This was a fight I wasn’t particularly excited about initially, mainly because I wasn’t very familiar with Bakhram Murtazaliev. But after what I witnessed, I’m definitely familiar with him now. Murtazaliev absolutely demolished Tim Tszyu, delivering a shocking third-round stoppage that no one saw coming. Most people, including myself, did not predict Tszyu to get stopped so early, but Bakhram showcased his power and proved he’s a serious force in the super welterweight division.

With this dominant performance, Bakhram Murtazaliev is now the IBF champion, and the idea of him facing Terence Crawford sounds like a potential blockbuster. Honestly, the 154-pound division is stacked with great matchups, and Bakhram has officially thrown his name into the mix as a top contender.

As for Tim Tszyu, I believe he can bounce back from this. There are plenty of names in the division he can face to rebuild his stock. This loss doesn’t define him, and with the right fight, he can regain his momentum.

I’m excited to see what’s next for both fighters—especially Bakhram. After a performance like that, it’ll be interesting to see who steps up to challenge him next.

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