Boxing: Tim Tszyu to fight for super-welterweight championships in USA

Tim Tszyu is on the cusp of becoming one of Australia’s highest-paid athletes with a pay packet which could soon exceed more than $10 million per fight.

Tim Tszyu. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

After securing an undisputed title fight against Jermell Charlo in Las Vegas, Tim Tszyu has turned his attention to becoming one of Australia’s highest paid athletes in 2023.

The 27-year-old boxing star will earn a minimum $2 million for the bout on January 28, but if he defeats Charlo and takes all four major belts, Tszyu is expected to enter the $10 million-per-fight category.

“I’ve always dreamt about that, this is where I want be and that’s the type of money I want to be making,” Tszyu told News Corp Australia.

“That’s the level I want to be at. This is what I have to do to be there.”

Tszyu was ranked 13th in News Corp Australia’s sport rich list at the start of this year, with Ben Simmons ($45.36 million), Daniel Ricciardo ($35 million) and Joe Ingles ($17.1 million) taking out the top three spots.

Ben Simmons (L) and Royce O'Neale of the Brooklyn Nets.

McLaren's Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo (R).

Nick Kyrgios during his Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic.

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Tszyu’s promoter George Rose of No Limit Boxing said his prize fighter would be challenging them all by the end of next year.

“He’s already in the top 15 highest paid Australian athletes now, the wait leading up to this fight against Charlo might push him out of that for the next little period but once he becomes the undisputed world champion, he’d heading towards the top of that list,” Rose said.

“Boxing is the sport that generates the big money, it always has. You look at Floyd Mayweather, he sat at the top of the list of highest paid athlete in the world, Canelo Alvarez, all of the active big-time boxers are the guys who sit at the top of the list.

Floyd Mayweather.

“That’s going to be the same for Tim Tszyu. He likes to fight four times a year, you do the math. If you’re fighting four times a year and you’re the highest paid guy in the super-welterweight division, the chips are going to stack up.”

Tszyu’s legendary father Kostya became a multi-millionaire through his boxing exploits, unifying the light-welterweight division 21 years ago, but his eldest son his not getting carried away by his own chance to make history.

Tim Tszyu is one of a handful of boxers who fights for the undisputed championship in his very first world title fight, and he’ll do it in a city, on the same date 28 years to the day, that his father won his very first world title – Kostya defeated Jake Rodriguez on January 28, 1995 to win the IBF light-welterweight title at the MGM Grand.

“I got a message from coach Igor [Goloubev], January 28, dad won his first title. I was like, ‘wow, how crazy is that’. And to be doing it in Vegas as well, it’s even more special,” Tszyu said.

“It would be like de ja vu.

“But I’m not even close yet to what dad did. I was having a look at his record, he had 13 title defences, he beat 13 of the best out there, in a row.

“No Aussie has ever done. Jeff Fenech went up three weight divisions, but to defeat 13 world title fighters, it’s unheard of. And that’s why he’s in the Hall of Fame.

“I’m going for my first championship.

“To reach his status, I’m years and years behind. To get the undisputed, that’s just the first little step towards where he is.”

No Limit is negotiating to hold the title fight at the MGM Grand to emulate Kostya’s feat from 1995, and also his famous unification victory against Zab Judah at the same venue in 2001.

Tszyu is the WBO’s No. 1 mandatory challenger, and also rated No. 2 in the WBC and No. 3 in the IBF, and is unbeaten with a record of 21-0 (15KO) while Charlo is 35-1-1- (19KO).

Jermell Charlo (gold/red shorts) knocks down Brian Castano.

“I’m fighting the best in the division, at the peak of his career,” Tszyu said.

“He’s not young, he’s not over the hill, he’s in his complete prime at 30 years old, and that’s what makes this so motivating for me.

“I’m not rattled at all by any of his comments, he’s like an angry old man, just grumpy all the time.

“Whatever, let him be. I’ll try to get under his skin.”

TSZYU’S US WORLD TITLE FIGHT CONFIRMED

Tim Tszyu will fight for the undisputed super-welterweight championship in the United States early next year.

The undefeated Australian will take on belts-holders Jermell Charlo on January 28, with a location to be confirmed in coming days.

Tszyu will have the chance to become just the ninth man to become an undisputed champion in the four belt era, following in the footsteps of Charlo himself, as well as Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Terence Crawford, Oleksandr Usyk, Josh Taylor, Canelo Alvarez and Devin Haney.

Tszyu’s father Kostya was an undisputed champion in the three belt era, unifying the light-welterweight division in 2001 by knocking out Zab Judah in Las Vegas.

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Tim Tszyu’s fight has been locked in for January next year. Picture: AFP

Tszyu, 27, has stated from early in his professional career that he wanted to match, and eventually surpass, his father’s feats.

Now he has the chance.

Charlo won the four titles by stopping former WBO champion Brian Castano in their rematch last May. He already held the other major belts, and is the first man to simultaneously hold the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO belts in the super-welterweight division.

Tszyu is the WBO’s No. 1 mandatory challenger, and also rated No. 2 in the WBC and No. 3 in the IBF, and is unbeaten with a record of 21-0 (15KO) while Charlo is 35-1-1- (19KO).

Just last month, as his promoters No Limit Boxing negotiated with Charlo’s promoters Premier Boxing Champions on a deal to make the fight happen, Tszyu was talking about the magnitude of the bout.

“I’m sure the boys will get it done, the fight is gaining interest and momentum and it looks like it will be happening,” Tszyu said.

“From a seller’s point of view, me and Charlo makes sense.

“I told you, me and Charlo is like a Zab Judah moment for me, that’s why I want it to align perfectly.”

Tszyu’s previous bout was in March, a 12-round decision victory over Terrell Gausha in Minneapolis in what was the Australian’s debut in the States.

Charlo teased the January 28 fight date on social media overnight, and News Corp Australia has confirmed that is the date he will fight Tszyu.

It means this will be the longest period between fights for Tszyu since he turned professional in 2016, as he prefers to stay busy and generally fights every three months.

However, after requiring hand surgery following his win over Gausha, the long lead-in gives him ample time to heal and prepare.