Jeff Fenech slams axed Tim Tszyu staffers… and names US icon to save Soul Taker’s career

Jeff Fenech says Tim Tszyu can become a world champion again within nine months if he finds himself the right American trainer – and has nominated the legendary Freddie Roach among his top picks.

Paro vs Papot | THURSDAY 18 SEPT 7PM AEST | Liam Paro’s quest to recapture gold continues, as he moves up in weight to take on undefeated Frenchman David Papot, with the winner set up to compete for the IBF Welterweight Title. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia, Fenech has also branded Tszyu’s shock decision to axe head coach Igor Goloubev and manager Glen Jennings as arguably the most important decision of his life, stressing: “Everything they’ve been doing has been wrong”.

Elsewhere, the four-division world champ also responded to scores of fans urging him to get involved with The Soul Taker, saying he will happily work with not only Tszyu, but his undefeated younger brother Nikita if asked.

“And I’ll tell you this,” Fenech said, “if I’m in Tim Tszyu’s corner for 10 fights against Sebastian Fundora, he wins all 10 of them”.

The Australian boxing great also urged Nikita to follow his brother’s lead and split from the same fight crew, convinced that if the 27-year-old doesn’t he will also fall heavily when eventually reaching title contention.

And when it comes to Aussie boxing more generally, Fenech has also heaped praise on new No Limit signing Liam Paro, who tonight fights an IBF world title eliminator against France’s undefeated David Papot in Brisbane

After losing all three of his most recent world title fights in the US, Tszyu announced on Instagram overnight that he will be making significant changes to his team and corner moving forward.

It’s understood the Sydneysider will head to the United States for at least six weeks in October, and has already told promoters No Limit he then wants to fight at home in December, on what will be their 2025 farewell show.

A longtime critic of Tszyu’s corner, Fenech welcomed the news of his split, saying: “This is arguably the most important decision of Tim Tszyu’s life.

“Because if Tim had the right people in his corner, he’d still be world champion.

“So let’s just hope it isn’t all too late.

“And I don’t believe it is.

“I think with Tim Tszyu being the fighter he is – and having the name that he does – he can be back at the top in nine months, very easily.

“But it’s really important that Tim goes to America now and finds what he needs.”

Asked who Tszyu should work with, Fenech said the former super welterweight champ should at least spend some of his time Stateside at the famed Wild Card gym of Roach.

While Manny Pacquiao’s legendary trainer has been suffering from the effects of Parkinson’s Disease for several years now, Fenech pointed to his recent work with both the returning Filipino legend and hyped Irish prospect Callum Walsh.

Paro vs Papot | THURSDAY 18 SEPT 7PM AEST | Liam Paro’s quest to recapture gold continues, as he moves up in weight to take on undefeated Frenchman David Papot, with the winner set up to compete for the IBF Welterweight Title. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.

“Tim Tszyu just needs time with people who know what they are talking about,” Fenech stressed. “People who can educate him, and provide educated sparring.

“I can tell you too that over there, they’ll all want to take him.

“So Tim just needs to find the gym that will look after him properly.

“And Freddie Roach has a wealth of experience.

“I watched his boy Walsh fight on the Crawford-Canelo undercard the other day and that’s as good as I’ve seen him.

“The kid looked brilliant.

“And that’s exactly what the tutelage of Freddie Roach can do.”

Fenech is also urging Nikita Tszyu to make the same move his brother has.

“Because early on in their careers, my grandmother could have trained both those boys to win their fights,” he continued.

“Early on, they didn’t need help.

“But now once Tim has really stepped up, and needed help, it hasn’t been there.

“And the same thing will happen to Nikita.

“Believe me, it will.

“And does he want that?

“I watch Nikita fight and think ‘wow, this kid is so blessed with the strength he has’.

“But he needs more than one game plan.

“He needs an A, B, C.

“But he doesn’t have any of that.

“Neither of them do.

“You’ve got two freakish fighters who return to the corner after rounds and get asked ‘are you OK?’, then get offered some water.

“That’s it.

“They get no advice.

“Because people who don’t know can’t give you advice.

“So I hope Nikita realises ‘hey, my brother hasn’t done this for no reason’.”

After an outstanding 2023 saw him racking up massive wins against Tony Harrison, Carlos Ocampo, and Brian Mendoza — while claiming WBO belt along the way, too — Tszyu has since lost three of four bouts.

Most recently, the Aussie dropped a second world title fight against Fundora and, last October, was also brutally stopped by IBF champ Bakhram Murtazaliev.

In April, he earned a win against American Joey Spencer, only to then be retired on his stool by Fundora in a Las Vegas blockbuster in July.

Since Tszyu announced his decision to make team changes on Wednesday evening, social media has lit up with comments – including scores of fans urging Fenech to either train or act as a mentor for the former world champ.

To which he says what?

“Listen, I’ve known Tim Tszyu since birth,” Fenech continued. “So if either of those boys want my help, they’ll have it.

“Of course, not all fighters make great trainers.

“But I believe I can definitely help because of the people I’ve been around over the years, guys like Emanuel Steward and Johnny Lewis.

“And I’ve spoken to Tim about this before.

“At the time, he was a bit gun shy because of his team.

“But I’ll tell you right now, you put me in Tim Tszyu’s corner for 10 fights against Sebastian Fundora, we win all 10 of them.

“And he does it no problem.

“But really, this isn’t about any of that.

“This is about the Tszyu boys going to America and finding someone who can help them.

“Because everything they’ve been doing, it’s just wrong.

“Even the other day, I heard their team saying ‘oh, Tim Tszyu will come off a loss and fight the top guy again straight away’ … mate, that’s how stupid they are.

“Imagine saying that?

“Tim Tszyu has all the skills.

“He just needs to make a few changes, pick the right opponents and have the right people in his corner.”

And as for Fenech’s biggest wish?

“I just want to see somebody look after that kid now,” he said.

“Because Tim doesn’t need to prove how tough he is.

“We know he’s tough.

“So it can’t just be a corner who just throws him in there.

“It all needs to be calculated.

“A corner that knows who he needs to fight, when he needs to fight, and when he needs to spar.

“We need somebody who will look after Tim Tszyu.”

Elsewhere, Fenech said he was excited to see how Paro looks in his welterweight debut against Papot at the Pat Rafter Arena.

After winning and losing a super lightweight title last year, the big punching southpaw is now moving up in to become a contender in a division stacked with stars like Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Rolly Romero, Mario Barrios, even the legendary Pacquiao.

“Liam Paro has become one of my favourite Australian fighters,” Fenech said of the Queenslander trained by Alfie Di Carlo.

“Not only because he’s involved with the most beautiful family in the world, the Di Carlos.

“But every fight, I’m just watching this guy get better and better and better.

“Obviously at one point he was in against one of my boys (in Brock Jarvis) but I can’t wait to see where he gets to now as a welterweight.”