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Tim Tszyu vs Sebastian Fundora, Liam Wilson vs Oscar Valdez, Emanuel Navarrete, news, weight tampering claims, private jet

George Rose is set to join the likes of Tyson Fury, Floyd Maywether and Irish megastar Conor McGregor by flying into Las Vegas for a hyped world title fight via private jet.

In a unique twist to Tim Tszyu’s world title blockbuster against Sebastian Fundora, No Limit CEO Rose, his brothers and fight manager Glen Jennings will all be flying in luxury between the world’s fight capital and Arizona just 24 hours earlier.

The big spend has been made to ensure the group can be ringside when both Tszyu and fellow Australian Liam Wilson headline separate fight cards over consecutive nights in the United States.

While Tszyu is making his hyped T-Mobile Arena debut this Saturday night in the US (Sunday in Australia), Wilson faces Mexico’s Oscar Valdez inside Desert Diamond Arena — the same Arizona venue as his now infamous 2023 world title loss against Emanuel Navarrete.

Both fighters are promoted by No Limit and managed by Jennings.

So while Tszyu was telling US media over the weekend how he now feels like a “beast on a leash that’s about to break”, Wilson continued his own preparations for a showdown against former world champ Valdez.

BOXING: Tszyu v Fundora + Zerafa v Lara LIVE from Las Vegas | WED 31 MAR 11AM AEDT | Exclusive to Main Event, order on Kayo Sports. No Kayo subscription needed.

Tim Tszyu and Sebastian Fundora ahead of their upcoming title bout.
Tim Tszyu and Sebastian Fundora ahead of their upcoming title bout.Source: Getty Images

It is now almost a year to the day since the Queenslander suffered his ‘27 count’ world title loss against Emanuel Navarrete – which also included a huge weigh-in drama where fighter and his team suggested the scales had been tampered with.

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia, Jennings said he was determined to be at both fights and promised 28-year-old Wilson would not endure any of the drama that unfolded a year ago.

“It was an absolute disgrace,” the manager insisted of a weigh-in drama which saw Wilson inexplicably hit the scales almost two kilos light while the champ was close to bang on.

“I wasn’t managing Liam at the time but really felt for him because, four pounds, you just can’t displace that without something being untoward.

“And had I been there, I would’ve been standing right alongside Liam, wouldn’t have let him get off the scales.

“When you see a discrepancy like that, you have to address it immediately.

“Otherwise your fighter steps off the scales, takes a drink and the window of opportunity is gone.”

Jennings said the Australian’s team should have immediately suggested the scales had been tampered with and, given Wilson had been on weight earlier in his hotel room, it likely meant Navarrete was in fact over.

“I can assure you Liam Wilson will never be put in that position again,” Jennings said.

“We’re spending the money and getting a private jet so that way we can travel across to deal with these types of things.”

MORE: Meet the 187cm US southpaw who has flown into Vegas to save Tszyu

’Punches don’t hurt’: Tszyu sledges ’awkward’ giant rival after startling Vegas face off

Emanuel Navarrete (R) stops Liam Wilson (L) last year in Glendale, Arizona.Source: Supplied

The move comes as Tszyu was also in an aggressive mood over the weekend, telling Fight Hub TV how the late withdrawal of his own original opponent, American superstar Keith Thurman, had only made him more focused.

The WBO super welterweight champ said Thurman pulling out “has triggered something”, while also hinting he was happy to no longer be dealing with the former champ’s verbal antics.

“With the circumstances, I feel like a beast has been unlocked in me,” Tszyu said.

“It’s a good feeling.

“I can’t wait.

“The stakes are higher (now), another belt on the line … it doesn’t feel like a comedy show anymore, it feels like a fight.

“And I love the feeling.

“I felt it in the Tony Harrison fight, this beast inside me.

“Now, I’m on a leash, I’m getting contained. But that leash is about to break …”

Fundora shows no concerns for Tszyu | 01:40

With No Limit promoting both Tszyu and Wilson, Rose has agreed to hire a private jet so that everyone who needs to can leave Las Vegas after Tszyu weighs in, fly interstate for the Wilson fight, then return in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The group will then kip for a couple of hours before heading to T Mobile Arena where Australia’s undefeated poster boy fights for both the WBO and WBC straps.

It is understood there are only eight places on the jet, with half being taken up by No Limit’s three Rose brothers – George, Matt and Trent – with a fourth reserved for Jennings.

The agent said that given what happened the last time his fighter appeared in Arizona, he wants to be on ground for both the fight and weigh-ins if possible. Another option is to have Eric Belanger, the boss of Split T Boxing — the Las Vegas gym Team Tszyu is calling home — shadow Wilson at the weigh-ins.

“We’ll make our intentions known to not only the commission but all concerned that we won’t be accepting that again,” he said.

“We want everyone on notice.

“We also want to ensure the right people are in the right places and that no one is there (on stage during weigh ins) who doesn’t need to be.

“And we’re happy to be quite vocal if it means having some people cleared out.

“There’s no backward steps on this one.”

Rose admits Tszyu in for harder fight | 01:18

Despite Team Wilson’s claims after the Navarrete fight, there was no proof of any wrongdoing with famed US promoter Bob Arum even going so far as to label the claims “bulls…”.

Asked about suggestions the scales had been tampered with, Arum responded: “Oh, c’mon, this is Arizona.

“Nobody f….d with the scales.

“It’s bulls….”

So no controversy?

“He made the weight for Christ’s sake,” Arum continued, before pointing out how every other fighter on the undercard had weighed in without drama.

“There weren’t any aberrations with the other fighters.

“And nobody touched that scale before that (main) fight was weighed in.

“I hate all these conspiracy theories in boxing. Let me assure you, the scales were accurate.”

Tim’s unbelievable face-off with Fundora | 00:55

Regardless, No Limit and Team Tszyu have their private jet booked – joining other high flyers like Gypsy King, Mystic Mac, and ‘Money’ Mayweather.

The proud owner of a US$50 million Gulfstream 650, Mayweather has travelled in his private aircraft to destinations like Monte Carlo, Hong Kong, Bali, Fiji and Tokyo.

Mayweather’s ride is famed for boasting all sorts of luxury additions, including a bed, leather seats, satellite phone, even a state-of-the-art ventilation system which pumps fresh air into the cabin every two minutes.

Elsewhere, the jet branded Air Mayweather also carried his signature TMT logo, while the fighter’s famed 50-0 record is stitched into both the carpet and on the uniform of staff who work his flights.

UFC megastar McGregor is also a regular user of private jets, while heavyweight boxing king Tyson Fury recently uploaded images of himself travelling on a schmick Airbus ACJ319.

Returning home from Saudia Arabia last month, the British boxer and his team travelled in a private jet boasting its own cinema, double bedroom, dining room and dedicated ‘entourage area’.

Fury’s rented aircraft can seat 19 passengers, 90 suitcases and a crew comprising two pilots, two flight attendants and a flight support engineer.

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