Denis Nurja (20-1-0, 9 KOs)’s adventure in Australia, which we had previewed in an interview with the Albanian fighter (available here), ended in a unanimous decision defeat, with a triple score of 100-88 in favor of the hometown hero and former world champion Tim Tszyu (27-3-0, 18 KOs).
Inside the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong, Australia, Denis and Tim produced an entertaining fight, rich in interesting technical exchanges. Tszyu made his greater experience at this level count, along with superior punching power, controlling the bout with authority. Nurja, now based in Italy where he trains under coach Andrea Gabbanelli at Boxing Club Castelfidardo, delivered a solid performance, showcasing a good offensive arsenal but struggling to make his punches truly effective.
At the opening bell, the two engaged in a battle of jabs to control center ring. Tszyu appeared focused and determined not to give his opponent space, but Nurja’s jab was quick and effective, forcing Tszyu to press forward immediately and double it up with the straight right.
The Australian began working the body early, constantly varying his angles. His work at mid-range allowed him to push Nurja to the ropes repeatedly, landing uppercuts and hooks. Tszyu took control of center ring, forcing Denis to move laterally to avoid the pressure.
The fight heated up quickly, with both fighters exchanging intensely and displaying their combinations. However, Tszyu’s jab and straight right were landing too easily, enabling him to close the distance and work with uppercuts. Despite some good offensive moments, Nurja struggled to halt Tszyu’s advance, mainly due to a lack of punching power.
The contest became increasingly intense, and after a left hook from Nurja, the two fighters clashed heads, opening a bad cut under Tszyu’s left eye. The Australian responded by becoming even more aggressive, backing Nurja to the ropes during a prolonged attack, landing a big left hook and then scoring a knockdown with two right hands. Denis got back to his feet quickly and managed to survive the round despite Tszyu’s follow-up hooks and uppercuts.
Tszyu’s combinations proved more effective, and he worked the body very well with his left uppercut, which landed almost at will and went largely unanswered. By the end of the fifth round, Nurja looked worn down, and Tszyu had little trouble landing his jab-right hand combinations.
Despite the pressure, Nurja showed great toughness. His work rate dropped significantly as the rounds went on, though he still had moments of danger, including a solid left hook. However, despite some quality punches, he absorbed too much from his opponent—especially to the body—and failed to respond with the same effectiveness, perhaps wary of Tszyu’s counterpunching.
Pinned again to the ropes in the sixth, Tszyu landed a heavy right hook that Nurja managed to withstand, though the impact was clearly felt.
Tszyu’s pressure remained relentless, and Nurja struggled to contain him, even receiving a point deduction for repeated holding.
Despite his fatigue, the Albanian managed to break through Tszyu’s guard at times with quality punches, such as a clean uppercut in the eighth round. However, he lacked consistency, allowing Tszyu to recover quickly and respond with sustained attacks of his own.
Tszyu himself began to show signs of fatigue, becoming less precise and less explosive. But Nurja did not find the strength to turn the fight around, despite giving everything in the final round. After ten rounds, the judges awarded a unanimous decision victory to Tim Tszyu, who claimed the vacant WBO International middleweight title. There is now talk of a potential high-profile bout against Errol Spence Jr.