Tszyu facing 197cm freak who 'no one should fight'

Tim Tszyu will have less than two weeks to prepare for one of the biggest anomalies in boxing, with the undefeated Aussie set to take on Sebastian Fundora in Las Vegas.

The 29-year-old Tszyu was initially scheduled to face Keith Thurman on March 31 (AEDT), but the American was forced to withdraw due to a biceps injury.

Tszyu will now defend his WBO junior middleweight title and also have a shot at unifying with the vacant WBC strap against Fundora in the main event of the Vegas card.

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Fundora (22-1-1) poses a unique threat to Tszyu's world title, with his height and reach far above the Aussie star's physical attributes.

Known as "The Towering Inferno", Fundora stands at 197cm tall and has a reach of 202cm, despite competing in the 69kg weight class.

For reference, heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (191cm) is shorter than Fundora, while top-ranked stars Anthony Joshua (198cm) and Joseph Parker (193cm) are around the same height as the Florida native.

Tszyu will enter the fight 22cm shorter than Fundora and with a 23cm reach deficit, but will be hoping the old adage of the bigger they are, the harder they fall will come to fruition in a blockbuster unification bout.

"I think it ends up being a better position to be in, fighting for two belts … it's a great opportunity for Tim," No Limit promoter George Rose said on Tuesday.

"Fundora has been the boogeyman in the super welterweight division for such a long time. He's a hell of a fighter and he was touted as being the next king of the division.

"A guy that tall at that weight is almost impossible. He's a bloke who can jab you from the opposite corner, that's how big this bloke is - he is too big for this division.

"He is a guy no one should fight and Tim Tszyu is fighting him on 12 days' notice."https://twitter.com/DanCanobbio/status/1769880941671895443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttps://twitter.com/JaiMcAllisterx/status/1769860806060241331?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttps://twitter.com/jacktalksboxing/status/1769890021912215585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Fundora has been a handful for a number of junior middleweight contenders over the years, defeating the likes of Carlos Ocampo and Erickson Lubin on his way to winning the interim WBC title in 2022.

However, the only blemish on his record came against a man that Tszyu has already defeated in Brian Mendoza, with Fundora knocked out by the Mexican star last April.

The rangy American hasn't fought since his loss, while Tszyu's perfect record continued throughout all of 2023 with big wins over Mendoza, Ocampo and Tony Harrison.

The event will be held at T-Mobile Arena and will also see fellow Aussie Michael Zerafa in action, when he challenges Erislandy Lara for the WBA middleweight title.