Tag: Brian Mendoza

Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora: Unpacking a deep, interesting card

Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora: Unpacking a deep, interesting card.

The Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora pay-per-view card Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is unusually deep even though Tszyu lost his original opponent.

Tszyu had been scheduled to defend his 154-pound title against Keith Thurman but Thurman pulled out a few weeks ago with a biceps injury, after which Fundora agreed to take the veteran’s place in the main event.

Here is a look at the featured fights on the show, including the most interesting thing about each of them.

 

Tim Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) vs. Sebastian Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs)

Division: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
At stake: Tszyu’s WBO and vacant WBC titles
Most interesting thing about it: I would rather have seen Tszyu defend his belt against Thurman because of Thurman’s history. However, it will be fascinating to see whether the 5-foot-8½ Tszyu can chop down his 6-5½ opponent, as Brian Mendoza did in October. Fundora seems vulnerable after his first setback but he has had success at a high level.
Who wins?: Fundora’s only advantages are his height and reach, which won’t be enough against Tszyu. The beltholder will adjust to Fundora’s dimensions and break him down. Tszyu KO 8.

 

Rolando Romero (15-1, 13 KOs) vs. Isaac Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs)

Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
At stake: Romero’s WBA title
Most interesting thing about it: Can Romero keep Cruz off of him? That’s the mission of everyone who faces the relentlessly aggressive Mexican, whose only loss since early in his career was a close decision against Gervonta Davis. Romero will have to use his jab and timely counter shots to get Cruz’s respect to have his hand raised. It won’t be easy.
Who wins?: Romero has the power to get Cruz’s attention but not enough to deter his unusually fit, durable opponent. Cruz will outwork Romero and win a clear decision.

 

Erislandy Lara (29-3-3, 17 KOs) vs. Michael Zerafa (31-4, 19 KOs)

Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
At stake: Lara’s WBA title
Most interesting thing about it: What does Lara have left at 40? The possible future Hall of Famer from Cuba holds a major title and continues to win fights but his opposition has been suspect. Plus, he’s more willing to exchange punches with his opponents than he used to be. That presumably is the result of him losing a step in terms of his speed and reflexes.
Who wins?: Lara. He isn’t what he once was but he remains as clever as ever and has retained enough of his physical tools to beat Zerafa, a good, rugged but limited fighter.

 

Julio Cesar Martinez (20-3, 15 KOs) vs. Angelino Cordova (18-0-1, 12 KOs)

Division: Flyweight (112 pounds)
At stake: Martinez’s WBC title
Most interesting thing about it: Is Angelino Cordova the real deal? The Venezuelan came out of nowhere to deliver two eye-opening performances, decision victories over one-time title challenger Axel Aragon Vega and former champ Angel Acosta. However, Martinez, making his seventh title defense, is a significant step up in opposition.
Who wins?: Cordova’s impressive little run ends here. Martinez won’t overwhelm his capable opponent but he’ll wear him down with his relentless aggression and stop him.

 

Elijah Garcia (16-0, 13 KOs) vs. Kyrone Davis (18-3-1, 6 KOs)

Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Most interesting thing about it: This is a significant test for Garcia. The 20-year-old prodigy has overwhelmed second-tier opponents with his ability and power, which has generated excitement. Davis is a step up for him. The 29-year-old veteran is an excellent technician with experience in big fights. And he’s tough. Only the naturally bigger David Benavidez has stopped him.
Who wins?: Davis will give Garcia problems with his skillset but he doesn’t have the power to keep Garcia off of him for 10 rounds. Garcia will take him out late in the fight.

 

Brian Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs) vs. Serhii Bohachuk (23-1, 23 KOs)

Division: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Most interesting thing about it: Power vs. Power. Mendoza demonstrated the destructive nature of his punches with his brutal knockout of Fundora. And all 23 of Bohachuk’s victories have come by stoppage, which leaves little doubt about his ability to hurt opponents. Thus, this could be the most entertaining fight on the card. Don’t blink.
Who wins?: Mendoza might be the more durable fighter. That will allow him to take Bohachuk’s punches and deliver his own. Mendoza by late KO.

[lawrence-related id=41166,41162,41119,36644,38284,37327]

Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora: Unpacking a deep, interesting card

Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora: Unpacking a deep, interesting card.

The Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora pay-per-view card Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is unusually deep even though Tszyu lost his original opponent.

Tszyu had been scheduled to defend his 154-pound title against Keith Thurman but Thurman pulled out a few weeks ago with a biceps injury, after which Fundora agreed to take the veteran’s place in the main event.

Here is a look at the featured fights on the show, including the most interesting thing about each of them.

 

Tim Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) vs. Sebastian Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs)

Division: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
At stake: Tszyu’s WBO and vacant WBC titles
Most interesting thing about it: I would rather have seen Tszyu defend his belt against Thurman because of Thurman’s history. However, it will be fascinating to see whether the 5-foot-8½ Tszyu can chop down his 6-5½ opponent, as Brian Mendoza did in October. Fundora seems vulnerable after his first setback but he has had success at a high level.
Who wins?: Fundora’s only advantages are his height and reach, which won’t be enough against Tszyu. The beltholder will adjust to Fundora’s dimensions and break him down. Tszyu KO 8.

 

Rolando Romero (15-1, 13 KOs) vs. Isaac Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs)

Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
At stake: Romero’s WBA title
Most interesting thing about it: Can Romero keep Cruz off of him? That’s the mission of everyone who faces the relentlessly aggressive Mexican, whose only loss since early in his career was a close decision against Gervonta Davis. Romero will have to use his jab and timely counter shots to get Cruz’s respect to have his hand raised. It won’t be easy.
Who wins?: Romero has the power to get Cruz’s attention but not enough to deter his unusually fit, durable opponent. Cruz will outwork Romero and win a clear decision.

 

Erislandy Lara (29-3-3, 17 KOs) vs. Michael Zerafa (31-4, 19 KOs)

Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
At stake: Lara’s WBA title
Most interesting thing about it: What does Lara have left at 40? The possible future Hall of Famer from Cuba holds a major title and continues to win fights but his opposition has been suspect. Plus, he’s more willing to exchange punches with his opponents than he used to be. That presumably is the result of him losing a step in terms of his speed and reflexes.
Who wins?: Lara. He isn’t what he once was but he remains as clever as ever and has retained enough of his physical tools to beat Zerafa, a good, rugged but limited fighter.

 

Julio Cesar Martinez (20-3, 15 KOs) vs. Angelino Cordova (18-0-1, 12 KOs)

Division: Flyweight (112 pounds)
At stake: Martinez’s WBC title
Most interesting thing about it: Is Angelino Cordova the real deal? The Venezuelan came out of nowhere to deliver two eye-opening performances, decision victories over one-time title challenger Axel Aragon Vega and former champ Angel Acosta. However, Martinez, making his seventh title defense, is a significant step up in opposition.
Who wins?: Cordova’s impressive little run ends here. Martinez won’t overwhelm his capable opponent but he’ll wear him down with his relentless aggression and stop him.

 

Elijah Garcia (16-0, 13 KOs) vs. Kyrone Davis (18-3-1, 6 KOs)

Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Most interesting thing about it: This is a significant test for Garcia. The 20-year-old prodigy has overwhelmed second-tier opponents with his ability and power, which has generated excitement. Davis is a step up for him. The 29-year-old veteran is an excellent technician with experience in big fights. And he’s tough. Only the naturally bigger David Benavidez has stopped him.
Who wins?: Davis will give Garcia problems with his skillset but he doesn’t have the power to keep Garcia off of him for 10 rounds. Garcia will take him out late in the fight.

 

Brian Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs) vs. Serhii Bohachuk (23-1, 23 KOs)

Division: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Most interesting thing about it: Power vs. Power. Mendoza demonstrated the destructive nature of his punches with his brutal knockout of Fundora. And all 23 of Bohachuk’s victories have come by stoppage, which leaves little doubt about his ability to hurt opponents. Thus, this could be the most entertaining fight on the card. Don’t blink.
Who wins?: Mendoza might be the more durable fighter. That will allow him to take Bohachuk’s punches and deliver his own. Mendoza by late KO.

[lawrence-related id=41166,41162,41119,36644,38284,37327]

Fighter of the Month: Tim Tszyu gave another dominating performance

Fighter of the Month: Tim Tszyu gave another dominating performance against Brian Mendoza in Australia.

Tim Tszyu demonstrated in his strongest terms yet on Oct. 15 that he’s not just the son a famous fighter.

