Who is Tim Tszyu fighting next?, Jermell Charlo, Tim Tszyu vs Brian Mendoza full fight highlights

Tim Tszyu has called out Jermell Charlo for a unification blockbuster in 2024 after punishing American world title challenger Brian Mendoza so severely that he was left bloodied and “moaning” in the ring.

After defending his WBO super welterweight title for the first time, Tszyu said he had now entered ‘superfight’ territory – with Charlo and Errol Spence Jnr the two names topping the list subsequently revealed by the world champion and his manager, Glen Jennings.

The Australian boxing poster boy also suggested he was looking forward to the NRL season launch in Las Vegas next March, and urged Peter V’Landys to “open the checkbook” and help make it happen .

While Tszyu ultimately made a strong decision in a packed Gold Coast Convention Centre, there were several occasions when Mendoza looked gone – notably when he was rocked by three uppercuts in the seventh, banged against the ropes in the 10th round and seriously cut above the eye a round later.

The champion also revealed that the courageous Albuquerque native was even “groaning” at one point in the fight, but fought bravely, with Tszyu ultimately taking all three scorecards 116-111, 116-112 and 117 -111.

Then presented with a Kayo t-shirt displaying his famous “John Wick hit list” – with the name Mendoza now also crossed out – Tszyu was asked who he wanted next.

There was no break.

“Charlo,” he responded immediately, referring to this American superstar who still holds the WBC, WBA and IBF titles.

A guy who also owned the belt that Tszyu owns until a fortnight ago when he was stripped for moving up two weight classes and taking a huge payday to challenge Canelo Alvarez.

“It’s the name I wanted before all this, before this whole list.

“I wanted Charlo, number one.”

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At that point, a reporter suggested that Charlo had put himself in a difficult situation by moving up two weight classes and was perhaps now reluctant to move back down.

“He is in a difficult situation because I became obligatory,” Tszyu said.

“He knew how to make his way, earn his small salary.

“But if I had released him in January, that salary would never have happened.

“His career would have been over.

“So he has his last fight left.”

Do you think it scares him to see you with that belt?

“Absolutely,” the champion continued, smiling.

“Ben Damon mentioned my name (during an interview with Charlo) before he fought Canelo, and he was just going crazy.

“Say ‘Mendoza va te kayo’.

“Alright brother, what happened?”

Do you think he watched your last fight?

“You would think so,” Tszyu said. “Especially when we’re on the radar.”

American boxing great Shawn Porter, who flew out this week to commentate on the Tszyu fight, said Charlo would never return to the division to fight him, the champion smiled again.

“I don’t blame him,” he smiles. “I think he’ll spend a year’s honeymoon spending that money… wasting that money.”

Although Tszyu was not called upon when he thought a Charlo unification fight would take place – “that’s a question for him, I’m ready” – Jennings also put forward the name of Errol Spence Jnr during the press conference.

Tszyu also said that while fighters may have shied away from him before, he now boasted a shiny, golden appeal.

“Having this,” he said, tapping the world title belt on the table next to him, “gives you a little negotiating power.

“When you have that, they can come and get it.”

No Limit CEO George Rose also acknowledged that the March date made sense, while suggesting that if he were Charlo he would likely stay away from super welterweight as well.

“If I was watching Tim Tszyu fight, I would wonder what the other options are,” Rose said.

“Because it’s a Tim Tszyu victory.

“And that’s why the blacklist exists.

“But every time Charlo raises his hand, Tim is ready.”

Tszyu suggested his victory over Mendoza confirmed he was now ready for the biggest fights the sport has to offer – and the famous T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“That’s the level I’m at right now, superfight level,” he said.

“I’m not talking bullshit.

“Actually, I’m up there.

“I learned from a young age that if you want to say you are something, you have to do it.

“I am no longer in the 1%.

“I’m at 0.01%.

“It’s superfight level.

“The T-Mobile Arena level.

“That’s where we’re headed.”

“And to end here on a high note, the last hurray is nice.”

So what’s the chance of this happening in March, around the same time the NRL holds its season launch in Las Vegas?

“Let them take out their checkbook and sort it out,” smiles Tszyu.

“That would be sick.

“It’s not for me either, it’s more for the people.

“For people to come and watch rugby and end with a boxing match, it’s a vacation there for any sports fan.”

Speaking about the fight, Tszyu said he was never too concerned about the power of a rival who had iced his previous three opponents, saying: “I could feel a little sting.

“But I train against super middleweights and light heavyweights, so it’s nothing I haven’t felt before.”

And he was tough, wasn’t he?

“I thought he was out,” Tszyu conceded.

“No offense, but he was moaning and making all these weird noises during one of the rounds and I was like ‘dude, how is he still standing?’

” He has a big heart.

“A lot of fighters would have given up.

“These are facts.

“But that’s why I gave him so much respect, because I knew he was a warrior and he had that warrior mentality.

“He said it himself: kill or be killed. And he shows it.

Tszyu also revealed how he prepared for the world title fight by watching the Troy movie.

“Before this fight, I was looking at Troy thinking ‘man, this is for the people,’” he said.

“And when I got into those cars, I thought at the time, it would be on horseback.

“I felt it.

“Like ‘this is for my people.’

“And not many people get to experience that.”

“A lot of people fight for world titles, defend them, but to get there… that beats world titles, man.