Tim Tszyu of Australia strikes Brian Mendoza of the USA through the WBO tremendous welterweight world title combat on the Gold Coast Conference and Exhibition Centre on the Gold Coast, Sunday, October 15, 2023. (AAP Picture/Dave Hunt)
Undefeated Australian Tim Tszyu scored a unanimous factors choice over tenacious American Brian Mendoza to defend his WBO tremendous welterweight title on Sunday, then taunted Jermell Charlo to “come and get it”
The 28-year-old, son of famend former world champion Kostya Tszyu, was good and brutal within the 12-round battle on Australia’s Gold Coast that left Mendoza bloodied however one way or the other nonetheless standing.
All three judges scored the bout in his favor, 116-111, 116-112 and 117-111.
“He’s world-class for a motive,” Tszyu mentioned of the Las Vegas-based Mendoza, who earned his proper to face Tszyu with crushing upset knockout wins over Jeison Rosario and the highly-touted Sebastian Fundora.
“However he’s second finest.”
The victory improved the Australian to 24-0-0, with 17 knockouts, and cemented his standing because the primary challenger to big-talking American Charlo, who holds the opposite three main sanctioning physique world crowns — WBA, WBC, and IBF — within the 154-pound division.
Tszyu received the WBO interim title when he stopped American Tony Harrison in March and defended it with a spectacular first-round demolition of Mexico’s Carlos Ocampo in June to place himself because the necessary challenger to Charlo.
However, as a substitute of going through Tszyu as he was speculated to, Charlo opted to maneuver up two weight lessons to tremendous middleweight and tackle Canelo Alvarez in a extra profitable bout final month.
Charlo not solely misplaced however was stripped of his WBO belt, with Tszyu elevated from interim titlist to full champion.
Delusional
.@TimTszyu has a message for @TwinCharlo. The place you at?#TszyuMendoza pic.twitter.com/gFKRKtamxB
— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) October 15, 2023
“Charlo, the place are you?,” Tszyu mentioned mockingly within the ring, tapping the belt he took from him. “He’ll in all probability assume in his delusional head that he would beat me.
“Come get it. Let’s show to everybody who’s king of this division.”
Charlo, who has taunted Tszyu as a “paper champion”, has indicated he plans to return to the tremendous welterweight division, with a combat between the 2 in Las Vegas seen as doable.
Towards Mendoza, Tszyu was just too highly effective and exact.
After sizing one another up in spherical one, Tszyu acquired on the entrance foot, touchdown jabs to the face and physique earlier than the American had a greater third spherical.
The affected person Tszyu saved stalking Mendoza and a strong left-right mixture opened a reduce on the American’s nostril. An uppercut within the fifth added a bloody nick beneath his swelling proper eye.
The combat burst to life within the seventh with Mendoza doing effectively to remain on his ft as he was battered by blow after blow that left him on the ropes desperately defending.
A giant right-hander damage him once more within the ninth and he was solely saved by the bell in a brutal tenth, in deep trouble after a barrage of punches left him bloodied and stumbling.
Extra of the identical was dealt out on the eleventh however the American, who has by no means been knocked out, saved his ft and took it the gap after the physician had a glance and allowed the bout to proceed.
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On the undercard, undefeated Australian Sam Goodman received a unanimous factors choice towards former world title challenger Miguel Flores of Mexico in a 12-round featherweight combat.
Goodman, who’s 16-0-0, is the necessary challenger for the WBO junior featherweight title held by Japan’s Naoya Inoue.