The offspring of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu methodically dismantled a solid opponent in Brian Mendoza over 12 rounds to retain his newly awarded 154-pound title in his native Australia, making him an obvious choice as Boxing Junkie’s Fighter of the Month for October.

Tszyu (24-0, 17 K0s) doesn’t do any specific thing extraordinarily well but his lack of an obvious weakness makes him an extraordinary fighter.

Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs) was a problem in the first half of his meeting with Tszyu, during which the hard-punching American – coming off sensational knockouts of Jeison Rosario and Sebastian Fundora – arguably outworked the champion.

However, Tszyu took firm control from the seventh round on. He fiercely played the role of the power puncher, landing heavy blow after heavy blow — including a number of punishing uppercuts — to pull away from Mendoza on the scorecards.

Mendoza demonstrated impressive resilience – a lesser opponent wouldn’t have survived – but he had neither the skill set nor the firepower to withstand Tszyu’s punishing attack.

According to CompuBox, Tszyu outlanded Mendoza 120 (of 406) to 93 (of 433) overall and 98 (of 258) to 71 (of 225) in power punches.

Tszyu has now beaten in succession Terrell Gausha, Tony Harrison, Carlos Ocampo and Brian Mendoza, a run that has lifted him to the top of the junior middleweight division.

However, he told many outlets before the Mendoza fight that he won’t be satisfied until he beats the longtime 154-pound king: Jermell Charlo, who chose to fight Canelo Alvarez instead of Tszyu and lost a one-sided decision on Sept. 30.

Charlo said after his setback that he planned to back down to 154, which could set up one of the most-compelling matchups in the sport.

“Charlo, where you at?” Tszyu said after his victory. “Where you at buddy? In his delusional head, he’ll probably think he is going to beat me. Come get it.”

Charlo might not like what he gets if that fight happens.

[lawrence-related id=39372,39356]

Fighter of the Month: Tim Tszyu gave another dominating performance

Fighter of the Month: Tim Tszyu gave another dominating performance against Brian Mendoza in Australia.

Tim Tszyu demonstrated in his strongest terms yet on Oct. 15 that he’s not just the son a famous fighter.

The offspring of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu methodically dismantled a solid opponent in Brian Mendoza over 12 rounds to retain his newly awarded 154-pound title in his native Australia, making him an obvious choice as Boxing Junkie’s Fighter of the Month for October.

Tszyu (24-0, 17 K0s) doesn’t do any specific thing extraordinarily well but his lack of an obvious weakness makes him an extraordinary fighter.

Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs) was a problem in the first half of his meeting with Tszyu, during which the hard-punching American – coming off sensational knockouts of Jeison Rosario and Sebastian Fundora – arguably outworked the champion.

However, Tszyu took firm control from the seventh round on. He fiercely played the role of the power puncher, landing heavy blow after heavy blow — including a number of punishing uppercuts — to pull away from Mendoza on the scorecards.

Mendoza demonstrated impressive resilience – a lesser opponent wouldn’t have survived – but he had neither the skill set nor the firepower to withstand Tszyu’s punishing attack.

According to CompuBox, Tszyu outlanded Mendoza 120 (of 406) to 93 (of 433) overall and 98 (of 258) to 71 (of 225) in power punches.

Tszyu has now beaten in succession Terrell Gausha, Tony Harrison, Carlos Ocampo and Brian Mendoza, a run that has lifted him to the top of the junior middleweight division.

However, he told many outlets before the Mendoza fight that he won’t be satisfied until he beats the longtime 154-pound king: Jermell Charlo, who chose to fight Canelo Alvarez instead of Tszyu and lost a one-sided decision on Sept. 30.

Charlo said after his setback that he planned to back down to 154, which could set up one of the most-compelling matchups in the sport.

“Charlo, where you at?” Tszyu said after his victory. “Where you at buddy? In his delusional head, he’ll probably think he is going to beat me. Come get it.”

Charlo might not like what he gets if that fight happens.

