Spence questioned the original catchweight before turning his attention to the atmosphere awaiting him on fight night.

“There was no reason. I was like, why fight at 158? We might as well fight at the weight limit, 160. I mean, why not?” said Spence after his arrival in Australia.

“Hopefully everybody won’t boo me and put on a great show.”

“I don’t have no message for him. I’m a big fish. I’m going to come take over his backyard.”

The bout was initially announced at a 158-pound catchweight before being changed to the full middleweight limit. Spence’s comments suggest he never saw much purpose in meeting two pounds below the division’s championship ceiling if both fighters were already moving up from junior middleweight.

The former champion also brushed aside any concerns about fighting in front of a partisan crowd. Spence captured his first world title by stopping Kell Brook in Sheffield, England, in 2017, and noted that he competed overseas regularly during his amateur career. Those experiences have left him comfortable fighting away from home, even against one of Australia’s biggest boxing stars.

Tszyu will have the crowd behind him at Qudos Bank Arena, but Spence is treating the environment as part of the challenge rather than a disadvantage. Instead of trying to win over Australian fans before the opening bell, he appears content to play the spoiler if it means leaving Sydney with a victory over the hometown