WBC, WBC and IBF junior middleweight champion Jermell ‘Iron Man’ Charlo 34-1 (18) has questioned the credentials of Tim ‘The Soul Snatcher’ Tszyu 18-0 (14) as the Australian zeroes in on a world title tilt.
The son of former undisputed junior welterweight champion and International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Kostya Tszyu has cemented his spot as the number one contender for the WBO strap held by Argentina’s Brian Castano 17-0-1 (12) who will face Charlo in a four-belt unification bout in the US on July 17.
The winner will need to defend against the 26-year-old Sydneysider or vacate the WBO title.
But the 31-year-old Charlo of Houston, Texas, has dismissed Tszyu’s world championship claims out of hand.
“First off, Tim ‘Kostya’ Tszyu is not on a level to even fight for a world title,” Charlo said during a fan Q&A on his YouTube channel.
“He ain’t even on the level to fight some of the guys that I’ve knocked the fuck out of and he ain’t even going to get no chance to fight me, probably throughout my career. I’m just being honest with you.”
Tszyu is scheduled to face Michael ‘Pretty Boy’ Zerafa 28-4 (17) at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre in Newcastle, Australia on July 7.
It is the same venue where he knocked out former two-time world title challenger Dennis ‘Hurricane’ Hogan 28-4-1 (7) in five rounds in March.
Last month Tszyu’s promoter George Rose of No Limit Boxing said they were prepared to offer the winner of the Charlo-Castano bout $10 million to make the Tszyu fight in Australia.
“It is around that figure; it is just what we have to do to make it happen,” Rose told The Sun-Herald.
“The way I see it, the world title has to be out here in Australia. That’s the situation we’re in and that’s what we need to come up with to make it happen.
“We want the world title and we want it in Australia.
“Whether it’s Charlo or Castano, they are the targets.
“Timmy has to fight for a world title here in Australia, especially given the times we’re in [with COVID-19]. Australia is the best location for it.
“When you bring in international fighters, the costs go through the roof. To get the quality opposition, it will cost a lot so we need to look at where we can feasibly do that.”
Charlo dismissed the idea of an eight-figure payday in the antipodes.
“Listen, nobody ever sent me no $10 million, no contract or none of that,” he said.
“$10 million sounds great, yes. I would love to take that, but Tim, sorry big homie, you ain’t getting that chance to fight Charlo ’cause Charlo got some other plans.
“I’m the champ. I’m the unified champ. I’m going to be the undisputed champ. I’m going to bust my ass in training camp to get to what I need to get to, to get all of the belts and then they’re going to say ‘champ you the king’.”
Tszyu recognises that Charlo is in the driver’s seat when it comes to who he faces after the 31-year-old Castano.
“He’s got all the belts, he’s fighting for the undisputed world championship and he’s in the driver’s seat,” Tszyu told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“He can pick and choose who he wants to fight. (But) I will get into a position where there is no other choice but for him to fight me.
“That’s only a matter of time. At least he is mentioning my name, it shows we’re up there in the rankings with the top guys and that’s straight where I’m looking.”
Rose accused Charlo of ducking the fight.
“I’m not surprised he is saying that because Tim Tszyu is not a person you want to fight, simple as that,” Rose said to the Sydney Morning Herald.
“If you’re at the top, you wouldn’t want to fight Tim Tszyu because he’s good. Charlo knows that and watching what he had to say, it’s clear he knows that Tim Tszyu is the most dangerous opponent in the super-welterweight division.”
Tszyu recently criticised Charlo’s boxing ability, telling The Main Event Boxing Podcast he thought the unified champion was overrated.
“I don’t rate Charlo as high as he is right now,” he said. “He’s never in total control of a fight. He’s got power, which is very lucky.”
