Tim Tszyu knocks out Carlos Ocampo in first round
Tim Tszyu has destroyed Mexican rival Carlos Ocampo in a violent first round mauling. Re-live all the action and watch the brutal stoppage here.
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Line them all up, I’m coming for everything.
That’s Tim Tszyu’s message to Jermell Charlo – and any other fighter who dares stand in his way – after his sensational 77 second mauling of Mexico’s Carlos Ocampo on Sunday.
Barely three weeks after a dog bite threatened the bout, Tszyu showed plenty of mongrel, sending Ocampo to the canvas twice to defend his WBO interim world title with one of the most violent wins of his career.
The victory sees Tszyu confirm a blockbuster world title showdown with undisputed super welterweight world champion Charlo in Las Vegas later this year.
After the distraction of the dog bite, and criticism of his decision to risk a fight with Ocampo, Tszyu was fired up immediately after the win.
“I was pumped. It wasn’t a really happiness moment,” he said. “It was relief, and ‘who’s next?’
“Line them up. All of them. All of them in one night.”
Tszyu scoffed at suggestions Ocampo was too much of a risk.
Tim Tszyu is the REAL DEAL 😤 #TszyuOcampo
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) June 18, 2023
(via @ShowtimeBoxing)
pic.twitter.com/6xTSL4nAL6
“It’s part of the sport and part of success,” he said. “There’s no such thing as not taking risks.
“If you’re not taking risks, you’re not going to achieve anything. You might as well go do something else.”
Tszyu was scheduled to fight Charlo in January, but the bout was postponed after the American broke his hand.
The pair have been trading insults for most of this year, and Tszyu had a direct message for Charlo and his fans.
“I’ve got the interim, but I’m not satisfied,” he said. “I want all four belts.
“And it’s not even about the belts. I want the name Charlo on my resume.”
The WBO has set a September 30 deadline for Charlo to defend against Tszyu, and No Limit CEO George Rose says discussions are well-advanced to lock in a date.
“All roads lead to Charlo,” Rose said.
SCROLL DOWN TO RE-LIVE ALL THE BIG TALKING POINTS FROM THE CARD
“I’m really proud of the performance of Tim today. I’m shocked with how he finished it. It’s going to give him so much more support when we head over to the States.
“(The September 30 deadline) works with Team Tszyu, especially after the way we finished off that fight. There will be no lay off time.
“We’ll push for a date to be locked in soon enough so we can get as many Australian fans in support as well.”
When the opening bell rang Ocampo threw five jabs – none of which landed – before Tszyu even threw one punch. Instead, the Australian stalked his prey, looking for an opening.
His first flurry – a powerful one-two – rattled Ocampo after 30 seconds.
Tszyu had promised to make it a dogfight, and that’s exactly what he did, flooring Ocampo with a straight right to the chin.
The Mexican was wobbly after regaining his feet, and Tszyu wasted little time finishing the job, sending Ocampo’s head snapping back violently with a left hook.
Referee Danrex Tapdasan didn’t even bother administering a count before waving it off.
The Charlo fight will take place in Las Vegas, and a win could see Tszyu defending the titles back in Australia in front of his rowdy fanbase next year.
“It was unreal, not many people get to experience that,” Tszyu said of the raucous crowd at the sold out Gold Coast Convention Centre.
“To have a hostile crowd like that, and to go to a press conference and weigh in, on a big stage, and there’s thousands of people there just to watch you talk, it’s bizarre.
“It shows Australia is really behind me.
“I’m blessed to have this support, and I’ll keep representing the people.”
GOODMAN’S WORTH TITLE SHOT
Sam Goodman has scored the biggest win of his career by claiming an upset split decision victory over slick American Ra’eese Aleem.
In the final fight before Tszyu-Ocampo, Goodman outworked Aleem, winning with scores of 116-112 and 117-111, while one judge scored it 112-116.
The victory sees Goodman set up a shot at the IBF super bantamweight world title.
“It ain’t Sam Godman, it’s Mr Mandatory,” Wollongong local Goodman shouted after hearing the decision.
