Michael Zerafa is on standby if it means landing a long-craved fight on minimal notice.

The veteran middleweight contender is prepared to face countryman Tim Tszyu – should Michigan’s Joey Spencer, 19-1 (11 KOs), opt out of the Tszyu fight over a dispute regarding officiating neutrality. 

Tszyu and Spencer are currently due to meet in a junior middleweight bout atop an Amazon Prime card this Saturday evening (U.S. time) from Newcastle Entertainment Centre in Australia. 

Spencer’s side contends that they were promised upon first signing for their fight that there would be at least two international judges. Jason Spencer, Joey’s father and head trainer, insists that Tszyu’s team breached that agreement. According to Jason Spencer, the three assigned officials are all from Australia. 

Zerafa, 33-5 (21 KOs), is closely monitoring the situation and is ready to save the show in what would be a far more appealing fight on the domestic scene. 

“There’s a perception that everything goes Tim’s way,” Zerafa said in quotes provided by promoter No Limit Boxing. “If Joey Spencer and his team feel the judging situation isn’t fair and decide not to move forward, I’ll be ready.”

Tszyu, 24-2 (17 KOs), is fighting at home for the first time since 2023. His pair of bouts in the U.S. last year both ended in defeat, including a crushing third-round technical knockout to IBF junior middleweight titlist Bakhram Murtazaliev last October in Orlando, Florida.

Prior to that, Tszyu dropped a split decision to Sebastian Fundora in March 2024, which ended his WBO junior middleweight title reign.

All three of Tszyu’s fights in 2023 came with a version of the WBO title at stake. He won the interim belt in a March 2023 ninth-round knockout of former full WBC titlist Tony Harrison in his Sydney birth town. Three months later, Tszyu defended that secondary belt in a first-round knockout of Carlos Ocampo at Gold Coast Convention Centre in Broadbeach. 

The same venue hosted Tszyu’s unanimous decision win over Brian Mendoza later that October, by which point he had been elevated to full WBO titleholder. 

Tszyu-Spencer is a 10-round non-title fight. Such contests rarely come with neutral officials, whereas that would be the standard for a sanctioned title fight. 

Still, Spencer’s team feels they are entitled to a fair shake and demand the matter be rectified sooner rather than later. 

“When we were offered this fight 10 weeks ago, we were promised a neutral judging panel,” Jason Spencer told Fox Sports Australia. “It was a key term. [...] There would be one Australian judge and two internationals. 

“Yet now, at the last minute, we’re being told it will be three Australians. That doesn’t work. It’s not our agreement, and the fact they’re also dropping it on us now, in fight week, it just isn’t professional.”

Spencer has never previously fought outside of the U.S. in his seven-year pro career. He has won three straight since a brutally one-sided, seventh-round TKO loss to then-unbeaten Jesus Ramos Jnr in March 2023. Each of Spencer’s last two fights have come in his home state, including an August 17 win in his hometown of Linden, Michigan.

At 25, Spencer– and his team – believe there is plenty of fight left in his career. With that came the insistence that they’re not just here to make up the numbers, but to shock the world. 

“I’m not saying the [three Australian] judges will cheat. And it’s important I’m clear about that,” noted the elder Spencer. “We aren’t here for a paycheck. We’re here to win. But already, the odds are already stacked against us. 

“So does Tszyu need it all? Or does he believe he can beat my son fairly? It says a lot about my son’s character as a fighter that he takes challenges, fights the best. All we want is a fair shot.”

Meanwhile, Zerafa is eyeing his cell phone awaiting that emergency call.

The 33-year-old Melbourne native has long called for a Tszyu clash but feared he’d once again miss out this year. There was talk that, with a win on Saturday (Sunday, local time), Tszyu would seek to resurrect a previously canceled showdown with Keith Thurman. 

Tszyu-Thurman was due to take place in March 2024, but Thurman – a former unified welterweight titlist – suffered an injury and was replaced by Fundora. Thurman returned on March 12, 2025, with a third-round TKO of Brock Jarvis in Sydney.

Zerafa fought on the undercard and stopped Besir Ay in the seventh round of a middleweight bout. 

Whatever it will take to get in the ring with Tszyu this weekend will not be an issue.

“Whether it’s five days’ notice or just one, if there’s a chance to settle unfinished business, I’m stepping up – no hesitation,” insisted Zerafa.

Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.