When his first title combat reverse Jermell Charlo fell aside in January as a result of the undisputed 154-pound champion pulled out with an damage, unbeaten Tim Tszyu made the troublesome resolution to maneuver on together with his profession quite than beholden to anybody else’s timeline.
“Look, I wasn’t going to attend up on ‘Mell, and his life and what he’s going to be doing in his profession or what honeymoons he desires to take,” Tszyu instructed “Morning Kombat” this week. “I’m right here to only do me.”
Tszyu (21-0, 15 KOs), the Australian-born son of Hall of Fame boxer Kostya Tszyu, will as an alternative return Saturday (Showtime, 10:45 p.m. ET) on house soil in Sydney to face the one man to defeat Charlo as an expert in former WBC junior middleweight champion Tony Harrison (29-3-1, 21 KOs).
The Showtime International particular version headlining bout can be contested for the interim WBO title, with the hope for the winner dealing with a wholesome Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) this summer time for all 4 acknowledged titles.
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“Tony Harrison was the subsequent best choice and the combat to make so for this reason it is made and for this reason we’re getting it on,” Tszyu stated. “It’s a giant problem, it is a very large problem. He’s the person who beat the person. When I obtained instructed about this chance, I took it with each palms and stated, ‘This is the combat I would like. This is the problem I want and the identify I want on my resume at this level in my profession since you want that respect.'”
Tszyu, 28, made a convincing U.S. debut final March on Showtime when he claimed an in depth resolution in opposition to former title challenger Terrell Gausha in an all-action combat.
Even although Tszyu succeeded in showcasing his “resilency by adversity” that he’s very pleased with, the combat noticed the boxer-puncher willingly neglect protection and head motion in change for fixed aggression. Gausha even dropped Tszyu within the opening spherical.
“I used to be in terminator mode for some purpose. I obtained into this temper the place it was like, ‘Hit me with all you bought, mate. I’m strolling straight by you,'” Tszyu stated. “That [knockdown] was a little bit of a shock. Once I warmed up a bit and knew I used to be in a combat and all good, that is when the terminator mode kicked in and I simply walked ahead after that.”
Harrison, a 32-year-old native of Detroit, upset Charlo by way of disputed resolution on nationwide tv in 2018 earlier than being stopped within the eleventh spherical of their rematch one yr later regardless of main on two scorecards on the time of the TKO.
Even although he struggled at occasions in a stunning draw with Bryant Perrella in 2021 amidst the pandemic, Harrison bounced again strongly final April when outboxed Sergio Garcia over 10 rounds.
Given the truth that Harrison is an underrated boxer who additionally carries sufficient energy to stay a knockout menace, Tszyu is not precisely certain how a lot the gameplan will change after shifting on from learning Charlo.
“That’s query. I simply should determine it out on the evening,” Tszyu stated. “I do know the hazards of Harrison and what he brings to the desk. Stylistically, it is a bit completely different than Charlo but it surely’s me versus me on the finish of the day.”
Although Tszyu clearly respects Harrison’s abilities, he did carry up the fact that each one three of Harrison’s losses have come by way of knockout earlier than including a assured prediction.
“History will repeat itself,” Tszyu stated. “He will crumble.”
Fight card, odds
Tim Tszyu -260 vs. Tony Harrison +210, WBO interim junior middleweight titleSam Goodman -400 vs. TJ Doheny +310, tremendous bantamweightsBen Mahoney -165 vs. Koen Mazoudier +140, junior middleweights
Prediction
Provided Harrison can deal with the aggressive menace of Tszyu’s energy, this has all of the makings to be a possible lure combat for the youthful fighter. Harrison’s veteran tips and correct counter photographs are the proper Kryptonite for Tszyu’s extra restricted ability set as a pure boxer, a actuality solely made worse by Harrison’s peak and attain benefits of almost 5 inches every.
However, the repeated sample of Harrison’s profession that Tszyu talked about cannot be missed, particularly if Tszyu is profitable at getting inside Harrison’s jab sufficient to drive him into full-time countering. It’s a consequence that might nonetheless permit Harrison to retain some hazard as a sniper whereas additionally dashing up his demise the extra he struggles to maintain Tszyu off of him.
In that regard, this combat might find yourself trying rather a lot like Harrison’s ninth-round TKO loss to Jarrett Hurd of their 2017 bout for the vacant IBF title. Harrison was up on two scorecards and even on the third in a considerably commanding efficiency till Hurd broke down his obstacles together with his bulldozing model.
Just as Tszyu showcased in opposition to Gausha, that self-proclaimed “terminator” model is not all that completely different from the Hurd of previous and may have the identical impact in opposition to a Harrison who’s now six years older.
Pick: Tszyu by way of TKO10
