Legendary boxing trainer Johnny Lewis says Tim Tszyu should retire if he loses in his comeback fight on Wednesday night

That’s the ominous message from Australia’s legendary boxing trainer Johnny Lewis to Tim Tszyu as the embattled former world champion prepares for his moment of truth in Sydney on Wednesday night.

Rocked by three heavy losses in his past four fights, Tszyu (25-3) is fighting to save his career when he takes on unbeaten American Anthony Velazquez (18-0-1) at the TikTok Entertainment Centre.

Few know the Tszyu family like Lewis, who guided Tim’s famous father Kostya to world-title dominance, including his savage clobbering of Zab Judah to become the undisputed super lightweight king in 2001.

Now, almost a quarter of a century after he helped Tszyu conquer the world, Lewis fears the son of Kostya is facing retirement if he can’t bludgeon Velazquez to reignite his flagging career.

The ‘Soul Taker’ – renamed ‘The Phoenix’ – has endured a horror past 18 months. He suffered his first career loss in a bloody world-title war against Sebastian Fundora in March 2024, was knocked out in three rounds by Bakhram Murtazaliev seven months later and mauled by Fundora in their rematch in Las Vegas in July.

A fourth-round stoppage of Joey Spencer in April is Tszyu’s only highlight-reel moment in nearly two years and Lewis says there would be no coming back from a fourth defeat if Velazquez pulls off an Aussie ambush.

“A loss of any description would be disastrous for Tim,” Lewis said.

“If he doesn’t win, he will have to find something to do in life.

“I never thought Tim would be in this position, I thought he would still be unbeaten and be up there with Jai Opetaia as our best pound-for-pound fighters.

“But this is now the most important fight he has ever had. He is not fighting for a world title – he is fighting for his career.

“Tim just needs a win, but it has to be a dominant win.

“If he doesn’t put on a really good performance, he will have to consider retiring.”

Lewis helped Kostya recover from his shock loss to Vince Phillips in 1997 and he hopes Tszyu’s decision to sack his entire team and link with Pedro Diaz, who has trained 21 world champions, can take the 31-year-old Sydneysider to another level.

But Lewis, who trained six world champions, has detected worrying signs in Tszyu. It’s not just his beatings in the ring. It’s his cocky comments in the lead up to the Velazquez fight, including Tszyu declaring: “I’m not good, I’m great.”

Lewis believes it’s false bravado masking searing self-doubts.

“Tim needs to pull his head in with a few of his comments,” said the boxing Hall of Fame icon.

“I don’t like some of the things he is saying. He doesn’t need to talk himself up or put his opponent down, he just needs to get in the ring and let his fists do the talking.

“Look, there’s mental issues there with his confidence.

“I think Tim is talking the way he is because he has some question marks and doubts.

“He thinks going overseas to Pedro Diaz is the right move and it most probably is. There’s a lot riding on this fight. If he struggles to win in a drab 10 rounder, they will be saying Tim is finished.

“Australian boxing needs Tim Tszyu winning. Our sport needs him to be a world champion again.

“But I didn’t like the things Tim said (about being great and trash-talking Velazquez) and no-one called him out on it. The backlash on all that is when you lose and you’re sitting on your backside, it can torment him.

“All he has to do is become a top 10 performer and get into the ratings again and strut his stuff.

“He doesn’t need to beat his chest in the media, boxers do that when they can’t fight or you are down on confidence.

“I really hope Tim goes well and puts in a 10 out of 10 performance and shows he can fight back.”

Tszyu insists he doesn’t need a major overhaul under Diaz.

“Everyone thinks I will change, but I won’t change my style,” he said.

“To change your style, takes years and years of instinct in your head.

“I will be more refined.

“I’ve got all the tools but sometimes I have stopped using the tools.

“I was winning on intelligence, not being a brawler. I was breaking guys down. That’s what I want to do again.”