Weights: Tim Tszyu 153.2 (69.52kg) vs. Takeshi Inoue 153.6 (69.68kg)
By Allan Fox: #1 WBO Tim Tszyu will be taking a risky fight this Wednesday against #7 ranked Takeshi Inoue in a 12 round fight on November 17th at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.
This is a stay busy fight for the 27-year-old ‘Soul Taker’ Tszyu (19-0, 15 KOs) to stay active while he waits for his eventual chance to challenge for the WBO 154lb title against the winner of the Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano rematch.
Tszyu and Inoue met for a press conference on Monday to discuss their fight. Both guys looked and sounded a bit subdued, but the Japanese seemed a little more engaged in the process.
Takeshi Inoue brings little to the table
Inoue (17-1-1, 10 KOs) wasn’t the opponent that Tszyu originally wanted, but this is the guy he’ll be facing, unfortunately.
You’d be hard-pressed to recognize most of the names on Inoue’s resume, and that’s the whole problem with using him as a gauge to see how good Tszyu is as a fighter
You can’t because Inoue has fought such poor opposition during his career.
Inoue’s last four opponents:
- Nath Nwachukwu
- Cheng Su
- Anirut Nerndee
- Komsan Polsan
The 31-year-old Japanese fighter has fought only one recognizable opponent during his career in challenging former WBO 154lb champion Jaime Munguia for his strap unsuccessfully in 2019.
Inoue has come back from that defeat to win his last four fights against obscure no-name opposition, which his record is littered with.
You can’t say that Inoue is battle-hardened because he’s mainly fought nothing but C-level opposition during his seven-year professional career apart from his undeserved title shot against former WBO junior middleweight champion Munguia two years ago.
“Look, if you’re not confident, then what’s the point of fighting. No one is going to come into a fight knowing they’re going to lose,” said Tszyu during Monday’s news conference for his fight with Inoue on Wednesday.
If the Australian Tszyu wins this fight in front of his fans in Sydney, Australia, this Wednesday, we’ll see if his management is ready to put him in with his first high-caliber opponent for his next match.
Tony Harrison is ready to face Tszyu next
Former WBO 154-lb champion Tony Harrison has volunteered to fight Tszyu next, and he’s ready to take a first-class flight to Australia from the United States to face him on his home turf.
It’ll be interesting to see if Tszyu’s promoters are willing to match him against the talented ‘Super Bad’ Harrison (28-3-1, 21 KOs) because he represents a HUGE step up from the level of opposition that Tszyu has faced thus far during his five-year professional career.
“I don’t know,” said Tszyu when asked what the fighters think of him. “And I might look a little bit weird outside but once we get in the ring, it all changes. I guess let him find out.
“It’s a similar type of style to Brian Castano,” said Tszyu of Inoue. “It’s going to be a good test to that world stage, and it is a world-caliber opponent. I do respect everything he has done but I’ve come into this sport not just to achieve [one] world title, but world titles in multiple divisions,” said Tszyu.
This writer doesn’t see Inoue as being a similar fighter to Castano. That’s a terrible comparison Tszyu is making, as Castano has actual talent and has fought against world-level opposition.
Inoue is more of a ham & egger type of fighter, who is more of a one-dimensional brawler.
“I’m in that mode now, in that zone where I just want to hurt people,” Tszyu said. “I’ve said it before, under six rounds, but if I want to hurt him for a bit longer, we’ll see on the night.”
If Tszyu wants to prepare himself to fight the winner of the Charlo vs. Castano rematch, he’s got to start fighting quality opposition because he’s still facing lesser guys in useless record-padding fights.
You hate to say it but Tszyu’s resume is a little bitter than that of Inoue in terms of the dreadful opposition he’s faced.
Tszyu’s last six opponents:
- Steve Spark
- Dennis Hogan
- Bowyn Morgan
- Jeff Horn
- Jeff Brubaker
- Dwight Ritchie
