EXCLUSIVE: Jeff Fenech says 'idiots' in Tim Tszyu camp have created 'circus' and put career in danger

Aussie boxing icon Jeff Fenech has questioned the wisdom behind Tim Tszyu's decision to take on highly touted American prospect Joey Spencer in Newcastle on April 6.

And Fenech has laid the blame squarely at the feet of the Sydney fighter's team.

There was word floating around that Tszyu's promoters No Limit had urged the former WBO super welterweight champ to take on a local fighter - with Michael Zerafa heading a list of opponents.

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But Tszyu was against the idea and pushed his team to make arrangements to fight Spencer, who is 19-1 as a professional and a former American champion who has been touted as a possible opponent for Sebastian Fundora.

He has one loss on his record - that was to Jesus Ramos a couple of years back - but has been on a tear since.

Tszyu is coming off two straight losses - if he goes three in a row, his boxing career would almost certainly be in tatters.

The 30-year-old addressed the difficult task of taking on Spencer, telling media at the fight announcement he didn't want to "ease" himself back after his demoralising loss to Bakhram Murtazaliev.

The Sydneysider also shut down talk of father Kostya attending his fight with Spencer, admitting the legend's presence at the loss in Orlando did pose a distraction.

Fenech agrees with the call on Kostya yet his doubts about Tszyu taking on Spencer remain.

The former world champion said Tim should be taken out of the decision-making when looking for opponents and his trainer, uncle Igor Golubev, should have more insight into what the fighter needs at this stage of the journey.

"I think he should be led by someone who knows the sport of boxing," Fenech told Wide World of Sports.

"It's like a circus over there. Tim is an unbelievable athlete and fighter and he will duck nobody. He just says yes. But for me that's not Tim's decision.

"That's my decision if I'm his trainer. The trainer should be saying this is how we're going to do it.

"But the guys in that circus wouldn't know. That's the only reason why Tim has lost his last two fights. Maybe they should all wear clown masks with the red nose next time they're in his corner.

"If something happens again they'll know that they're idiots."

Fenech emphasised that he has the utmost respect for Tszyu and thinks he can reach the top again but he needs to take a careful path from here on in.

"I love Tim. He wants to fight the best but sometimes in life you have to do a few laps before you speed up.

"There's a method to the madness. I honestly believe that they don't have any consideration or knowledge about that.

"It's not even about having a domestic fight. It's about picking the right opponent. There are a million guys at that weight in the world and they need to pick the one he needs next.

"Going step by step. There's no use going one step then taking the elevator to the top floor. You have to go one step at a time.

"(If) he goes one step at a time I honestly think Tim can go undisputed, I really believe that."

Fenech led Tyson Pedro to his first professional win and title at Penrith Leagues Club on Wednesday night, with the former UFC star taking home the WBC Bridgerweight title.

The Sydney trainer, who is the fourth person to be elevated to Legend status in the Boxing Hall of Fame after a masterful career, strongly believes any trainer worth his salt will protect the fighter from himself.

He said Tim Tszyu has displayed an immense amount of toughness without needing to and that's when a trainer is meant make his presence felt.

Even with the loss to Murtazaliev, it took Tim's brother Nikita to throw in the towel as the fighter was clearly concussed, taking shot after shot.

Yet Fenech says it goes back farther than that.

"With his first loss with the cut head (against Fundora), if they call it off after the fourth round he retains his world title.

"The next fight he would have defended the title and not fought that guy (Murtazaliev) and earns five times more than he earned.

"They had a cutman putting three cotton buds in his head and they didn't know after the fourth round you can stop the fight and we go to the scorecards, Tim was winning after four rounds.

"They spoke about being tough - that's not what the game is about. It's about getting in there and getting out as quick as you can."

Tszyu's team has acknowledged that his career would be in severe danger if he were to lose to Spencer, a nine-time amateur national champion from Linden, Michigan.

The 24-year-old Spencer has spent the last two years rebuilding his career after a loss to Jesus Ramos.

He picked up three wins in a row over low-to mid-level opponents above the super welterweight limit.

Tszyu should beat Spencer if he can regain his old confidence, however, Spencer is also good enough to be a headache for Tszyu if he goes into the bout still haunted by the loss to Murtazaliev.