A fully-healed Tim Tszyu admits he's back on the ground floor in his desperate bid to become a "shot-caller" in one of boxing's hottest classes.
The Australian will aim to become a two-time world champion when he fights undefeated IBF super welterweight champ Bakhram Murtazaliev (22-0) in Orlando, Florida on October 19 (October 20 AEST).
Tszyu (24-1) had the first loss of his career in March, when an accidental elbow from Sebastian Fundora badly cut his head, the streaming blood impairing the Australian's vision for the rest of the fight.
He lost on a tight split decision and then was ordered on medical grounds to withdraw from an August fight against undefeated Vergil Ortiz.
The former WBO champion, in camp in Las Vegas, is fully healed and has no regrets about fighting through that Fundora mishap despite the costly outcome.
"I'm not satisfied at the moment ... we're still at the bottom level right now," he said on Wednesday.
"There's no fear, there's none of that at all, it doesn't exist in my blood stream at all.
"I just want the biggest and best challenges out there and whoever they call the bad guy, give them to me, feed them to me."
Tszyu has seen enough of Murtazaliev to think he fits the bill.
"He brings the heat; you hit him and he keeps coming," Tszyu said.
"They've got the dog in them, some fighters may be skilful, but don't.
"Nothing is supposed to be easy on the road to the top. There's no such thing as an easy fight. You have to go through the fire."
The loss to Fundora slammed shut the door on Tszyu's proposed big-money date with WBA champion and pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford.
But an IBF strap would give Tszyu back some power at the bargaining table.
"This division is red hot. There's a lot of big match-ups to be made," Tszyu said.
"To be mentioned with those type of names is what it's all about. I want to be the shot caller and calling out these types of fights and you do that by having a strap on your belt."