“We’re bringing it to Wollongong.”
Goodman’s superior movement made him a nearly impossible target for Aleem to hit over the first four rounds.
Aleem started sitting down on his punches in the sixth round, and he opened a cut on Goodman’s forehead as he began more and more heavy shots.
The American’s fightback was brief though, as a supremely fit Goodman clicked through the gears over the final four rounds.
By round 12, Aleem was exhausted. He swung wildly, but Goodman was too composed, closing it out in style.
“I knew there were some rounds early where there wasn’t much in there. He comes with some really awkward stuff. It was a big test,” Goodman said.
“I knew I could go forward and back my strength in the last few rounds.”
Goodman wants to bring his IBF world title fight to Wollongong, where his Mad Bunch of supporters will sell out the WIN Entertainment Centre in minutes.
“Where is he?” Goodman said when asked if he had a message for IBF world champion Marlon Tapales. “We want you here.
“Marlon Tapales, we want those belts in Wollongong.”
PANDEMONIUM AFTER CONTROVERSIAL DECISION
Hass Hamdan has won the Australian super lightweight title in a controversial unanimous decision win over Justin Frost.
The fight was stopped after four rounds due to a cut on Hamdan’s left eye as the result of a head clash.
Because they’d completed four rounds, they went to the cards, with Hamdan claiming it 40-36 with all three judges
Controversy surrounded the way the bout ended though, with Frost’s promoter, Angelo di Carlo saying the doctor had made the call to stop it before Hamdan’s trainer, boxing legend, Jeff Fenech intervened.
The ringside doctor examined the gash, and looked set to call it off, before Hamdan, Fenech and the sold out crowd protested.
In a bizarre and confusing 20 seconds – during which Hamdan’s corner looked at the cut – they were allowed to finish the round.
If the fight had been stopped before the end of the fourth, it would have been ruled a draw and Frost would have retained his title.
The bout was finally stopped before the start of the fifth.
“The fight had a decision, and that is that the doctor made a clear decision that the fight was over,” di Carlo told CODE Sports.
Jeff Fenech and Angelo di Carlo have it out after the controversial ending to Frost-Hamdan. #TszyuOcampopic.twitter.com/SSFQKo5Gu3
— Brendan Bradford (@1bbradfo) June 18, 2023
“They were then convinced by the opposition’s corner, Jeff Fenech, to continue the fight.
“That would have been well and fair if the fight had continued until the 10th round. But Jeff, being very intelligent, understood his fighter was ahead, waited the 30 seconds until the end of the fourth round, and got a decision.
“Simple as that.”
Fenech bumped into di Carlo backstage and the pair exchanged heated words about the way the bout ended.
“What trainer wouldn’t want his fighter to go another 30 seconds when he’s won every round?” Fenech asked di Carlo, to which di Carlo responded: “The doctor made a clear decision, and you overruled it.
“You said you’ve got privileges, and that’s what happened.”
Fenech and di Carlo are old friends – and sometimes enemies – and they thrashed out their differences before agreeing to a rematch.
“It’s my job,” Fenech said. “I look after my fighter.
“People lie about me. If anything, people are against me more than for me. You should know that more than anybody.”
TRASH TALKER PAYS HEAVY PRICE
It was the most heated build up of any fight this week, but Rocky Ogden made light work of Mark Schleibs, icing the ‘Magic Man’ inside one round.
Schleibs mercilessly baited Ogden all week, but was quickly sent to the canvas in the opening stages of the first round.
Schleibs regained his feet and attempted to fight back, but Ogden, who was bigger, stronger and younger, overwhelmed him.
Another knockdown spelled the beginning of the end, before Ogden sent Schleibs down a third time and it was waved off.
The pair shared a hug afterwards, with Ogden brushing off the bad blood.
“Its all entertainment, I didn’t take the disrespect too well,” Ogden said. “I know that once I get into the ring, I say what I’m gonna do, and I did it.
“Maybe learn to speak…I don’t know, I don’t care. I guess the crowd enjoyed it.”
