Tim Tszyu On Waiting For Charlo- ‘He’s Off To Vegas Getting Smashed’

Wednesday in Australia, interim WBO 154 lb. titleholder Tim Tszyu was part of the formal announcement of his next bout that will come quickly in June. However, more intriguing is the growing impatience for the Aussie star that undisputed champ Jermell Charlo isn’t just rehabbing from injury to get their fight back on and the comments he made about it.

First, Tszyu, 22-0, 16 KOs, and No Limit Promotions made official that he’ll be back in just five weeks (June 17th)  to take on veteran Mexican Carlos Ocampo in a 12 round bout in Australia’s Gold Coast.

Another one…

June 18. #TszyuOcampo pic.twitter.com/TgMoeiORa4

— No Limit Boxing (@NoLimit_Boxing) May 10, 2023

That means Tszyu will be back in the ring for a second fight in just over 90 days, since dominating and eventually, stopping American, former world champ Tony Harrison by TKO in March. That night in Newcastle, Australia, Tszyu had the home fans roaring as he pounded Harrison into submission with numerous big uppercuts and combinations in the 9th round to force the stoppage.

Tszyu elected to take that fight after Charlo broke his left hand in two places while training for the January showdown. Charlo appeared on the Showtime coverage of Tszyu-Harrison and proclaimed that he was healed from the hand injury. However, the bout hasn’t materialized, and now won’t, for this Summer.

When asked about that at the presser, Tszyu said to the media Wednesday about the champ,

“Look I was watching the Garcia-Tank fight the other day. The guy (Charlo) was drunk, ‘off his head.’ There’s a difference between me and him. I’m active…staying ready, getting ready for the next opportunity. Every opportunity I get I’m gonna take it.

Him on the other hand? He’s on ‘Honneymoon.’ He’s off to Vegas, getting smashed. And, when we do meet, it’s gonna be trouble. For him, not for me.”

Back to the fight Tszyu will take while he awaits Charlo to agree to comeback to the table and make the rescheduled fight happen.

More on the Mexican opponent

Ocampo, 34-2, was beaten decisively on a 12 round decision by Sebastian Fundora last October and was also demolished in less than one round by world welterweight champ Errol Spence in 2018. He clearly will have his hands full with the popular, hard hitting Australian.

He certainly carries the belief that as a Mexican fighter, he’ll look to stand toe to toe with Tszyu, but realistically, this should be an easy KO win, again, for the top ranked Aussie

Ultimately, it’s up to Charlo, who’s more than five months out from the hand injury to not only update his return, but to reschedule the Tszyu bout. And, the longer the delay goes on makes more and more observers skeptical that he doesn’t really want to fight Tszyu.

Then, the WBO will likely strip Charlo in the short term and elevate Tszyu as their world champ. Plus, give him freedom to fight a bigger named contender for their version of the belts.