Tim Tszyu (28-3, 18 KOs) took a unanimous decision over Errol Spence Jr. (28-2, 22 KOs) in a 12 round middleweight bout at Afterpay Arena in Sydney, headlining a PBC pay-per-view carried on Prime Video and DAZN. The judges scored it 118-110 and 117-111 twice.

Minutes after the cards were read, Spence said he was finished as a fighter.

“It was a good fight and congratulations to Tim,” Spence said in comments distributed by Premier Boxing Champions. “It’s been a great event and everyone has treated me well. It was a good showing by Tim.”

“I answered a lot of questions for myself and now it’s time to go home with my family and start a new life. I’ve got my faculties intact and my money is working for itself. I’m thankful to leave this sport with my family by my side.”

Asked directly in the ring by Main Event’s Ben Damon whether this was the end of the road, Spence confirmed it was. “I think yeah, for sure,” Spence said, according to ESPN. “I’ve got my faculties intact. My money is good at working for itself. Everything’s good, man. I’ve got a beautiful family, and I thank God I’m gracious to leave this sport with my faculties intact and my family still by my side.”

It was Spence’s first appearance since his ninth round stoppage loss to Terence Crawford in July 2023, a layoff of just under three years, and his first fight above 147 pounds. The bout was originally agreed at a 158-pound catchweight before Spence requested a move to the full middleweight limit of 160 during fight week. Both men weighed 159.

Tszyu, fighting for the first time under trainer Jeff Fenech, said the division suits him.

“Middleweight is my new division and I feel strong,” Tszyu said. “This was one hell of a show. There were sleepless nights where I was thinking about facing a legend like Spence. I understand why he’s one of the greats.”

Both men landed in the opening round, with Tszyu knocking Spence off balance with a right hand before Spence answered with a clean left. The first half of the fight was traded back and forth, Spence working the body early while Tszyu scored with right hooks against the southpaw. Spence’s activity dropped through the middle rounds, and Tszyu began investing in body work of his own.

“The advice from corner was to get in there,” Tszyu said. “I’m trying to replicate Kostya Tszyu and my trainer Jeff Fenech. If I can be half as great as them, I’ll go down as a great man.”

Spence pressed in the championship rounds and had his best moments of the second half, but was met with return fire each time. Tszyu closed the fight by picking his shots to the head and body in the 12th, backing Spence up repeatedly. Tszyu outlanded Spence 190 to 157 in total punches, per CompuBox figures reported by CBS Sports.

The win keeps Tszyu unbeaten in Australia. He had rebuilt toward this fight with wins over Anthony Velazquez and Denis Nurja after losses to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev, including a shutout of Nurja in Wollongong in April that cleared the last contractual hurdle to the Spence bout.

“I’d love to fight for a world title. I want Erislandy Lara and all the champions,” Tszyu said. “That’s what I’m aiming for. But beating a great like Errol Spence tops any world title for me.”

Sean Crose’s assessment of Spence’s decision to walk away ran on BoxingInsider.com following the fight.

In the pay-per-view co-feature, lightweight Ahmad Reda (9-0, 6 KOs) took a 10 round unanimous decision over Australian Olympian Paul Fleming (28-2-2, 18 KOs) by scores of 99-91, 97-93 and 96-94. Reda was first to the punch throughout and kept a pace Fleming could not match. Fleming showed his defensive movement but could not mount enough offense to hold Reda off. Reda finished combinations with the right hand and worked on Fleming’s left eye as the fight moved late. A cut opened on Reda’s cheek in the final seconds.

Unbeaten middleweight and Australian Olympian Callum Peters (8-0, 7 KOs) stopped Argentina’s Ivan Actis (13-1-1, 9 KOs) at 55 seconds of the seventh round. Peters picked his shots over the first three rounds before opening a cut over Actis’ left eye in the fourth and pressing the advantage for the remainder of the round. He continued to beat Actis to the punch through the middle rounds. Actis was checked by the ringside doctor before the seventh and took further shots early in the round, prompting referee Will Soulos to wave it off.

The pay-per-view opened with a matchup of unbeaten light heavyweights, and Australian Olympian Paulo Aokuso (11-0, 6 KOs) knocked out the Dominican Republic’s Luis Antonio Tejeda (12-1-1, 9 KOs) with a single left hand 21 seconds into the 10th and final round. Tejeda had success pinning Aokuso on the ropes for much of the fight. Aokuso was credited with a knockdown early in the fifth from a right hook, though replays suggested he had pushed Tejeda down. Aokuso was hurt late in the seventh and finished the round on unsteady legs, then returned to the jab in the eighth to slow Tejeda’s pressure. Tejeda lunged in during the 10th and was caught flush.

On the preliminary card, 2024 Olympian Tina Rahimi won her professional debut by four round unanimous decision over Sacha Ryan Dryden, 40-36 twice and 39-37, and heavyweight Brandon Grach beat Ike Pluto by five round unanimous decision, 49-45 twice and 48-46. Grach and Pluto accepted the bout on less than 24 hours’ notice after the scheduled co-feature between Stephen Fulton Jr. and Liam Wilson collapsed. Fulton weighed in 6.5 pounds over the rearranged 133-pound catchweight, the second consecutive fight in which he has missed weight. A separate undercard bout between Jermall Charlo and Koen Mazoudier had already been scrapped over visa issues.

The event was promoted by No Limit Boxing and The Rose Brothers, Man Down Promotions and TGB Promotions.