Tim Tszyu rejected the notion that he was too cautious with his right hand against Errol Spence Jr. last July. For Tszyu, getting his hand raised put that debate to bed. Taking on WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara presents a far trickier tactical puzzle: how to release that signature power punch without walking directly into a counter straight left.

Tszyu insists he damaged Spence and felt entirely comfortable with the performance. Turning his attention to Lara, he pointed directly to the Cuban veteran’s deceptive lead hand, footwork reads, and sudden left hand deliveries.

“This fight is a game of inches. You really can’t make one mistake at that high level. It’s hard to go and throw 100 punches carelessly in a round because there’s 100 different opportunities that you can get caught,” Tszyu said to The Punch podcast.

Tszyu suggested he anticipates an aggressive Lara hunting for a stoppage, but the veteran can inflict equal devastation by simply giving up an inch of canvas. Southpaws of Lara’s caliber thrive on the classic half step pull counter. If Tszyu overextends with the right hand while searching for Lara’s chin, his momentum leaves his weight trapped over his front knee. That leaves him completely exposed to a sharp left counter while his feet remain stuck. A pawing, noncommittal jab from Lara often serves as bait, coaxing aggressive fighters into lunging from outside range.

Winning the lead foot battle will dictate Tszyu’s success. He cannot allow Lara to consistently step outside his front foot, which forces the orthodox right hand to travel at a wide angle while opening a clean lane down the center for Lara. Tszyu must establish his jab to the chest to measure range, mixing in level changes and double feints to freeze Lara’s back foot before unloading. Targeting the body early with heavy rights will also slow the veteran down and pull his elbows in, unlocking paths to the head.

Patience carries its own severe penalties against a master boxer. Spending entire rounds looking for an ideal opening allows Lara to steal minutes with a flickering jab and isolated straight shots. Tszyu settled for minimal right hands against Spence, but dealing with Lara on the Gold Coast demands far more offensive initiative.