Boxing news: Brian Mendoza turns up heat on Tim Tszyu, vows to hand world champ his first loss

He is the American challenger revelling in his underdog status. Now Brian Mendoza is ready to shock Tim Tszyu, warning he has the power to send the unbeaten Aussie crashing.

Brian Mendoza (left) has warned he has the power to drop Tim Tszyu (right) ahead of their fight. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Brian Mendoza has given Tim Tszyu the first savage uppercut, declaring he will drop the ‘Soul Taker’ and warning the pressure is on the world champion to put on a show for Australian fight fans.

But the Tszyu camp has hit back at Mendoza, saying the American brings “nothing” they haven’t seen before ahead of Sunday’s super welterweight world-title blockbuster at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Tszyu (23-0, 17KO) and Mendoza (22-2, 16KO) will trade verbal barbs at Friday’s official press conference and the American has fired the first salvo, questioning his all-round boxing ability.

Tszyu was dropped in the opening round by Terrell Gausha and while he fought back to win a unanimous verdict over the US Olympian, Mendoza said his rival should prepare to hit the canvas again.

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American Brian Mendoza says all the pressure is on Tim Tszyu. Picture: No Limit Boxing/Gregg Porteous

Buoyed by his stunning boilover of Sebastian Fundora in April, ‘La Bala’ insists he has the power to drop Tszyu and believes his lack of head movement makes the son of Kostya a genuine target for his lethal left uppercut.

“I’m not going to lie, I think respectfully Gausha has some pop but he doesn’t hit like I do,” Mendoza said.

“I saw the way Gausha set Tszyu up, there was timing on it, he didn’t just throw the right hand.

“With Fundora, I believed I could drop him and I caught him.

“I believe in myself again, I don’t care that Gausha dropped Tszyu because I know I can as well.”

‘The Bullet’ continued his critique of Tszyu’s repertoire, praising his ability to build pressure, but also believing the unbeaten Sydneysider leaves enough gaps for Mendoza to strike.

“I don’t think you can consider Tim a slick fighter,” he said.

“There is not a lot of head movement from him.

“He is able to keep a lot of pressure and he keeps his distance, he doesn’t fall forward too much.

“That’s what helped him in his Tony Harrison fight. He wasn’t lunging in, but I’ve watched a few of his fights, including even some of his random little fights.

“I have studied him. I am nitpicking on things to add to my arsenal and I will capitalise on a lot of the flaws I see.”

In Tszyu’s last visit to the Gold Coast in June, he produced a remarkable 77-second knockout of Mexico’s Carlos Ocampo with a highlights reel that resonated around the boxing world.

This time, Mendoza challenged Tszyu to try and replicate his Ocampo obliteration, saying he was relishing his role in enemy territory.

“I am enjoying this underdog tag,” he said.

Mendoza believes Tim Tszyu is susceptible to being dropped.

“There is no pressure on me. All the pressure is on him. I’m the B-side. I’m the underdog.

“He has a whole stadium of people in his backyard that he has to perform for.

“As far as pressure goes, Tszyu is supposed to blow me out of the water. A whole stadium will be expecting him to win, but my mindset is I’m a gladiator and it doesn’t matter where I go to war.

“I am imagining a whole stadium full of people booing me in … and cheering me on the way out when I get the victory.”

Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings scoffed at suggestions Australia’s latest world champion was reckless in his win over Ocampo and could be exposed against Mendoza.

“Tim wasn’t reckless,” Jennings said.

“Anyone who thinks Tim was reckless against Ocampo didn’t follow that fight.

“What you saw was Tim making Ocampo so uncomfortable with that first right hand that it became advantage Tszyu immediately.

Mendoza believes Tszyu is under pressure to replicate his first-round knockout of Carlos Ocampo on the Gold Coast in June.

“And when Tim saw the will wash out of Ocampo’s face, he looked in his eyes and went in for the kill.

“That’s smart boxing.

“We know Mendoza is here to fight. But there’s nothing about Mendoza that bothers Tim, he will overcome whatever he throws at him.

“I’ve heard all this before. Every opponent thinks they will expose Tim and 23 have tried and failed.

“When Tim establishes a mental edge, he takes full advantage and finishes it.

“There is no overtime in boxing. Tim will be ready in every category. I expect him to retain his belt and we will move onto the next opponent.”

Originally published as Boxing news: Brian Mendoza turns up heat on Tim Tszyu, vows to hand world champ his first loss