WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu 24-0 (17) could soon gatecrash the pound-for-pound rankings if he keeps up his busy schedule and winning ways.
The 28-year-old Australian is fresh off his third fight in seven months, a 12-round unanimous decision victory over Brian ‘La Bala’ Mendoza 22-3 (16) on the Gold Coast in Queensland on October 15. He is already in discussions for his next bout which will likely take place in the US.
Tszyu has long coveted a shot at former undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo 35-2-1 (19), who moved up two divisions to unsuccessfully challenge undisputed super middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 60-2-2 (39) last month.
After losing on points, he is expected to drop back down to the 154-pound weight class where he still holds the WBC, WBA, IBF and Ring Magazine world titles.
Tszyu would welcome the opportunity to test his mettle against Charlo but whether the 33-year-old from Houston, Texas wants the fight remains to be seen.
ESPN’s Mike Coppinger believes Charlo will give Tszyu a wide berth.
“If you’re not on the Tim Tszyu bandwagon right now, I think it’s time to jump on,” Coppinger said on ESPN’s State of Boxing program.
“This guy is a problem, I’m telling you. He is a beast and Jermell Charlo does not want these problems.
“Tim Tszyu has a very patient approach, you never see him take a step backwards. Big-time power in both hands. I think his defence is better than people give him credit for and he has a winning mindset.
“We saw him pick apart a very good fighter, a very tough fighter in Brian Mendoza with fundamentals, patience and punch variety . Right uppercuts, left hooks . I think Tim Tszyu has it all.
“He’s staying active. He didn’t wait around for Jermell Charlo to reschedule, thank god because he got three fights in 2023 and now he is ready for Jermell Charlo next year and anybody else.
“I think he is going to be a guy knocking on the pound-for-pound list sooner than later and he’s a lot more than just a famous last name.
“I do think he’s a problem for Jermell Charlo but I also think that the reward is going to match the risk.
“I think Tim Tszyu is really building a big name for himself… obviously [he’s] already a star in Australia. But that fan-friendly style – big power, always coming forward – I think is going to make him a star.
“He said that was his last fight in Australia. He’s setting up shop in the US now so what better way than to fight Jermell Charlo in that rescheduled fight for the undisputed junior middleweight championship?
“I think it’s a big fight, I think Tim Tszyu has to be favourite with how active he’s been, how much he’s improved in the last three to five fights and after that, Tim Tszyu can go up [in weight] and be in some really big fights.
“The most important thing is this is a guy who can not only fight in the ring, he talks good trash and he has a good look to him. I think he’s a star in the making.”
Not everyone is a high on Tszyu as Coppinger. His ESPN colleague Tim Bradley warned him to pump the brakes.
“Oh my gosh, Copp, you in love with Tim Tszyu huh?,’’ Bradley said. “You dont see what I see do you?
“Yes, Tim Tszyu, he’s a good fighter, he really is. Great performance he put on [against Mendoza]. But you’ve got to look between, you’ve got to see what’s going on inside the ring and let me tell you folks; he’s jab-deficient.
“You know who’s not jab-deficient? His name is Charlo. He’s not jab deficient and also, he’s bigger and he can put combinations together and he’s got the complete arsenal with the uppercut, the body shots as well.”
