Tim Tszyu ready to return in June, puts Canelo Alvarez on notice
Interim WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu 22-0 (16) sees a fight against Mexican superstar and undisputed super middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 59-2-2 (39) in his future.
His famous father Kostya Tszyu fought many Mexicans in his Hall of Fame career and came away with a perfect record against them. Most famous amongst them was his sixth-round battering of the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez.
The 28-year-old Australian announced today that he would be facing another Mexican in Carlos Ocampo 34-2 (22) at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia on June 18.
The bout will come just three months after Tszyu’s ninth-round knockout win over former unified champion Tony Harrison 29-4-1 (21).
“I don’t need to fight, I want to,” Tszyu said to Fox Sports Australia. “I fear no one. And Carlos Ocampo is the perfect test for me. In all honesty, it’s a privilege to be fighting the number one Mexican in my weight division.
“I always knew that eventually I was going to come up against this style.
“I’ve watched so many Mexican legends throughout the years and always admired their tough, all-action style.
“Dad destroyed the greatest Mexican fighter of all time in Julio Cesar Chavez, and I would love to do the same. Perhaps Chavez is Canelo for me one day, who knows?”
As the mandatory contender to undisputed 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo 35-1-1 (19), Tszyu could have easily sat on the sidelines after the boss of the division injured his left hand in sparring and was forced to withdraw from their scheduled January bout.
He didn’t. Instead, he quickly signed a deal to face the only boxer to defeat Charlo in Harrison.
Now, with no timeline for Charlo to return to the ring, Tszyu has done the same thing again.
“Tim Tszyu is a different beast,” No Limit Boxing CEO George Rose said. “He’s that rare breed of modern fighter who isn’t satisfied fighting once or twice a year, because he always wants more.
“Yes, (this upcoming fight) is another massive risk given a shot at Jermell Charlo – and becoming undisputed – is on the line again.
“But he’s done it before and we’re confident he can do it again. Tim has a world class Mexican in front of him in what I expect will be an all out war.
“But I’m backing Tim to get the job done in style.”
Charlo hasn’t been in the prize ring since May last year when he defeated Brian Castano by 10th round knockout in their rematch. His twin brother Jermall, who holds the WBC middleweight title, has not boxed in almost two years for undisclosed reasons.
“So they don’t like to fight,” Tszyu laughed. “I know they call themselves lions, but really they’re a bunch of… I dunno… they just don’t do anything.
“Which isn’t how lions act, let’s just say that.
“(Charlo) is on the decline. I’m on the incline. And by the time we fight, the difference will be shown.”
whoohoo! 