Jeff Fenech’s influence may strengthen Tszyu’s mentality while adding the left hook against Spence’s southpaw stance.
Paulie Malignaggi expects Jeff Fenech to push Tim Tszyu into immediate pressure against Errol Spence Jr. rather than rebuild his technique in one camp. He believes Tszyu’s mentality and left hook could decide whether Spence settles into the fight.
“I feel like if anything, the psychology of Tim with Fenech will be to fight more than flight,” Malignaggi said to The Punch Podcast. “I think if anything, if Fenech’s bringing anything to the table with Tim, it would be more of a mindset than anything else. Pedro Diaz is a very technical trainer, but it doesn’t seem like that’s what Tim needed. I think Tim needed more of the psychological stuff.”
Malignaggi said Fenech’s own fighting style is the reason he expects a more aggressive version of Tszyu on Saturday night. Instead of trying to overhaul Tszyu’s fundamentals in one camp, he sees the Australian great reinforcing an attacking mentality that fits the challenge posed by a returning Spence.
He did say that one technical adjustment he would like to see is that Tszyu’s left hook could become a bigger weapon against the southpaw.
Malignaggi expects Fenech to urge Tszyu to test Spence from the opening bell instead of allowing the former unified welterweight champion to ease back into competition after a three-year layoff.
“I would expect an aggressive Tim Tszyu,” Malignaggi said. “I don’t see how you can not start out this fight aggressively against Errol Spence when you consider what’s in front of you and the question marks about Errol.”
Malignaggi did say that Tszyu has been hurt early in previous fights, making that approach a calculated gamble. He still expects Fenech to press Tszyu into an aggressive start.
Looking ahead to fight night, Malignaggi said he isn’t expecting wholesale technical changes after one camp together.
“If there’s anything that’s going to stand out about Tim with Fenech, I don’t think it’s a lot of technical stuff. Although I would like to see more left hooks from Tim. It’s more the mindset. I think Fenech will be demanding a boss mindset from Tim Tszyu,” said Malignaggi.
