Undefeated Australian Tim Tszyu yesterday scored a unanimous points decision over tenacious American Brian Mendoza to defend his WBO super welterweight title, then taunted Jermell Charlo to “come and get it.”
The 28-year-old, son of renowned former world champion Kostya Tszyu, was brilliant and brutal in the 12-round battle on Australia’s Gold Coast that left Mendoza bloodied, but somehow still standing.
All three judges scored the bout in his favor, 116-111, 116-112 and 117-111.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“He’s world-class for a reason,” Tszyu said of the Las Vegas-based Mendoza, who earned his right to face Tszyu with crushing upset knockout wins over Jeison Rosario and the highly touted Sebastian Fundora. “But he’s second best.”
The victory improved the Australian to 24-0-0, with 17 knockouts, and cemented his status as the No. 1 challenger to big-talking American Charlo, who holds the other three major sanctioning body world crowns — WBA, WBC, and IBF — in the 154-pound (70kg) division.
Tszyu won the WBO interim title when he stopped American Tony Harrison in March and defended it with a spectacular first-round demolition of Mexico’s Carlos Ocampo in June to position himself as the mandatory challenger to Charlo.
However, instead of facing Tszyu as he was supposed to, Charlo opted to move up two weight classes to super middleweight and take on Canelo Alvarez in a more lucrative bout last month.
Charlo not only lost, but was stripped of his WBO belt, with Tszyu elevated from interim titlist to full champion.
“Charlo, where are you?” Tszyu said mockingly in the ring, tapping the belt he took from him. “He’ll probably think in his delusional head that he would beat me.”
“Come get it. Let’s prove to everyone who is king of this division,” he added.
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