Unbeaten 154 pound star in the making Tim Tszyu won what was his toughest fight yet, on paper at least, and he won it in impressive style. Tszyu, making the first defence of his WBO title, pounded out a wide 12 round unanimous decision over an ultra-tough and ultra-game Brian Mendoza last night (US time, the fight taking place in Australia). Now 24-0(17) 28 year old Tszyu – who won by commanding scores of 117-111, 116-111, 116-112 – is as special as he is fun to watch.
Mendoza, who tried his best to be the aggressor and the boss, ate a ton of leather but he would not fall. Now 22-3(16), there is a reason Mendoza has never been stopped.
Tsyzu, a fighter who always comes forward, who always displays a high punch output when he fights, kept trying for the stoppage last night, but Mendoza hung tough. One of the more active fighters at top level these days, Tszyu won his third fight of 2023. And now, his star rising all across the world, Tszyu wants the big fights. With one guy in particular firmly in his cross-hairs:
“Charlo! Where you at, buddy?” a victorious Tszyu said last night. “Come get it……Let’s prove to everyone who is the king of this division.”
As fans know, Charlo and Tszyu should have fought by now, only for a Charlo injury causing the fight to be postponed, with Charlo then making the audacious move of going up two weight divisions to challenge Canelo Alvarez (with him going down heavily in points in a disappointing effort). But Charlo, who was stripped of the WBO belt upon fighting Canelo, still holds three major belts at 154. And Tszyu wants them, badly.
“He fought Canelo, the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world,” Tszyu said of Charlo. “He is the best at 154, but let’s prove to everyone who really is the king in the division.”
Indeed. Charlo needs to take this fight if he’s to restore his reputation after the Canelo let-down, if he’s the behave like a true champion. And Charlo cannot use the excuse of having to travel to Australia to fight Tszyu any longer, as Tszyu made clear after his latest win that he is now headed to America for big fights, Las Vegas in particular.
“See you in Vegas,” Tszyu said, having stated how he has had his last fight in Australia, for the time being at least.
Charlo Vs. Tszyu in Las Vegas in the first quarter of 2024? It has to happen, or else Charlo simply has to be stripped of the three belts he continues to hold despite not having boxed at 154 pounds since last May. Tszyu more than deserves the fight, but will Charlo give it to him?
