Power Grab: What’s really at stake in Tim Tszyu’s world title fight comeback against Bakhram Murtazaliev

This fight is about what comes afterwards, and that means the power to call your own shots.

It means being able to fight who you want, where you want, for whatever price you want.

Tszyu came agonisingly close to achieving that level of control in his defeat to Sebastian Fundora in March.

A win that night would have seen the Aussie leave Las Vegas with two of the four world titles at 154-pounds.

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Then he could’ve taken his pick at opponents, and there would have been a long line of fighters waiting to test him.

Now, after five frustrating months of false starts, the path back there is finally clear once again.

“I want to be the shot caller,” Tszyu said from his training camp in Las Vegas on Thursday. “I want to dictate, and roll the dice the way I want to roll the dice.

“Becoming the world champ, that’s it. That’s the only thing that appetises me.

“When you get the belt, you’re the shot caller and instead of chasing people, they come running to you.”

Getting that level of power isn’t only about calling the shots. It’s about making sure fights actually happen once they’re signed.

It’s rare that an opponent will pull out of a fight - and a monumental payday - against the biggest names in the sport.

While Tszyu has been left in the lurch by Jermell Charlo (twice), Erickson Lubin and Keith Thurman over the past few years, few fighters turn down the mega-money on offer to fight the likes of Canelo Alvarez or Anthony Joshua.

You fight through injury to make sure those bouts happen.

That’s where Tszyu ultimately wants to get to, and a win over Murtazaliev is the first step.

Then, it’s onto lining up some of the biggest fights in Australian boxing history, including a world title revenge mission and the chance to silence a longtime rival.

“(A rematch with Fundora) would be on the cards, but I just want the biggest fights possible,” Tszyu said. “The Errol Spences, Terence Crawfords, Virgil Ortizes, the Charlos even.

“Even a move up to 160 (middleweight), who knows?”

Tszyu’s No Limit promoter is working to organise a date and venue for the fight after the IBF ordered Murtazaliev to defend the belt against ‘The Soul Taker’.

At this early stage of negotiations, it’s looking like the fight will be held in the US in October.

Murtazaliev has already indicated he won’t fly to Australia to fight Tszyu. And having made his Las Vegas debut in March, Tszyu is happy enough to fight there again.

“Australia’s great, I love fighting in Australia, but it scares your opponents,” he said. “They get rattled when they come over to Australia.

“I’m good to fight anywhere. I’m living my dream and I’m enjoying it, so wherever the fight is, I’ll be happy.”

Tszyu is adamant Murtazaliev hasn’t faced a fighter as dangerous as him.

But the same can be said of the Aussie. He’s never fought a rugged Russian like Murtazaliev, and it promises to be an intriguing clash of styles.

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“He brings something different. It’s old school,” Tszyu said. “It’s a great opportunity for myself.

“I was bought up in a Russian household. As soon as you crossed the door into my grandparents’ house, it goes from Australia to Russia.

“Russian boxing school is a big part of my upbringing, so I’m very keen to fight a fellow Russian. It’ll be an interesting fight.”