“Worse than anything I’ve seen.” Jeff Fenech shocks by skipping Tim Tszyu’s Sydney return, blasting footage from Tszyu’s Miami training camp as “f***ing worse than anything I’ve seen.”
Tszyu vs Velazquez takes place Wednesday, December 17 from 7pm AEDT as Tszyu, known as “The Phoenix,” seeks redemption against undefeated American Anthony Velazquez. Fans can order via Main Event on Kayo Sports. (Link: https://mainevent.kayosports.com.au/boxing/tszyu-vs-velazquez?pg=default&extcamp=fsaeditoriallinkboxing-edt-fsp-lnk-awr-grc-box-kyo&channel=fsa&campaign=fsacontra&voucher=)
Less than three months after being named a key part of Tszyu’s revamped entourage, Fox Sports Australia confirms Fenech will not attend Tszyu’s much-anticipated Sydney homecoming to face Velazquez.
Fenech characterizes Tszyu’s short training camp under new coach Pedro Diaz as “s***,” suggesting the online pad-work clips show Tszyu moving backward rather than progressing with a new team. He also criticizes Diaz for arriving in Australia only a day before the fight, after Diaz had recently cornered another Tszyu opponent, Armenia’s Noel Mikaeljan, to a WBC cruiserweight title.
Crucially, Fenech says his absence isn’t personal. He loves Tszyu and will support him from home, and he respects Diaz’s résumé, noting Diaz has trained more than twenty world champions. Yet he believes the new arrangement isn’t translating to meaningful change in Tszyu’s approach.
From home, Fenech says he will still cheer for Tszyu and hopes the Diaz collaboration works, but training footage suggests Tszyu isn’t adopting new tactics and is simply paired with a different coach.
A coach from Velazquez’s camp, Hector Bermudez, has also criticized Diaz, arguing there were at least ten other U.S. coaches who could have better fit Tszyu. Bermudez, who has trained five world champions, contends Tszyu should not have parted ways with his longtime mentor and uncle, Igor Goloubev, and reiterates Diaz’s reputation for frequent coaching changes.
Asked for his thoughts on Diaz, Fenech is blunt. He says the pad work looks “f***ing worse than anything I’ve ever seen” and that Tim seems to be doing the same things as before. He clarifies this isn’t a shot at Diaz’s credentials, but questions whether real, behind-closed-doors sessions are delivering new strategies. If Diaz isn’t present for the final ten days of camp, Fenech argues that timing is detrimental because those days are crucial to refining plans.
He will watch the fight rather than attend, enjoying a quiet evening with a meal and a scotch. He emphasizes his stance isn’t about wanting to coach Tszyu again; rather, he worries that certain people around Tszyu dislike him because he tells the truth. If Tszyu wins, Fenech says the victory might gloss over persistent issues with the new corner.
Fenech suggests Tszyu’s best chance is to study recent fights together and actively dissect what worked and what didn’t, building a plan A, B, and C. He believes he could beat Fundora again if given a short window to coach Tszyu, citing Tszyu’s athleticism, skill, and intelligence.
Ultimately, Fenech reiterates his willingness to help Tim whenever needed, while acknowledging some resistance within Tszyu’s inner circle. He ends with a hopeful note: he prays Tszyu wins on Wednesday night, expressing his ongoing support regardless of the outcome.
