The boxing world is still recovering from the shock of the stunning defeat of highly-touted Australian boxer Tim Tszyu, who was swept away last Saturday in just three rounds by Russia’s Bakhram Murtazaliev. Heated debates have arisen among experts, insiders, and fans alike regarding the main causes of this unexpected debacle, with some attributing it to poor matchmaking. According to this view, Tszyu was sent to the slaughter by his managers against an opponent who was too tough and dangerous. The author, however, is quite skeptical of this theory and believes instead that what we saw on Saturday was just one of many fights in recent months that has forcefully highlighted the crucial importance of stepping into the ring with a good game plan. In today’s editorial, I will try to develop this theme by using four concrete examples.
“Don’t Hook with a Hooker”: Murtazaliev vs Tszyu
In English boxing circles, the phrase “Don’t hook with a hooker” is frequently used. Essentially, it advises against trading hooks at close range with someone whose best weapon is precisely that—a hook. This simple rule of common sense evidently did not cross Tim Tszyu’s mind before or during his ill-fated and brief battle a few days ago. Tszyu’s defensive limitations were well-known to anyone who followed his career: when he unleashes his two-handed combinations, Tim leaves his head too frontal, making himself vulnerable to dangerous counter shots.
However, over the past two years, the son of the legendary Kostya Tszyu had appeared to grasp the importance of a patient and gradual approach when facing heavy-handed opponents. Both against Tony Harrison and Brian Mendoza, the Australian started cautiously, carefully selecting his punches and raising the tempo only after studying and softening up his dangerous rivals. It would have been the perfect strategy to repeat against Murtazaliev, a fighter known for his explosive power but lacking in footwork, defense, and upper-body movement. Instead, Tszyu rushed forward recklessly as if facing a journeyman, effectively digging his own grave.
Make Your Opponent Uncomfortable and You’re Halfway There: Dubois vs Joshua
If in the case of Tszyu’s defeat it is legitimate to point the finger at the Australian’s poor game plan, the beating suffered a month ago by Anthony Joshua, equally heavy and decisive, leads us to praise the excellent strategic approach by Daniel Dubois and his trainer Don Charles. Many expected a cautious and careful start from the newly crowned IBF champion against such a prestigious opponent as AJ, in order to avoid dangerous early blows. Several experts, including former British boxer Tony Bellew, had emphasized that the aggressiveness Dubois showed against Filip Hrgovic left DDD exposed to a series of violent right hands and that a similar “gift” to Joshua would likely have been fatal.
Don Charles, however, thought differently. The experienced British trainer realized that Anthony Joshua has often found himself in trouble when dragged into a brawl. Like many athletes whose talent owes more to constant, meticulous work in the gym rather than natural ability, AJ excels when he has time and space to calmly execute the actions studied and prepared during the training camp. Unless you’re an intergenerational talent like Usyk, trying to outbox him at long range isn’t a great idea. When forced to rely on instinct and improvise in chaotic and suffocating phases, however, AJ tends to make mistakes, leave himself open, and lose his composure and concentration. By carving a path with a surprising left jab, Dubois did just that: he brought the war to the warrior’s home, made him uncomfortable, and pushed him to commit the colossal error that turned the fight into a massacre.
Adversity Sharpens Ingenuity: Lopez vs Leo
Perhaps the bout between Luis Alberto Lopez and Angelo Leo, for the IBF featherweight world title, went unnoticed by casual fans, but those who follow boxing closely know it was a tactical masterpiece by the challenger. What we witnessed that night in Albuquerque, perfectly aligned with the other fights mentioned in this article, highlights how often the underdog on paper is the one who uses ingenuity to bring strategic traps to the ring, capable of overturning the odds.
Leo certainly did his homework: facing a fighter with overwhelming physicality but prone to losing form, falling into punches, and neglecting defense, he centered his game plan on the obsessive search for counterpunching, resorting to clinches and minimizing damage whenever Lopez managed to impose the close range. The challenger’s excellent game plan contrasted sharply with the complete absence of one from the champion, who, for ten rounds, did nothing but load up his punches wildly, hoping to eventually find the winning shot. Instead, it was, unsurprisingly, the more rational fighter who found the jackpot: faced with yet another defensive opening from his opponent, Leo landed the perfect blow, sealing a sensational knockout.
Bad Matchmaking or Bad Strategy? Anderson vs Bakole
In recent days, the boxing world has been buzzing about the statements made by famed promoter Bob Arum, who revealed to the press Top Rank’s strong opposition to young American prospect Jared Anderson’s decision to fight the Congolese giant Martin Bakole. According to Arum, his organization was “overridden” by Arab promoters who offered the young fighter a generous purse, prompting him to accept the fight despite the promoter’s objections.
While it is certainly true that Bakole represented an enormous and probably excessive step up compared to Anderson’s previous opponents, it is equally true that the way “Big Baby” chose to fight the dangerous man was simply suicidal. Constantly planted in front of the Congolese power puncher, Anderson relied on his reflexes, attempting to dodge all punches with his hands down, as if he possessed the defensive solidity and agility of Floyd Mayweather Jr. It’s impossible to say for certain how things would have played out if the American had moved constantly on his feet, keeping his guard high and throwing quick, short combinations between movements, but his chances of success would surely have been exponentially higher compared to the dismal odds he condemned himself to with his arrogant approach.
Be Careful Blaming Trainers: Sometimes the Fighter is Solely Responsible
When a fighter loses a bout due to a disastrous strategy, a wave of criticism often arises, demanding the immediate dismissal of their team. However, it’s important not to quickly point the finger at the trainer: boxers are not puppets controlled remotely by strings moved by their trainer, nor are they video game characters receiving commands via a joystick. When an athlete steps into the ring, they must contend with their emotions, pride, the adrenaline rushing through their body, and what their instincts tell them to do.
It happens far more often than people think that a coach prepares a good game plan, refining it day after day during training camp, only to see it torn apart by their fighter as soon as the bell rings. Therefore, attributing blame from the outside to one person or another is a risky task, as only those who have lived through the daily preparation for the fight know for sure what went wrong and what the fighter wearing the gloves had been advised to do.