Gold Coast wins bidding war to host Tim Tszyu-Brian Mendoza two-belt, world-title blockbuster
He produced one of the most savage knockouts of the year with his mauling of Mexico’s Carlos Ocampo in June. Now Tim Tszyu is back for what shapes as his final fight on Australian soil.
Tim Tszyu’s October 15 world title fight with Brian Mendoza at the Gold Coast Convention Centre could be the last time Australian fans have a chance to see the ‘The Soul Taker’ in action for a while.
The 28-year-old believes a win over WBC interim super welterweight world champion Mendoza will propel him into even bigger fights overseas.
Tszyu is in the middle of an intense training camp in Las Vegas and came face-to-face with Mendoza for the first time on Thursday at a press conference to finalise the fight’s location.
“Driving past the T-Mobile Arena and the MGM Grand here, it’s something I’ve been dreaming about for myself,” Tszyu said.
“I see this as the last fight in Australia for a good time.
“I was lucky and blessed enough to keep active and keep fighting, and we were able to have that fan base and keep bringing big fights (to Australia).
“But for the next few years, I believe this will be the last fight in Australia for some time.”
Tszyu will be elevated to full WBO champion on September 30, when current unified world champion Jermell Charlo fights Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
A win over Mendoza sets up a number of big-money overseas fights, including more super-welterweight unification bouts, and even mega-fights against the likes of Terence Crawford, Errol Spence and Canelo.
“You have to be willing to do what other people aren’t going to do,” Tszyu said. “I had the chance to sit on the sideline because I was the mandatory to Charlo, but I took the biggest, most dangerous option.
“I could’ve had a tune-up fight, but I chose the guy that beat the man, and I think that gained a lot of respect in a lot of purists’ eyes.”
All the talk ahead of his win over Carlos Ocampo in June was about the dog bite that nearly derailed the bout, but Tszyu is adopting a new mentality for this one.
“When you feel like you’re the king of the jungle, you don’t need to tell people why you’re king of the jungle,” he said. “You just need to go out there and show it.
Tszyu added: “I’m on the grind every day, and I’m improving every day.
“It’s this crazy obsession I have and that’s what allows me to keep moving up and up and up.
“I don’t want to stay on the sidelines. I’m hungry.”
The 29-year-old Mendoza has been branded a giant-killer after two huge upset knockout wins over Jeison Rosario and Sebastian Fundora in the last 10 months.
And the Albuquerque local is intent on repeating the dose against Tszyu and win over Australian fans.
“There’s nothing bigger than a victory where you’re not expected to win,” he said. “If you get a tune up fight and you win, it’s cool, but you’re supposed to win.
“But when you get a win when you’re not supposed to, there’s nothing sweeter than that, and it’s a high I’m chasing for the rest of my life.
“I’m going to flip those fans and steal a few of them for myself.”
Gold Coast KOs rivals for Tszyu world title blockbuster
Gold Coast has won the hosting rights for the Tim Tszyu-Brian Mendoza blockbuster in what shapes as the Sydney world champion’s final fight in Australia.
Tszyu (23-0, 17KO) is returning to the Glitter Strip for his world-title showdown with American dangerman Mendoza (22-2, 16KO) at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on Sunday, October 15.
Tszyu’s promoters No Limit were exploring a number of locations with Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle all expressing interest in hosting one of the biggest bouts in Australian boxing history.
Two major NRL venues, Parramatta’s Commbank Stadium and Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium, were in the running.
But the Gold Coast has prevailed in a multimillion-dollar bidding war as Tszyu prepares to return to the scene of his brutal 77-second massacre of Mexican Carlos Ocampo in June.
Currently on a training camp in America, Tszyu and Mendoza will face-off for the first time in Las Vegas on Thursday to formalise the Gold Coast announcement.
No Limit boss George Rose confirmed Tszyu is relishing a second coming on the Gold Coast when he throws down with Mendoza for the WBO and WBC super welterweight world titles.
“This fight is a massive coup for the Gold Coast,” Rose said.
“Tim Tszyu has fallen in love with the Gold Coast. It’s like his second home.
“We looked at Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle, it would have been fabulous at those places, but the last Tszyu event on the Gold Coast was absolutely unbelievable.
“Gold Coast has become the Vegas of Australian boxing.
“That last fight had so much energy in the room, his knockout of Ocampo was simply savage and it left a real mark on Australian boxing fans and the Gold Coast locals.
“Mendoza is ranked No.2 in the division so it doesn’t get any bigger than this.
“There will be fireworks from the opening bell.”
The Mendoza super welterweight spectacular could represent Tszyu’s farewell to Australian audiences.
Tszyu vowed to conquer America after his obliteration of Ocampo and if he mauls Mendoza, the Land of Opportunity will deliver financial prosperity as the ‘Soul Taker’ looks to rule the world.
The 28-year-old Sydneysider will be elevated from interim to full super welterweight world champion on September 30, when the division’s unification king Jermell Charlo is stripped for fighting Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez at super middleweight.
Victory over Mendoza will ordain Tszyu as a two-belt world champion and pave the way for $10 million-plus mega fights in Vegas against the likes of Charlo, Alvarez, Errol Spence Jr and pound-for-pound prince Terence Crawford.
“I can’t see Tim fighting back in Australia for a long time, so that’s why this is a massive coup for the Gold Coast,” Rose said.
“Tim has become a mega star in boxing.
“He is now at that global level where revenue is a factor and if he beats Mendoza, the biggest names in world boxing are on his doorstep.”
This is the biggest test of Tszyu’s career. The son of Kostya is wary of Mendoza’s punching power.
“We are the two pitbulls of the division,” he said.
“I love the Gold Coast. There’s a buzz about the area that suits me.
“We are coming off two big wins and we are both on the incline, there is no decline.
“We’re basically paid killers and Mendoza has power, but I have the power to make opponents’ eyes go googly as well.
“I won’t take this lightly, but I’m a man possessed and I’ll take them all down, one by one.”
The 29-year-old Mendoza pulled off a monster boilover with a seventh-round knockout of Sebastian Fundora (20-1-1) in April to steal the WBC belt and now the ‘Giant Killer’ is hunting Tszyu.
“This is my comfort zone. I have found comfort in being uncomfortable,” he said.
“I work harder than anybody else in the world I believe.
“I don’t bank on talent.
“I will bring something Tszyu hasn’t seen before.
“I will put on another explosive performance. There will be big-time fireworks.
“Nothing can stop me from bringing that new belt home.”
Originally published as Gold Coast wins bidding war to host Tim Tszyu-Brian Mendoza two-belt, world-title blockbuster
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