By Robert Segal: WBO mandatory Tim Tszyu says he’ll “break” undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) after watching him live last Saturday night with his tenth round knockout win over the smaller 5’7″ WBO champion Brian Castano (17-1-2, 12 KOs) at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
#1 WBO Tszyu (21-0, 15 KOs) noted that Charlo struggled with the pressure that was being put on him throughout the fight by the 32-year-old Argentinian Castano, who isn’t a big puncher.
Tszyu feels that he would put the same kind of pressure on Jermell, but with a lot more power behind his punches than the weaker ones that were being thrown by high-volume puncher Castano last Saturday night.
The Australian Tszyu says he hopes to be the next challenger for Charlo, as he wants to rip his four titles from him in his first defense as the undisputed 154-lb champion.
Interestingly, Jermell gave no hints about who he plans on fighting next. Although the 31-year-old Charlo did a lot of bragging & teeth gnashing at the post-fight press conference last Saturday night, he was strangely silent about who he could be facing next.
That might not have been an accident on Jermell’s part, as his team is likely going to carefully select someone that isn’t a threat to his reign. It’s fair to say that Tszyu will be left off the list when opponents are being chosen for Jermell’s next fight.
You can probably include Sebastian ‘The Towering Inferno’ Fundora as another fighter that won’t be considered for Jermell’s next fight, given dangerous he is due to his size and offense.
The likely options Team Charlo
1. Liam Smith
2. Austin Trout
3. Tony Harrison
4. Jack Culcay
5. Bakhram Murtazaliev
“I thought Charlo was in front, just slightly in front, but it was close; a few rounds were close,” said Tim Tszyu to Fight Hub TV, giving his thoughts immediately after Jermell Charlo defeated Brian Castano last Saturday night.
“He’s a smart boxer; he does everything good,” Tszyu continued about Jermell. “He’s going to be a tough challenge. This is the first time I’m watching live, but I’m always keen for a challenge. I’d love to take it on.
“I’m bigger & stronger and bring ten times more pressure,” said Tszyu when asked what he does that is different than what Castano showed last Saturday night against Charlo. “I break him,” Tszyu said when asked ‘how he would defeat Jermell.
“Every time Castano was throwing the right, Charlo was throwing the left hook. All it takes is one shot; that’s all it took,” said Tszyu when asked if he was surprised by Jermell’s knockout in the tenth round.
“What Charlo did today was amazing; he fought a great fight. I’ve got to go in there and prove it. I’m bigger & stronger than Castano. Castano is a small man,” said Tszyu about the short 5’7″ Castano, who is shorter than many 147, 140 & 135-pounders.