[lawrence-related id=39372,39356]

Weekend Review: Tim Tszyu is proving to be a special all-around fighter

Weekend Review: Tim Tszyu proved again against Brian Mendoza that he’s a special all-around fighter.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
Tim Tszyu

There are levels to boxing, as they say. Tszyu started as a novelty in terms of perception, just another son of a once great fighter (Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu). Then we realized that he had enough ability to become a legitimate contender. And now, after a series of dominating performances, it seems that he has evolved into an elite fighter who might replicate the accomplishments of his famous father. Tsyzu’s latest success came this past Saturday in his native Australia, where, in typically brutal fashion, he methodically dismantled a solid opponent in Brian Mendoza over 12 rounds to retain his newly awarded 154-pound title. Tszyu (24-0, 17 K0s) doesn’t do any specific thing extraordinarily well but his lack of an obvious weakness makes him an extraordinary fighter. Of course, time will tell how extraordinary. He could be on a collision course with a man he has been chasing for some time, fellow beltholder Jermell Charlo, who said he intends to move back down to 154 after his failed challenge of Canelo Alvarez. Charlo is a next-level fighter at a more-natural weight, one with a combination of ability, speed and power Tszyu has yet to face. I would pick Charlo to win that fight but the gap between them has narrowed significantly, particularly after Charlo’s disappointing effort against Alvarez. That’s the ultimate matchup for Tszyu. If he gets that fight and wins, it would remove any remaining doubt about his ability and lift him to pound-for-pound status. Tszyu could be on his way to becoming a star.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Jermall Charlo’s ongoing hiatus from boxing has created a void at the top of the 160-pound division, one which Janibek Alimkhanuly (15-0, 10 KOs) is happy to fill. The former amateur world champion from Kazakhstan destroyed Vincenzo Gualtieri (21-1-1, 7 KOs) to unify two titles on Saturday in Texas, winning by a sixth-round knockout. Alimkhanuly has yet to face a top tier opponent but he passes the eye test. He seems to have all the ingredients to become a star. … Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs) learned about levels the hard way. His knockout victims Jeison Rosario and Sebastian Fundora are on one level, Tszyu is on another. Mendoza was competitive for the early portion of the fight but faded in the later rounds, as he lacked the tools to neutralize Tszyu’s increasingly punishing attack. The Albuquerque fighter shouldn’t be written off, however, His big victories made it clear that he’s a quality fighter. He’s not finished. … I’ll never understand the appeal of the YouTubers-turned-boxers. I admire their ability to market themselves but their antics are boring and their ability almost non-existent, which doesn’t seem to bother those who find them interesting. Logan Paul fought Dillon Danis and Tommy Fury faced KSI in Manchester, England on Saturday. I couldn’t bring myself to care.

[lawrence-related id=39366,39362,39359,39356]

Weekend Review: Tim Tszyu is proving to be a special all-around fighter

Weekend Review: Tim Tszyu proved again against Brian Mendoza that he’s a special all-around fighter.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
Tim Tszyu

There are levels to boxing, as they say. Tszyu started as a novelty in terms of perception, just another son of a once great fighter (Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu). Then we realized that he had enough ability to become a legitimate contender. And now, after a series of dominating performances, it seems that he has evolved into an elite fighter who might replicate the accomplishments of his famous father. Tsyzu’s latest success came this past Saturday in his native Australia, where, in typically brutal fashion, he methodically dismantled a solid opponent in Brian Mendoza over 12 rounds to retain his newly awarded 154-pound title. Tszyu (24-0, 17 K0s) doesn’t do any specific thing extraordinarily well but his lack of an obvious weakness makes him an extraordinary fighter. Of course, time will tell how extraordinary. He could be on a collision course with a man he has been chasing for some time, fellow beltholder Jermell Charlo, who said he intends to move back down to 154 after his failed challenge of Canelo Alvarez. Charlo is a next-level fighter at a more-natural weight, one with a combination of ability, speed and power Tszyu has yet to face. I would pick Charlo to win that fight but the gap between them has narrowed significantly, particularly after Charlo’s disappointing effort against Alvarez. That’s the ultimate matchup for Tszyu. If he gets that fight and wins, it would remove any remaining doubt about his ability and lift him to pound-for-pound status. Tszyu could be on his way to becoming a star.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Jermall Charlo’s ongoing hiatus from boxing has created a void at the top of the 160-pound division, one which Janibek Alimkhanuly (15-0, 10 KOs) is happy to fill. The former amateur world champion from Kazakhstan destroyed Vincenzo Gualtieri (21-1-1, 7 KOs) to unify two titles on Saturday in Texas, winning by a sixth-round knockout. Alimkhanuly has yet to face a top tier opponent but he passes the eye test. He seems to have all the ingredients to become a star. … Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs) learned about levels the hard way. His knockout victims Jeison Rosario and Sebastian Fundora are on one level, Tszyu is on another. Mendoza was competitive for the early portion of the fight but faded in the later rounds, as he lacked the tools to neutralize Tszyu’s increasingly punishing attack. The Albuquerque fighter shouldn’t be written off, however, His big victories made it clear that he’s a quality fighter. He’s not finished. … I’ll never understand the appeal of the YouTubers-turned-boxers. I admire their ability to market themselves but their antics are boring and their ability almost non-existent, which doesn’t seem to bother those who find them interesting. Logan Paul fought Dillon Danis and Tommy Fury faced KSI in Manchester, England on Saturday. I couldn’t bring myself to care.

