By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing
WBO #2 light middleweight Tim Tszyu (16-0, 12 KOs) was interested in challenging WBO light middleweight champion Patrick Teixeira (31-1, 21 KOs) for the title in Australia according to Tszyu’s promoter Matt Rose, but the WBO has ruled Teixeira must defend against his mandatory challenger Brian Castano
“All parties are very interested in making this fight happen – Teixeira’s promoters (Golden Boy Promotions) want to see him back in the ring defending his belt as soon as possible and the WBO is obviously in the business of keeping their champions active,” says Rose.
“There’s a few hurdles to get over but it’s looking good and it could all happen very quickly, plus it helps that the world just saw a big crowd at our event in Townsville. Ultimately we have asked the WBO to grant the champion (Teixeira) a ‘voluntary’ defense given that it looks increasingly unlikely he’ll be able to fight his ‘mandatory’ before the end of the year.”
The WBO ruled Wednesday that Teixeira must defend against Brian Castano the mandatory challenger. Rose stated he’s been informed it will be held November 2020.
Why are the promotors rushing him into a title fight when Tim said he is not ready?>
Tszyu is already the WBO #2 fighter…talking about the fast track. Teixeira better not underestimate/overlook Castano because Castano is no joke.
Win, lose or draw, I am sure Tszyu will provide maximum effort in a potential fight against Teixeira or Castano.
Fight won’t happen. Kostya and Tim know they are not ready yet. Tim eventually will be ready, maybe by the end of 2021. Lets the kid mature a bit more, rushing him could bring disastrous results (hopefully not).
Patrick Teixeira is a paper champ. He’s got one legit win really – Tim is at the same level. Get these cats to fight. They did this in England for a good decade – win the WBO title – fight some Argentinian’s – learn the trade while cashing in fighting limited opposition. Pad the record – win over the non boxing fans – make them think he’s the next Ali – make a million bucks then step up after about 6 fights and fight some champ hitting his sell by date. Go back to fighting bums make loads of money. Talk crap on TV Eventually step up and fight a legit American that everyone underestimates and lose poorly. Have one comeback fight – scrape home to a points win and pretend to be still active – put on loads of weight – get in trouble with the law and make some poor property investments on the Gold Coast – Retire cashed up and fat.
Respectfully, I have to disagree. Although you are right about the path taken and this is a well trodden path (Ali, Tyson, Griffin, Taylor, RJJ, McGregor) and some of the record padding that occurs and the money aspect, these guys keep in shape……look at Tyson on the pads recently, Haye looked trim when I saw him in Vegas in Feb and many others.
On Turbo Timmy, he’s beaten the best the Southern Hemisphere has to offer, a clash with Australia’s overlords in the UK makes sense against Kell Brook/Metcalf/Cheeseman/Fowler. Seems like the logical next step
Turbo Tim is ready for blast off – he might as well take on all comers locally as international fights might not ever happen again until 2022. Timmy V Mundine or Danny Green – Why not?
Castano is not a small matter for Teixeira to start with. I’m almost expecting Teixeira to loose.
But let’s say Teixeira wins, I think Tim would manage him, perhaps not easily, but he would in the end be too strong and motivated.
But then? When challenged by other great boxers in the division?
To stay as a true champ and dominate the division over the years is a totally different story.
You could say that tough fights yield experience, even though you loose one or two fights. For sure. Yes!
But honestly boxing is a dangerous sport. Tim is young, but not for ever, and his health mustn’t be for sale.
So I’m also leaning to hurry slowly!