By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing
Undisputed 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) will have to defend against WBO interim champion Tim Tszyu (22-0, 16 KOs) by September 30 per an order from the WBO Championships Committee. Tszyu must win against Carlos Ocampo on June 18 to get opportunity against Charlo.
“It’s massive. It’s the news we’ve been waiting on but again highlights just how big a risk Tim’s fight next month on the Gold Coast is,” Tszyu’s promoter, George Rose told Fox Sports. “If Tim loses, it’s over. No Charlo, no undisputed, no nothing.
“After all the waiting and uncertainty, it’s crazy to think it’s Jermell Charlo who has the advantage… He’s prepping now and doesn’t have a world-class, tough Mexican in Carlos Ocampo trying to take everything away from him. Sunday June 18 has just become a whole lot bigger. The stakes couldn’t be higher. His shot at undisputed depends on it.”
The WBO Championship sanctioned Tszyu to defend his interim title against Ocampo under the condition that the winner must be available, ready, willing, and able to face WBO junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo in their next bout no later than September 30, 2023
If the winner is not available to fight Charlo by September 30, regardless the reasons or circumstances, the WBO World Championship Committee reserves the right to issue all further rulings deemed necessary.
I can hear all the Charlo nuthuggers after the Texan pulls out and doesn’t fight the Aussie in September. They will say that Charlo would have smoked that white boy anyway and so he didn’t need to fight him. Blah blah blah. If they do fight now, smart money will be on Tim. Man, a year ago pretty much everybody had Charlo winning but how times have changed:-)
About damn time. Charlo can’t duck anymore. Make that man finally defend the titles it’s been 2+ years. Tszyu will win and go on to become the new champ. Charlo ain’t shit the man won the titles from weak mediocre fighters in a weak division.
I bet he will continue to duck Tszyu and give up the belt. Charlo is a “Chicken Coochie”
BE COOL TO HEAR AND THE NEW… MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A FIGHTING CHAMPION FOR ONCE
and Tszyu just keeps fighting….
Fair decision, Charlo has been given MORE than enough time to recover and prepare.- As for Tim Tszyu, I’ve become a fan of his simply because he wants to fight Charlo, believes he can win, and has been sharpening to stay ready. I’m rooting for Charlo in that fight but how can I not be a fan of any top boxer who wants to fight another top boxer in this landscape where they tend to avoid each other? I expect Tszyu to dispatch Carlos. Win, lose or draw Tszyu has earned a well-deserved break after his fights with Carlo and Charlo.
Two body shots by Spence folded Ocampo in 1 round, should be easy work for Tim. I’m betting Charlo will find another way to chicken out against a fight with Tszyu because he knows Tim is gonna be right in his face and he knows Tim is going to destroy Charlo easier than expected.
Settle down. A “chicken” is a man who talks tough but has never been in the ring at the professional level. He put his health and life on the line 37 times as a pro. Its boxing not ballet so injuries happen. He has until September and he’ll show up. Don’t let your dislike of Charlo mistake this as “easy.” Both Charlo and Tszyu have enough common sense to know it will not be an easy fight.
Never understand how these guys calls someone chicken and they never stepped in the ring themselves.
Certainly isn’t like the old days when Champions fought two or more times a year
We seen what happen to Fundora so Tszyu better be up for it.
Barring a straight up war June 18th for Tszyu with Ocampo or even a loss, 3 months is perfect for the next fight, which is how the champs should be defending anyways. Against a big name or not, you can only keep your blade sharp if your sharpen it.
If the fight happens, I think it will be a good one because I see both Tszyu and Charlo as “country-strong” individuals who give and take.
No tune-up for Charlo? Doubt this fight happens by September 30th. Its not as easy as one might think for a champion to fight as often as fans would like. The man has 4 belts and went through hell and high water in two fights against Brian Castano and has run through quite possibly the best division in boxing and has given some spectacular knockouts in the process, but still gets reamed for being injured…shameful.
Nuckcracker, get your Charlos straight please, you don’t know what your talking about.
Never saw what was so special about the Charlo sisters. They are highly overrated, haven’t accomplished much of anything and fight once every 300 years. That being said, Tim isn’t exactly some world beater either. Which is why I’m actually excited about this fight if it actually happens. I think it could be a very thrilling and action packed fight, both guys have decent power and limited defense.
You are one of my favorite posters, Berserker, because you’re knowledgeable & speak your mind and don’t care whom you offend!
Oh, yes, finally! Please let the fight actually finally come to fruition! Let’s go Tszyu!
Who did this Charlo beat after all ?!