‘Finish your honeymoon’: Tim Tszyu calls out next opponent after Inoue win
Tim Tszyu showed his class to win a gruelling fight against Takeshi Inoue and he’s already set his sights on his next opponent.
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After defeating Takeshi Inoue in a hard-fought contest, Tim Tszyu can now properly turn his attention to a world title fight with Brian Castano.
Tszyu could have sat on his hands and waited for his title fight but he decided to stay active and test himself against Inoue, who put up one hell of a defence in Sydney on Wednesday night.
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After Tszyu dominated the early proceedings, the Japanese fighter showed incredible toughness to go the full 12 rounds. But the Aussie still won via unanimous decision
Having kept his undefeated record in tact and moved to 20-0, Tszyu can now focus on the biggest bout of his career against WBO super welterweight champion Castano, who fought out a split decision draw against Jermell Charlo in an epic fight in July.
Earlier this year, the Aussie was named by the WBO as the mandatory challenger for the Argentine’s super welterweight belt.
Castano has repeatedly belittled Tszyu and criticised his record of never fighting overseas.
It emerged in the hours leading into the Inoue fight that Tszyu is potentially on his way to a career-high payday of $2 million if the clash with Castano eventuates.
It remains unclear if Tszyu’s camp can come up with the money needed to tempt Castano to come to Australia. However, Tszyu said after the fight he wants to go to Las Vegas to face Castano in February or March.
When asked after his win over Inoue if he had a message for Castano, Tszyu called him out directly.
“I’ll be back in the gym, I gotta be more prepared than that because I need to take these guys out and I need to keep taking them all out one by one,” he said.
“The grind continues.
“You boys finish your little honeymoons and get back in the gym and start training. I’m coming for all of you. Every single one of you.”
While the fight against Castano is at the top of his hit list, Tszyu is also eager to fufil his father Kostya’s wishes to see him fight in their native Russia.
Tszyu said even though he didn’t win via stoppage on Wednesday night, taking on a fighter of Inoue’s calibre was the perfect preparation for his title fight with Castano.
The 27-year-old said he did everything he could but was unable to drop Inoue for good inside the 12 rounds.
“What a great experience, he (Inoue) feels like a brick wall, I don’t think a heavyweight could drop him,” Tszyu said.
“Hats off to him, he’s a warrior. I heard him squeal, his face is battered and look at his body. He’s so tough.
“Honestly I think that was the best thing that could have happened, getting a good 12 rounds in before I hit the big time.”
Tszyu doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon, only half-joking after the fight he would also like to run a marathon sooner rather than later.
Originally published as ‘Finish your honeymoon’: Tim Tszyu calls out next opponent after Inoue win
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