While Tim Tszyu’s next fight is yet to be featured on the boxing schedule for 2024, several names have been recently rumoured and hats have been thrown into the ring. So, who could the Australian super welterweight face next?
Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) was in action last October on the Gold Coast, where he scored a unanimous decision against Brian Mendoza in their world title fight with the WBO title on the line. In June 2023 at the same location, the 29-year-old eliminated Carlos Ocampo in the opening round.
Last March, the Sydney native went through the ropes in front of his hometown crowd and stopped Tony Harrison in the ninth round. With the victory, Tszyu secured the interim WBO belt.
A long awaited showdown with former undisputed super welterweight champion Jermell Charlo is a fairly obvious fight to expect. The 33-year-old of Lafayette, Louisiana is coming off the defeat by unanimous decision against Mexico’s undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez last September. The outing marked his ring return that was originally expected to be against Tszyu.
Two-division undisputed world champion and reigning unified welterweight king Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) could potentially face Tszyu for the undisputed 154-pound title, as reportedly suggested by one of his trainers, Bernie Davis. The 36-year-old southpaw is coming off the win by TKO in the ninth-round against Errol Spence Jr last July. Last November, the Omaha, Nebraska native told reporters that he was “looking for mega fights”, which included a clash with Canelo and a rematch with Spence.
In addition, after his first-round stoppage win against Fredrick Lawson early January, Vergil Ortiz Jr said he wanted to fight Tim Tszyu next. The Australian welcomed the idea of a new challenge.
The list of super welterweight contenders also includes Jesus Ramos, Josh Kelly, Erickson Lubin, Serhii Bohachuk, Charles Conwell, Xander Zayas, Bakhram Murtazaliev, among others. Also, there could always be a mystery opponent.
Tim Tszyu is expected to make his first ring appearance for 2024 in February or March.
