Tszyu secured the middleweight title shot by defeating Errol Spence Jr and will pursue a championship in a second division.
Tim Tszyu will challenge Erislandy Lara for the WBA middleweight title in Australia. Promoters have not announced the fight date, host city, venue or broadcaster.
The matchup sends Tszyu back into a championship fight after he outpointed Errol Spence Jr in Sydney in July. That victory extended his winning streak to three bouts and lifted his record to 28-3 with 18 knockouts.
Tszyu will remain at the 160-pound limit rather than return to super welterweight.
“At 160 I feel strong, I feel sharp and I feel dangerous. Middleweight is my division now. Spence was just the appetiser,” Tszyu said in the official announcement.
Tszyu Targets Championship in Second Division
Tszyu previously captured the WBO super welterweight title. Dethroning Lara would add a middleweight championship to his record and make him the first member of the Tszyu family to claim world titles in two weight classes.
His father, Kostya Tszyu, unified the junior welterweight division and captured every world championship of his career at 140 pounds.
“I’ve carried the Tszyu name my whole life. It’s a privilege and it’s pressure. This is my chance to write a chapter that belongs to me, and it’s the legacy defining moment of my career,” Tszyu said.
Jeff Fenech will command Tszyu’s corner for the title challenge. The former three-division champion joined Tszyu’s team in April 2026 and guided him through the Spence victory.
Lara Brings WBA Belt to Australia
Lara enters the matchup with a 32-3-3 record and 19 knockouts. The Cuban southpaw captured the WBA “Regular” middleweight belt in 2021 before the organization elevated him to full champion in 2023.
The 43-year-old has completed four successful title defenses and has never lost by stoppage as a professional. He also previously captured WBA championships at super welterweight.
Lara’s title reign and southpaw craft give Tszyu a seasoned champion to crack. Tszyu will bring pressure, body punching and home support into his bid to seize the belt.
Promoters expect to announce the date, location, ticket information and broadcast details in the coming weeks.