TIM TSZYU will have his first ever world title fight on October 15 in Australia.
The venue is still to be decided but the opponent is locked in. Brian Mendoza will be in the opposite corner looking to take the WBO super-welterweight strap that Tszyu will acquire next month.
Earlier this month the World Boxing Organisation made the decision to elevate Tszyu 23-0 (17) from interim belt holder to full championship status. This will be confirmed once Jermell Charlo, who holds all four world titles at 154lbs, enters the ring on September 30 to face Canelo Alvarez and is announced as the WBO champion. From that moment on Tim Tszyu will be the belt’s new owner.
Charlo’s decision to face Canelo for all the marbles at super-middleweight could come at an even greater cost if the WBC follows suit and promotes Brian Mendoza from interim to full champion as well. Should that be the case then Tszyu vs Mendoza would become a super-welterweight unification fight on October 15.
News of Tszyu vs Mendoza arrived earlier today via the Australian’s promoters No Limit Boxing.
“I’m expecting a war and I’m expecting Mendoza to test me more than any other fighter,” Tszyu, 28, said.
“He has power in both hands and has shown he thrives off being that underdog, so I doubt coming to Australia will bother him but don’t expect a single person to be cheering for him.
“This was the fight to be made and the only fight that had me pumped up. Styles make fights and it has the potential to be a banger because we both go looking for the fight, have heavy hands and chase those killer knockouts everyone loves to replay over, and over, and over again.”
“The road to undisputed continues, it’s just going to take a little longer. But trust me, the journey to get there will be way sweeter.”
While he waited on the outcome of Charlo’s future at super-welterweight Tszyu kept himself busy in 2023 with a ninth-round stoppage victory against Tony Harrison back in March. Three months later Tszyu needed just under two minutes of the first round to end Carlos Ocampo’s hopes of an upset.
Mendoza 22-2 (16) has turned his career around since losing a 10-round decision to Jesus Alejandro Ramos Jr in September 2021. The 29-year-old got back to winning ways stopping Benjamin Whittaker but more notably came impressive wins inside the distance against Jeison Rosario and Sebastian Fundora, respectively.
