Tim Tszyu watching Charlo-Castaño fight closely as $10 million payday beckons

Jermell Charlo and Brian Castaño will battle it out in their blockbuster fight and Australia’s Tim Tszyu will be watching closely.

Tim Tszyu will be watching closely when Jermell Charlo and Brian Castaño go head to head in their blockbuster fight.

The Australian is the No. 1 mandatory contender for Castaño’s WBO super welterweight belt and is one of just a few boxers who could fight the unified champion later this year.

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“Castaño can make things rough – he’s unpredictable – whereas Charlo is more of a classical type of boxer,” Tszyu told Main Event’s Ben Damon.

“I’m not expecting anything spectacular from Charlo – he will use his jab – and I think he will probably get the points win without looking too amazing.”

And the payday would be massive if Tszyu does get to fight the winner, although a bout with Englishman Liam Smith appears a more likely next-step.

Tszyu’s promoter George Rose told The Sun-Herald in April he would be prepared to spend $10 million to land a fight with either Charlo or Castaño.

Triple world champion Charlo fights for an undisputed global super welterweight title on Sunday when he faces Argentina’s Castaño at San Antonio, Texas.

The fight will mark the first time all four major 154-pound crowns — Charlo’s WBA, WBC and IBF titles and Castaño’s WBO belt — will be up for grabs at the same time.

Jermell Charlo goes into the fight as the heavy favourite (Photo by Meg Oliphant / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)

Charlo (34-1 with 18 knockouts) won his WBC crown over fellow American Tony Harrison in December 2019 — avenging his only career loss — and took the others last September with an eighth-round knockout of Dominican Jeison Rosario.

Charlo is willing to put all his titles on the line in his fight against Castaño.

“My experience inside and outside of the ring has all led up to this,” he said.

“Now is the time for me to put it all on the line.

“This is huge. It’s a legacy fight for me and I’m ready for it.

“This is a major fight because it’s history for me … the belts and the money are not on my mind. What’s on my mind is the legacy.”

Castaño (17-0 with one drawn and 12 knockouts) defeated Brazil’s Patrick Teixeira by unanimous decision last February to claim the WBO crown.

“This is the fight of my life,” Castaño said.

“I’m out for glory. I want to be the first in history to be undisputed champion at 154 pounds in the four-belt era. This will be the hardest fight of my career.”

Making the fight even more intriguing is the belief that if Charlo wins, he will relinquish his four titles and move up to the middleweight division, where his twin brother Jermall Charlo hold the WBC title.

Charlo is looking to unify all four super welterweight crowns. Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP

And who does Tszyu think will win the fight?

“I’m predicting Charlo, I think he’s just going to outpoint him, out-jab him,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

“The fight is going to be quite simple; Charlo is just going to be moving, Castaño is going to be coming at him with punches in bunches, every time Castaño gets close Charlo with get him with the jab and make it his fight.”

Where is the fight?

The Charlo-Castano fight will be held at the AT&T Centre in San Antonio, Texas.

When is the fight?

Coverage of fight card starts at 11am (AEST), with the Charlo-Castano fight likely to start closer to 12pm.

How to watch the fight

The Charlo-Castano fight will be broadcast live in Australia on Fox Sports 507 on Sunday from 11am. You can also stream the fight on Kayo.

What are the betting odds?

Charlo goes in as a heavy favourite with the bookies, who are paying $1.33 for him to win, compared to Castaño at $3.12.

Here are some other markets if you fancy yourself a flutter.

Charlo Points or Decision: $2.20

Charlo KO/TKO: $3.50

Castaño Points or Decision: $4.33

Castaño KO/TKO: $9

Draw: $17

Tale of the tape

At the pre-fight weigh-in, Castaño set the scales at 153.3 pounds while Charlo later weighed in at 153 pounds even.

Both fighters are 31-year-olds.

Who is on the fight card?

Jermell Charlo vs Brian Castaño, unified junior middleweight titles

Rolando Romero vs Anthony Yigit, lightweights

Amilcar Vidal vs Immanuwel Aleem, middleweights

Originally published as Tim Tszyu watching Charlo-Castaño fight closely as $10 million payday beckons