By Allan Fox: Former WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn says that Tim Tszyu is a bigger puncher than Terence Crawford after having fought both guys and been knocked out by them.
Crawford stopped Horn in the ninth round in June 2019 to take his WBO 147-lb title from him. In contrast, the arguably more powerful unbeaten junior middleweight contender Tszyu (19-0, 15 KOs) stopped him in the eighth round in August 2020.
Tszyu is fighting this Wednesday night on November 17th, against former junior middleweight world title challenger Takeshi Inoue (17-1-1, 10 KOs) in a 12 round main event fight at the Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia.
The 27-year-old Tszyu, the son of former light welterweight world champion Kostya Tszyu, could soon fight IBF/WBA/WBC 154-lb champion Jermell Charlo or WBO belt-holder Brian Castano.
Tszyu has got to beat the 31-year-old Inoue to keep his #1 WBO position at 154 to fight for a world title in 2022.
If Tszyu wins this fight, he could face former WBC 154lb champion Tony Harrison next in a match that would show the boxing world whether he’s for real or not.
As for WBO welterweight champion Crawford (37-0, 28 KOs), he’s defending his title this Saturday night, November 20th, against mandatory Shawn Porter (31-3-1, 17 KOs) in the biggest fight of his 13-year professional career on ESPN+ PPV at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Horn says Tszyu hits harder than Crawford
“Tszyu had heavier, sharper shots, I feel like. Well, maybe not sharper, but heavier shots than Crawford,” said Jeff Horn to FOX Sports in comparing the power of Tim Tszyu and Terence Crawford, both of which knocked him out.
“So I think that’s the advantage he’s got. He’s [Tszyu] just got size and boxing ability-wise; they’re both very similar.”
Horn lost his WBO 147lb title to Crawford in 2018 after being stopped by the American in the ninth round.
“He keeps proving himself, and I know he’s got the hunger, and he’s had that since he first started,” said Horn about Tszyu. “I guess I felt that hunger inside the ring against him.
“I still had doubts about him [Tszyu] afterward, but when he took out Denis Hogan, and then he took out Steve Sparks, and he’s been excelling ever since my fight. He definitely has the belief in himself and the skills to go all the way to world champion.
“It was a hard thing in my fight because I believed I was going to be too much for Tim at the time and going through that fight and his body shots were very, very good, and I tired very quickly, and I probably puffed myself very quickly trying to get him out of there early in the rounds.
“He just took advantage of all of it and maintained his composure, and he was able to get rid of me in the ninth round, which was really good on him. Definitely, he [Tszyu] has brilliant body shots, I think so. They hurt,” said Horn.
Crawford has good power, but he’s not a one-punch heavy-handed fighter like Tszyu, so it’s not surprising that Horn rates his power as less than the Australian.
Tszyu battling Takeshi Inoue
“So, I hope Takeshi [Inoue] has been training his body, but with the way he lands his shots to the body, it’s second to none that I fought,” said Horn about the body shots that Tszyu throws.
“He can become world champion and can become one of the best definitely,” said Horn when asked how far Tszyu can go.
“So, yeah, that’s all I can say. I’ve seen his progression, and I’ve fought him as well. He’s [Tszyu] got a lot of skills, he’s got a lot of confidence, and I think he is going to go all the way to the world championship.
“I don’t know, and I don’t want to be one of those guys that retire and then make a comeback,” said Jeff Horn when asked what his plans are for his next fight.
“I’m just happy at the moment doing what I’m doing. I’ve got a lot of family time, which I’m doing. So until I get a massive offer and I’m probably overpricing myself, and I’ll never get, I’m out of the game,” said Horn.
It would say a lot about Takeshi Inoue if he can handle the power of Tszyu to go the 12 round distance.