It was the biggest test of Tim Tszyu’s dazzling career. The biggest risk too, as he faced Tony Harrison for the interim WBO super welterweight title.
It was Tszyu’s first shot at a world title and it came against the only man to defeat Jermell Charlo, the man Tszyu was originally set to face before withdrawing to a hand injury late last year.
Tszyu didn’t have to fight Harrison. But he wanted to stay active and he wanted to make a statement — and that he did.
Tszyu sent a brutal warning to the undisputed champion Charlo, dominating Harrison before claiming a ninth-round stoppage win on Sunday to improve his undefeated record to 22-0 with 16 knockouts.
“What’s my motherf***ing name?” Tszyu asked in his post-fight speech.
“The message was sent clearly,” Tszyu added.
“You know what’s up, you know what’s next. I’m coming [for Charlo].”Ben Damon, meanwhile, said in commentary that “the doubters” had been “destroyed” after Tszyu’s latest masterclass.
It was a relatively even opening to the fight, with Harrison primarily working the jab as Tszyu landed a few shots in response.
Harrison’s jab was described as “exactly as advertised” and “on-point” by Damon as the American warmed into the opening round of the fight.
Tszyu, on the other hand, was countering well and turned a hook into a right hand early while also later digging into the body and landing an over-the-top right.
Shawn Porter said in commentary that Harrison “can win” by working the jab and keeping the fight at the pace he would prefer, although he added that the American needed to be “defensively aware” after throwing the jab.
Jeff Fenech, meanwhile, said Harrison needed to put something after the jab, warning it would not be enough even if he was landing more, with Tszyu’s power doing more damage.
“This will slowly wear Harrison down,” Fenech added.
Tszyu started to really find his range in the second round too, landing the bigger and more damaging punches and rocked Harrison with a strong overhand right.
“He tries to hang on,” Damon said.
“Is he hurt Tony Harrison? Tszyu is looking for a huge statement against the former world champion, who gets back on the jab.”
“The eyes are glassy,” added Fenech.
“He’s never been hit like this before.”
Tszyu continued to unload as the third round closed, with Damon declaring Harrison “was definitely hurt by the end” of it.
“Tim Tszyu is in a different mood tonight…. menacing from Tszyu.”
Harrison responded well in a close fourth and in the fifth too, although Tszyu landed another strong right late in the round, walking down his rival with powerful shots.
And even when Harrison threw a right hand, Tszyu continued to counter with smart uppercuts, controlling the fight as it went past the halfway point.
Tszyu then forced Harrison to fight off the ropes in the seventh and worked the jab before landing a big right to open the eighth.
Harrison fired back with a left hand of his own but those shots were too far and few in between for the American, who desperately needed something big to get back in the fight.
“He’s tough but Tim’s got really nice timing, especially with that right hand,” said Porter.
Harrison had one of his better moments of the fight in the ninth as he backed up Tszyu momentarily but it was only a brief blip for the Australia, who destroyed his rival with a barrage of brutal shots to drop Harrison and win the fight.
“I’m very mad at the ref for allowing Tony to take this many clean shots and not stepping in,” Porter said.
“That’s vicious punching.”
“That is hard to watch,” added Damon.
