Tim Tszyu wasn’t going to wait and see what Jermell Charlo’s next move was.
The 154-pound contender is in his prime. He wants to fight. So when his Jan. 28 bout with the undisputed champion was shelved because Charlo broke his hand in training, which Tszyu admitted “gutted” him, the Aussie looked elsewhere.
He found a tough challenge in former beltholder Tony Harrison, his opponent Saturday (Sunday in Australia) at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney (Showtime).
The winner is expected to fight Charlo next, although, as Tszyu said, there are no guarantees.
“I don’t want to rely on no one,” he told Boxing Junkie, referring to Charlo. “When you’re presented with an opportunity to fight a guy like Tony Harrison, I’m going to jump at it. It’s a big fight to make. I’m not relying on Jermell’s career, on what he decides to do, how long he wants to take off.
“I’m 28 years old, I’m at the peak of my career, and I’m taking each fight as presented.”
Charlo and Harrison, who are 1-1 head-to-head, have similar accomplishments but different styles.
Charlo is a boxer-puncher, a good technician with the ability to end any fight in an instant because of his punching power. Harrison learned that the hard way in their 2019 rematch, in which he was stopped in the 11th round.
Harrison (29-3-1, 21 KOs) is a polished technician, which is why he was able to outpoint Charlo in their first fight.
Tszyu (21-0, 15 KOs) understands the difficult task at hand even though Harrison is only 1-1-1 in his last three fights. The product of Detroit last fought in April of last year, when he easily outpointed Spaniard Sergio Garcia.
“He’s got all the tools,” Tszyu said of Harrison. “He comes from a great pedigree. It will be a tremendous challenge. I never shy away from challenges.”
Did Tszyu see anything in Harrison’s knockout loss to Charlo and his draw with Bryant Perrella in his next fight that he can exploit?
“Harrison switches on and switches off at times,” he said. “He’s like this, up an down. The times during a fight when he’s switched on, he does well. The times he’s switched off … I have to take advantage of those switched-off moments.”
One bonus of fighting Harrison – assuming he wins – is that he’ll gain more experience, which can be particularly valuable against a veteran opponent.
Tszyu delivered a breakthrough victory when he got up from a first-round knockdown to defeat capable Terrell Gausha by a clear decision in his most recent fight, in March of last year. Otherwise, his opposition has been no better than solid.
He’ll be better prepared to face Charlo if he gets past Harrison, who most observers – including Tszyu – would say is a step up from Gausha.
“100 percent,” Tszyu said. “Each fight you progress, each fight there’s plenty of growth. It’s a good little step up before fighting Charlo.”
Tszyu is excited about Saturday and whatever might lie ahead, whether Charlo is in the picture or not.
“In all honesty it was the next big fight to make,” he said of Harrison. “Everyone is interested in the fight. I’m all about bringing big fights when we can and to be participating in those big fights.
“This is no different.”
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