Boxing news: Tim Tszyu calls out ‘drunk’ Jermell Charlo, ahead of Carlos Ocampo fight
Tim Tszyu has fired a warning shot at American champion Jermell Charlo, vowing to deliver him a wake-up call by dishing out a Mexican mauling to Carlos Ocampo.
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Teetotaller Tim Tszyu has slammed Jermell Charlo as a “drunk” and warned the intoxicating “honeymoon” will be over when the American champion watches him dish out a Mexican mauling to Carlos Ocampo.
Tszyu (22-0, 16KO) will launch the first defence of his WBO interim super welterweight world title when he takes on tough-as-nails Mexican Ocampo (34-2, 22KO) at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on Sunday, June 18.
For the Sydney slugger, it will represent what he hopes is the final step towards his summit - a blockbuster unification bout with Charlo (35-1-1, 19KO) that will decide the true king of the 154-pound division.
While Tszyu has been grinding away, alcohol-free, hammering Tony Harrison in March and sharpening his skill set for Ocampo, Charlo has been inactive since breaking his hand in training last Christmas.
The injury forced the delay of their January 29 bout and Tszyu says the sight of him belting his first Mexican opponent will ring alarm bells for Charlo, who lived it up at Las Vegas last month as a guest at the Ryan Garcia-Gervonta Davis super fight.
“I was watching the Garcia-’Tank’ (Davis) fight the other day and the guy (Charlo) was off his head,” Tszyu said.
“He was drunk, you know.
“There is a difference between me and him.
“I am active, I am staying busy, getting ready for the next opportunity.
“Every opportunity I get I will take.
“Him (Charlo) on the other hand, he’s on honeymoon. He’s off to Vegas ... he’s getting smashed.”
There is no booze, or time to snooze, in the unrelenting world of Tszyu.
The unbeaten Sydneysider is leaving no stone unturned ahead of his showdown with Ocampo, shunning the demon drink and cleaning up his diet as he chases pugilistic greatness.
“He (Charlo) will be watching this,” Tszyu said.
“This time out of boxing is damaging for Charlo. But that’s OK. I can wait for him and I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. I feel like I’m the best in the division so I have to keep doing it.
“I’m finding another edge.
“I’ve hired a professional chef, so he is full-time with me now and he cooks up a lot of different things.
“I have a cheat meal once a week, a burger or pizza, but other than that, I’m back on the grind.
“I used to eat out too much with fast food and crap, but now I’m totally focused on my diet.
“I don’t drink at all. No alcohol for me. I’m a clean athlete. Everything is on point.”
Ocampo is no mug. The 27-year-old has been stopped just once in his 36-fight, 11-year professional career _ a first-round knockout against the brilliant Errol Spence Jr (28-0), who broke Ocampo with a savage body shot.
Tszyu, 28, is renowned for his crippling body blows and the ‘Soul Taker’ is primed to emulate his famous father Kostya by bludgeoning another Mexican.
“My dad fought five Mexicans and I am honoured to fight this guy,” Tszyu said.
“Every fight is a risk. I know this will be a tougher fight than Harrison.
“Ocampo is tough and it will be like punching a brick wall. My hands have to be ready for a beating.
“But you know how I am. Every fight I’ve had, I’ve never taken one step back.
“It will be a Mexican stand-off and we’ll see who takes the first step back.
“It won’t be me.
“I will be in the trenches like a dog ... the pitbull is going to come out.”
EXCLUSIVE: TSZYU REVEALS PLANS FOR HISTORIC FIGHT DEAL IN QLD RETURN
Tim Tszyu is bringing some world-title glamour to the Glitter Strip.
‘Tszyu-lander’ is returning to Queensland and will make his Gold Coast fight debut as he ramps up plans to shock the boxing world by eventually dethroning American super welterweight king Jermell Charlo.
Tszyu (22-0, 16KO) has agreed terms to fight dangerous Mexican Carlos Ocampo (34-2, 22KO) in a Fox Sports pay-per-view blockbuster on Sunday, June 18 at the Gold Coast Convention Centre.
The Tszyu name is iconic by virtue of the deeds of Tim’s legendary father Kostya, but Australian boxing’s royal family has never fought on the Gold Coast … until now.
Tszyu junior made a statement to the boxing world in March when he clobbered silky American Tony Harrison in Sydney to clinch the WBO interim world super welterweight title.
Now the self-coined ‘Terminator’ is primed to pulverise Ocampo, the first Mexican opponent of his career, before setting his sights on the summit – conquering Charlo later this year to unify the super welterweight division.
In his last visit to Queensland three years ago, Tszyu dominated Jeff Horn to unseat him as the face of Australian boxing and the 28-year-old wants to put on a show to light up the Gold Coast.
“Gold Coast is the Las Vegas of Australia,” Tszyu said ahead of his maiden interim world-title defence against Ocampo, Mexico’s No.1-ranked super welterweight.
“There is no better place to fight in Australia than the Gold Coast.
“I love the Gold Coast because it has this buzz and vibe about it and I believe it has the potential to be the fight capital of Australia.
“The locals will get behind the sport if you bring the big fights.
“I’ve always wanted to move to the Goldy. I love the lifestyle up there, there’s a lot more sun and space than Sydney, so it (relocating) is something I haven’t ruled out.
“Gold Coast has been on my bucket list and I will tick it off with this fight.”
Tszyu was meant to take on Charlo in January, only for the American champion to suffer a hand injury in training that delayed the unification super fight.
The Charlo setback has opened the door for Tszyu to continue his surge with back-to-back domestic fights, first disposing of Harrison and now eyeing off a Mexican mauling.
The Ocampo showdown will continue the Tszyu family’s tradition of fighting Mexicans, with Kostya famously defeating the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez, who won 107 of his 115 professional bouts.
“This is the next one per cent of boxing I need to win all the belts,” Tszyu said.
“Dad fought five Mexicans and beat them all in his career. He destroyed the greatest Mexican fighter of all-time in Chavez and I would like to do the same over my career.
“Perhaps Chavez is Canelo (Alvarez) for me one day, who knows?
“In terms of style, this will be a tougher fight than Harrison. Ocampo is tough, he walks forward and he’s only had two losses in his career.
“In boxing, Mexicans are known as warriors, they live and bleed the sport, so I’m ready for a toe-to-toe, Mexican-style war.”
Unbeaten in 22 fights, there is a view Tszyu is taking another unnecessary risk – a loss would shatter his hopes of fighting Charlo – but the Sydneysider fears no rival.
“Harrison said I was a bum and look what happened,” Tszyu said.
“I’ll take any fight. I’m not into these crappy tune-ups. I want the best fighters.
“Line them all up, one by one, and I will take them all down, including Charlo.
“But first, I must beat Ocampo and when I get into that terminator mode, I destroy blokes.
“They all crumble when they face me.”
The Tszyu camp explored a number of cities, including Sydney and Melbourne, but the Gold Coast prevailed in a bidding war.
“I am thrilled that the Gold Coast will play host to another boxing world title fight,” Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said.
“There is no bigger name in Australian boxing than Tim Tszyu and by the end of the year I predict he will be one the biggest names in world boxing.”
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