Weights: Tim Tszyu 153.2 (69.52kg) vs. Takeshi Inoue 153.6 (69.68kg)
Tim Tszyu (19-0, 15 KOs) predicts he’ll stop former 154-lb world title challenger Takeshi Inoue (17-1-1, 10 KOs) this Wednesday, November 17th, in their 12 round fight at the Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia.
#1 WBO Tszyu is expecting the 31-year-old Inoue to be putting a lot of pressure on him, but he’s going to use his ring IQ and his power to stop him.
It could prove problematic for Tszyu, 27, to knock out the Japanese fighter because he’s tough and has a steel chin. He’s never been knocked out or knocked down before in his seven-year professional career.
WBO junior middleweight champion Jaime Munguia hit Inoue with everything but the kitchen sink and was unable to hurt him seriously in their fight in January 2019.
Munguia easily won a 12 round unanimous decision, but he couldn’t hurt the tough-as-nails Inoue. If Tszyu can score a knockout of Inoue, that would be impressive because this guy’s ability to take punishment is unworldly.
Tszyu expects a tough fight
“He’s coming in ready well prepared, so I’m looking forward to the challenge,” said Tim Tszyu to FOX Sports on his fight with Takeshi Inoue this Wednesday night.
“He always comes in well-prepared. He’s got a good body. Maybe he can do modeling after his boxing career,” said Tszyu of Inoue. “I watched him at the world stage. He’s quite a handful, and he brings a tough fight to anyone.
“He’s a strong boy and relies on his strength and power. There’s a risk in anything. Every fight is a risk in boxing, but no risk, no reward; it’s quite simple.
“Training camp always has its challenges and is always hard, but I get better each time. It’s a better and improved Tim Tszyu.
“I already know what he’s going to say. ‘Keep it smart, keep it simple, and don’t get punched,'” said Tim on what his dad Kostya Tszyu would tell him.
“He looks like he’s [Takeshi Inoue] is in good shape, so I should get the best version of him. It’s a tough, scrappy fight because that’s the type of style he’s got. People with that style, it’s never easy. It’s a tough fight, but I’m looking forward to it. It should be good,” said Tszyu.
Inoue looks muscular, but he’s slow and doesn’t pack a lot of power. His right-hand looks decent, but it’s not only the level of some other fighters in the 154-lb weight class.
Tszyu would have more to worry about if he faced Jermell Charlo, Erickson Lubin, Charles Conwell, or Julian ‘J-Rock’ Williams.
Tim Tszyu predicting knockout of Inoue
“There are gaps that I have to exploit,” Tszyu said of Inoue. “The hard thing about these Japanese fighters is you can hit them, and they keep coming, coming and coming. Mentally it’s tough, and it’s all about timing with this type of fight.
“Not just hitting for the sake of it but hitting at the right time and the right place. Look, my ring IQ will definitely show in this fight. I have to be composed; I can’t rush. This is a fight where every punch counts, every little thing counts.
“This is a strategic fight for me; it’s not just a brawl. That’s the opposite,” said Tszyu when asked if he had cake and cookies on his recent birthday.
“I had ten rounds of face smacking, and that was about it. That’s part of life. Under six, and I’ll fight the fight shot at the right time,” said Tszyu in predicting a knockout of Takeshi Inoue.
There’s an excellent chance Tszyu will knock out Inoue if he can hit him with the type of shots he nailed Denis Hogan and Jeff Horn with.
