Tim Tszyu chose to fight fire with fire and Bakhram Murtazaliev made sure he got burned.
Murtazaliev dropped Tszyu three times in the second round and made the Australian taste the canvas yet again in the third. The beating forced Tszyu's corner to throw in the towel toward an emphatic third-round TKO victory for Murtazaliev who retained his IBF super welterweight world championship at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida on Saturday night.
Both fighters made it clear that their bout was going to be contested in the phone booth as they traded fire during the opening round. Those fireworks exploded in favor of Murtazaliev who first dropped Tszyu by uncorking a slashing left hook across the jaw in the second round.
With his legs still wobbly, Tszyu fell victim to two more knockdowns in the frame — the second coming on a left cross and the third on a sharp right to the temple.
Tszyu was badly damaged but saved by the bell. A doctor checked him out before the third round could start but shortly after the bell tolled, Murtazaliev detonated another raucous left hook which dropped Tszyu in a heap.
With plenty of heart, Tszyu got up off the canvas yet again, but a savage beating in the corner forced his team to throw in the towel, giving Murtazaliev the crushing third-round TKO statement victory.
With the win, Murtazaliev improves to 23-0 with 17 KOs. Tszyu (24-2, 17 KOs) has now suffered his second straight loss.
Here are all the key updates and highlights from Murtazaliev's big win over Tszyu.