss to Tim Tszyu on July 25/26, 2026 (local time in Australia) at a sold-out Afterpay Arena in Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales.
The fight marked Spence’s first appearance in nearly three years and saw him move two weight divisions up to middleweight (160 lbs) after spending the majority of his career dominating the welterweight division. While the result favoured Tszyu, the night ultimately became about the respectful farewell of one of boxing’s most resilient champions.
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Official Fight Details
| Category | Official Details |
| Event | Tim Tszyu vs. Errol Spence Jr. |
| Date | July 25/26, 2026 (Local Time, Australia) |
| Venue | Afterpay Arena, Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales |
| Division | Middleweight (160 lbs) |
| Result | Tim Tszyu def. Errol Spence Jr. by Unanimous Decision |
| Judges’ Scorecards | 118-110, 117-111, 117-111 |
| Spence Final Record | 28-2 (22 KOs) |
| Tszyu Updated Record | 28-3 (18 KOs) |
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Background: Why Errol Spence Jr.’s comeback carried enormous significance
Long before stepping into the ring in Sydney, Spence had already overcome challenges that would have ended many careers.
The former WBA (Super), WBC and IBF unified welterweight champion ruled the division between 2017 and 2023, building an impressive résumé with victories over Kell Brook, Lamont Peterson, Shawn Porter, Mikey Garcia, Danny Garcia, and Yordenis Ugas, with the Brook victory in Sheffield earning him the IBF world title.
However, his career also became defined by extraordinary adversity.
In October 2019, Spence survived a near-fatal Ferrari crash in Dallas, where he was ejected from the vehicle after driving without wearing a seatbelt following drinking. The accident left him in intensive care with facial injuries and lingering physical effects.
Two years later, a retinal tear and detachment in his left eye, discovered during sparring in 2021, forced him to withdraw from a planned blockbuster bout against Manny Pacquiao.
His return in 2023 ended with the first defeat of his professional career, suffering a ninth-round TKO loss to Terence Crawford in Las Vegas. Following that setback came another lengthy absence before accepting what he admitted beforehand could be his final fight—or one of only one to three remaining bouts focused on personal redemption rather than titles.
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Trainer Ronnie Shields guided Spence throughout the comeback camp.
Across the ring stood Tim Tszyu, son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, who entered under new trainer Jeff Fenech seeking a defining victory after previous junior-middleweight title defeats to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev. Fighting in front of his home fans and undefeated in Australia, Tszyu viewed the bout as a career-defining opportunity. The event aired on pay-per-view, including Amazon Prime Video in selected markets, while Terence Crawford watched from ringside.
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Timeline: How Tim Tszyu gradually took control against Errol Spence Jr.
The opening rounds suggested a competitive contest.
Rounds 1–3 delivered early fireworks. Tszyu repeatedly landed sharp right hands that snapped Spence’s head back, while Spence answered with his trademark pressure, body punching and higher work rate, particularly during the second and third rounds. Even then, his balance appeared compromised as he struggled whenever forced backward.
Rounds 4–6 remained closely contested. Tszyu increased his output and found increasing success with the right hand, while Spence continued investing downstairs with combinations. Some observers believed Spence had done enough to edge the fight entering the second half.
Everything changed after the midpoint.
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Rounds 7–9 proved decisive. Tszyu consistently timed Spence with straight rights, hooks, uppercuts and body shots, almost scoring a knockdown according to several reports. The American’s punch output declined noticeably as the effects of the three-year layoff, the jump to middleweight and Tszyu’s pressure became increasingly apparent.
Round 10 briefly saw Spence produce his strongest moment of the later rounds with a solid left hand, although it failed to trouble Tszyu significantly.
Before Round 11, trainer Ronnie Shields bluntly informed his fighter that he simply was not doing enough. Spence responded with his best round of the second half, throwing left hands and returning to his body attack to win the frame on many unofficial scorecards.
But Round 12 belonged entirely to Tszyu. Pressing relentlessly, he landed heavy right hands—including one that sent Spence stumbling into the corner—to finish emphatically.
The official scorecards of 118-110, 117-111 and 117-111 reflected Tszyu’s dominance over the final six rounds. Although no official knockdowns were recorded, Tszyu came close while Spence demonstrated tremendous toughness by lasting the full twelve rounds.
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Expert and boxing world reaction
Moments after the final bell, Errol Spence Jr. confirmed his retirement.
Asked whether this was truly the end, he answered:
“Yeah, for sure, man… I’ve got my faculties intact. My money is good, it’s working for itself. So, everything is good. I’ve got a beautiful family. I thank God that I’m gracious enough to leave this sport with my faculties intact and my family still by my side… I asked a lot of questions of myself. Now it’s time to go home with my family and start a new life.”
The Sydney crowd responded with applause as Spence closed the chapter on a professional career spanning nearly 14 years, following an amateur résumé of approximately 135-12, three consecutive U.S. national titles, and an appearance at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Following the announcement, Terence Crawford agreed that retirement was the right decision and said Spence did not look the same. Tributes also came from Claressa Shields, Regis Prograis, and Ryan Garcia.
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What’s next?
For Tim Tszyu, the victory is widely regarded as the biggest win of his professional career. Defeating a future Hall of Famer in Sydney strengthens the Tszyu family legacy, combining the undefeated Australian home records of Kostya Tszyu, Tim Tszyu, and Nikita Tszyu.
Tszyu confirmed that middleweight is now his permanent division and identified potential future opportunities, including a possible challenge for WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara or other major fights.
As for Errol Spence Jr., he retires with a 28-2 record (22 knockouts), remembered as one of the defining American fighters of his era. His technical southpaw style, relentless body punching, championship reign, and remarkable perseverance through life-threatening setbacks have left a legacy that many believe will ultimately earn him a place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
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Disclaimer
This article has been prepared following thorough research and verification based on reporting and information available from Sky Sports, CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports, Boxing247, and Wikipedia, along with officially reported fight results and post-fight statements. The article is intended to present a factual summary of the event using these publicly available sources.
Sources:
Image Credit:
- Brendon Thorne / Getty Images
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