[lawrence-related id=39366,39362,39359,39356]

Tim Tszyu pounds his way to one-sided victory over Brian Mendoza

Tim Tszyu pounded his way to a one-sided victory over Brian Mendoza on Sunday in Australia.

Tim Tszyu now feels like a true champion. And bigger things lie ahead.

The Australian star, who recently was upgraded to full WBO 154-pound titleholder, defeated challenger Brian Mendoza by a unanimous decision in his first defense Sunday in Broadbeach, Australia.

The scores were 117-111 (nine rounds to three), 116-111 and 116-112.

Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) had said beforehand that he was approaching the fight as if it were for the vacant title because he hadn’t won it in the ring.

And he fought with the passion of a man seeking his first major belt.

Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs) was a problem in the first half of the fight, during which the hard-punching American – coming off knockouts of Jeison Rosario and Sebastian Fundora – arguably outworked the champion.

However, Tszyu, took firm control of the fight from the seventh round on. He played the role of the power puncher, landing heavy blow after heavy blow — including a number of punishing uppercuts — to pull away from Mendoza on the scorecards.

Mendoza demonstrated impressive resilience – a lesser opponent wouldn’t have survived – but he had neither the skill set nor the firepower to withstand Tszyu’s attack.

According to CompuBox, Tszyu outlanded Mendoza 120 (of 406) to 93 (of 433) overall and 98 (of 258) to 71 (of 225) in power punches.

Tszyu has now beaten in succession Terrell Gausha, Tony Harrison, Carlos Ocampo and Brian Mendoza, a run that has lifted him to the top of the junior middleweight division.

However, he told many outlets before the Mendoza fight that he won’t be satisfied until he beats the longtime 154-pound king: Jermell Charlo, who chose to fight Canelo Alvarez instead of Tszyu and lost a one-sided decision on Sept. 30.

Charlo said after his setback that he planned to back down to 154, which could set up one of the most-compelling matchups in the sport.

“Charlo, where you at?” Tszyu said after his victory. “Where you at buddy? In his delusional head, he’ll probably think he is going to beat me. Come get it.”

Tim Tszyu pounds his way to one-sided victory over Brian Mendoza

Tim Tszyu pounded his way to a one-sided victory over Brian Mendoza on Sunday in Australia.

Tim Tszyu now feels like a true champion. And bigger things lie ahead.

The Australian star, who recently was upgraded to full WBO 154-pound titleholder, defeated challenger Brian Mendoza by a unanimous decision in his first defense Sunday in Broadbeach, Australia.

The scores were 117-111 (nine rounds to three), 116-111 and 116-112.

Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) had said beforehand that he was approaching the fight as if it were for the vacant title because he hadn’t won it in the ring.

And he fought with the passion of a man seeking his first major belt.

Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs) was a problem in the first half of the fight, during which the hard-punching American – coming off knockouts of Jeison Rosario and Sebastian Fundora – arguably outworked the champion.

However, Tszyu, took firm control of the fight from the seventh round on. He played the role of the power puncher, landing heavy blow after heavy blow — including a number of punishing uppercuts — to pull away from Mendoza on the scorecards.

Mendoza demonstrated impressive resilience – a lesser opponent wouldn’t have survived – but he had neither the skill set nor the firepower to withstand Tszyu’s attack.

