Boxing great Shawn Porter calls out Nikita Tszyu tactics after devastating TKO stoppage

American boxing great Shawn Porter has called for Nikita Tszyu to marry his explosive power and attack with a better defensive game after his tactics were questioned in his victory over Koen Mazoudier. On a night overshadowed with the ugly scenes involved after Michael Zerafa's bout, Tszyu headlined the card and was made to work for his TKO victory.

Tszyu became the new WBO intercontinental and IBF Australasian super welterweight champ as Mazoudier constantly pushed the pressure in an explosive bout. Tszyu looked slick and fast in the opening rounds as his advanced footwork and head movement was on show.

However, fatigue kicked-in after the fifth round and Mazoudier's constant pressure appeared to be getting the better of Tszyu as the scorecards appeared to be getting close. Although a straight left from Tszyu changed the fight in the ninth as it rocked Mazoudier. Tszyu piled on the pressure and the referee eventually stepped-in to wave off the fight with Mazoudier too gallant for his own good and refusing to go down.

Tszyu's bout was deemed one of the bouts in Australian boxing so far in 2024 with both fighters engaging in a slugfest towards the end. While entertaining, former American boxing champ Porter was slightly critical of Tszyu's tactics.

Porter, a former two-time welterweight champ, was ringside in commentary and said Tszyu needs to combine his heavy hands with a more slick defence because he won't be able to continue to take punishment against higher-ranked opponents. When asked about Tszyu's ability to get out of trouble with his punches, Porter claimed Tszyu might need to work on avoiding shots of his own instead of engage in a savage brawl.

"I hope moving forward that is something that is talked about in the camp. That we need to learn, now, we have solved the puzzle of putting the speed and the power together. Not loading up on every shot.

"Next faze is how do we keep ourselves safe. If you a fighter that is now 10-0 and have been rocked as many times as Nikita has...now it is time to be responsible so he can have the longevity that he wants to have."

Porter hailed Tszyu for showing maturity in the first-half of the fight, which saw the undefeated fighter use his head movement to weave in and out of Mazoudier's jab. And Porter admitted he needs to work on the fundamental skills to help him when fatigued.

"When the conditioning starts to go, we start to lose certain things we learned...we regress. He is in auto-pilot for the majority of the second-half of the fight. Throwing lots of power shots, getting hit with a lot of shots and he is trying to find his way," Porter added.

While Porter alluded to some tactics Tszyu can improve, the American was impressed with his ability to come out and finish opponents even when he appears tired. And Tszyu admitted he needed to dig deep ahead of his ninth-round stoppage.

Nikita Tszyu lauds tough rival after slugfest

Tszyu appeared to be tiring in the seventh and eighth round against Mazoudier as his opponent started to outwork him. Although Tszyu found something deep and managed to add another TKO victory to the record.

And Tszyu admitted Mazoudier was much tougher than he predicted having been rocked a number of times throughout the fight. "I had to work for that, it was not easy," Tszyu said. "I have to take my hat off to Koen, he's one tough, tough guy. "There was a point in the middle where I was kind of out of my feet, I had to kind of push through and dig deep."

Older brother, Tim Tszyu, was watching the bout from overseas and claimed his brother was using his power punches well throughout the contest. "My little bro got some heavy hands," Tszyu wrote on social media.

No Limit promoter chief executive George Rose was keen to make the Tszyu and Michael Zerafa bout happen next. "Let's do it," Rose said after Tszyu's victory. Tszyu will take some time off after the bout having emerged battered and bruised after the entertaining slugfest. The Aussie also said he was ready to keep improving after a closer than expected bout.