VEGAS GETS JOB DONE DESPITE REECE WALSH NO-SHOW
Vegas Larfield has battled to an entertaining unanimous decision win over rugged Filipino Jhunrille Castino.
In the last fight of the day before the pay-per-view begins, Larfield won with scores of 59-55, 60-54 and 59-55.
But he had to dig deep, as Castino showcased an iron chin and remained dangerous throughout the bout.
“I probably give myself a pretty low rating,” Larfield said afterwards. “I still got the job done, but he was a tough fight, he made me work for it.
“I learn a lot from it. I got hit early through the course of the fight. I need to tighten up, get back to the gym and fix a few things.”
The hard fought win moves Larfield to 9-0 as a professional, and the Gold Coast-raised, Brisbane-based super-bantamweight has big plans for the future.
“I want to be undisputed world champion,” he said. “Whoever I have to fight and whatever I have to do to get there.”
Larfield had intended for his good friend and former juniors footy teammate Reece Walsh to walk him to the ring.
Walsh, who is in Maroons camp ahead of Wednesday’s second State of Origin made the tough decision not to walk Larfield out. There were concerns within the Queensland camp about the message Walsh’s appearance would send so close to game two.
DEVASTATING KO ROCKS UNDERCARD
No wonder no one wanted to fight Sydney heavyweight Liam Taliva’a.
After seven other fighters pulled out of fighting him, Taliva’a took just two-and-a-half minutes to stop Kiwi kickboxer Issac Liki.
One of the most feared heavyweights in the country, Taliva’a sent Liki to the canvas with a massive left hook with 30 seconds left in the opening round (see the video above).
The ref didn’t need to count to 10 before calling it off, with Taliva’a quick to make sure his wounded opponent was ok.
Meanwhile, Haze Hepi went viral with a 30-person haka for his walkout in the second fight of the day.
The Kiwi-born, Gold Coast-based Hepi proudly represents his Maori roots, with traditional Mataora tattoos adorning his face.
His walkout threatened to steal the show, but his scrap with Troy Pilcher for the Queensland heavyweight title didn’t go to plan.
Hepi hit the canvas three times in the first round – once as the result of a push. The bout was called off as a dazed Hepi struggled back to his feet after the second legitimate knockdown.
What an entrance by Haseley "The Huntsman" Hepi! 😱 #TszyuOcampo@MainEventTV@FOXSportsAUSpic.twitter.com/MAMIN0GGBM
— The Hodgeman 🦸🻠(@AwesomeAntho91) June 18, 2023
TSZYU OPPONENT’S BIZARRE TAP WATER CONSPIRACY
Jermell Charlo has taken yet another shot at Tim Tszyu ahead of Tszyu’s interim world title defence against Carlos Ocampo today.
Charlo, the undisputed super welterweight champion, claims Tszyu has been kept safe by primarily fighting at home in Australia, and made a bizarre claim about salt in the drinking water in Australia.
“You’re back home over there with all your little fans,” Charlo told Showtime Sports. “But you’ve got all these advantages.
“You’re back at home in your comfort. I’m gonna take him out of that comfortable position and see how he can do it uncomfortably.”
Charlo went even further, suggesting Tony Harrison – who Tszyu obliterated in Sydney in March – was disadvantaged by the water he drank in Australia.
“The secret thing about Australia is they got a little salt in their water,” he said.
“So just rehydrating is going to be bad.
“Just by the way you losing your weight, cutting, then you putting salt water in your body, you holding on. Maybe the weight cut was the issue.
“I’m not trying to make an excuse for him, but it’s a little different over there, bro.
“Something wasn’t right with him.”
Charlo and Tszyu have traded insults since the American pulled out of their scheduled bout earlier this year through injury.
Charlo was critical of Tszyu’s boxing style, but has seemingly changed his tune after watching the Aussie’s destruction of Tony Harrison in March.
“Tim got power. We all seen that,” he said. “If he beats me, he beats me. Best man wins.
“I’m not here trying to hold on to an undefeated record, I’m cool with that. I’m undisputed right now. I’ve worked too hard to have this.”
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