According to CompuBox, Tszyu outlanded Mendoza 120 (of 406) to 93 (of 433) overall and 98 (of 258) to 71 (of 225) in power punches.

Tszyu has now beaten in succession Terrell Gausha, Tony Harrison, Carlos Ocampo and Brian Mendoza, a run that has lifted him to the top of the junior middleweight division.

However, he told many outlets before the Mendoza fight that he won’t be satisfied until he beats the longtime 154-pound king: Jermell Charlo, who chose to fight Canelo Alvarez instead of Tszyu and lost a one-sided decision on Sept. 30.

Charlo said after his setback that he planned to back down to 154, which could set up one of the most-compelling matchups in the sport.

“Charlo, where you at?” Tszyu said after his victory. “Where you at buddy? In his delusional head, he’ll probably think he is going to beat me. Come get it.”

Tim Tszyu vs. Brian Mendoza: Date, time, how to watch, background

Tim Tszyu vs. Brian Mendoza: Date, time, how to watch, background.

Tim Tszyu, recently upgraded to the full WBO 154-pound champion, will make his first defense against Brian Mendoza in Australia.

TIM TSZYU (23-0, 17 KOs) VS.
BRIAN MENDOZA (22-2, 16 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, Oct. 14 (Oct. 15 in Australia)
  • Time: 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Gold Coast Convention Centre, Broadbeach, Australia
  • TV/Stream: Showtime
  • Division: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
  • At stake: Tszyu’s WBO title
  • Odds: Tszyu 5-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Also on the card: Sam Goodman vs. Miguel Flores, junior featherweights; Nathaniel May vs. Jackson Jon England, junior lightweights; Sergei Vorobev vs. Wade Ryan, junior middleweights
  • Prediction: Tszyu KO 10
  • Background: Tszyu was supposed to have challenged then-undisputed 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo but ended up being upgraded from the WBO “interim” to full titleholder when Charlo fought Canelo Alvarez instead. The 28-year-old from Sydney has turned in a series of quality performances, including a decision over Terrell Gausha and knockouts of Tony Harrison and Carlos Ocampo in his last three fights. The son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu wasn’t gratified when he was upgraded, saying he wanted to win the title in the ring. He sees this fight more as a battle for the vacant title than a defense. Mendoza is one of the hotter boxers in the world. The 29-year-old from Albuquerque delivered back-to-back knockouts of former beltholder Jeison Rosario in November and top contender Sebastian Fundora in April. He has won three in a row since losing to Jesus Ramos in 2021.

[lawrence-related id=39255,37854,37848,37841,36678,36653,36648,36644]

Tim Tszyu vs. Brian Mendoza: Date, time, how to watch, background

Tim Tszyu vs. Brian Mendoza: Date, time, how to watch, background.

Tim Tszyu, recently upgraded to the full WBO 154-pound champion, will make his first defense against Brian Mendoza in Australia.

TIM TSZYU (23-0, 17 KOs) VS.
BRIAN MENDOZA (22-2, 16 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, Oct. 14 (Oct. 15 in Australia)
  • Time: 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Gold Coast Convention Centre, Broadbeach, Australia
  • TV/Stream: Showtime
  • Division: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
  • At stake: Tszyu’s WBO title
  • Odds: Tszyu 5-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Also on the card: Sam Goodman vs. Miguel Flores, junior featherweights; Nathaniel May vs. Jackson Jon England, junior lightweights; Sergei Vorobev vs. Wade Ryan, junior middleweights
  • Prediction: Tszyu KO 10
  • Background: Tszyu was supposed to have challenged then-undisputed 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo but ended up being upgraded from the WBO “interim” to full titleholder when Charlo fought Canelo Alvarez instead. The 28-year-old from Sydney has turned in a series of quality performances, including a decision over Terrell Gausha and knockouts of Tony Harrison and Carlos Ocampo in his last three fights. The son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu wasn’t gratified when he was upgraded, saying he wanted to win the title in the ring. He sees this fight more as a battle for the vacant title than a defense. Mendoza is one of the hotter boxers in the world. The 29-year-old from Albuquerque delivered back-to-back knockouts of former beltholder Jeison Rosario in November and top contender Sebastian Fundora in April. He has won three in a row since losing to Jesus Ramos in 2021.

[lawrence-related id=39255,37854,37848,37841,36678,36653,36648,36644]