‘He was moaning’: Tszyu’s shock fight claim as 2024 unification ‘superfight’ plot revealed

Tim Tszyu has called out Jermell Charlo for a 2024 unification blockbuster after punishing American world title challenger Brian Mendoza so badly 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 at the top of hitlist revealed afterwards by the world champion and his manager, Glen Jennings.

The Aussie boxing poster boy also suggested he was keen to be part of the NRL season launch in Las Vegas next March, and urged Peter V’Landys to “open the chequebook” and help make it happen.

While Tszyu eventually took a strong decision win inside a heaving Gold Coast Convention Centre, there were several occasions where Mendoza seemed gone – including when he was wobbled by three uppercuts in the seventh, bashed against the ropes in Round 10, and seriously cut above the eye a round later.

The champ also revealed the gutsy Albuquerque native was even “moaning” at one stage of the fight, but bravely fought on, with Tszyu eventually taking all three scorecards 116-111, 116-112 and 117-111.

Presented afterwards with a Kayo t-shirt that displayed his famed ‘John Wick hit list’ – with the name Mendoza now also crossed out – Tszyu was asked who he wanted next.

There was no pause.

“Charlo,” he replied immediately, referencing that American superstar who still holds the WBC, WBA and IBF straps.

A fella who also owned the belt Tszyu has now until a fortnight ago, when he was stripped for moving up two weight classes, and taking a huge pay day, to challenge Canelo Alvarez.

“That’s the name I’ve wanted before all of this, before all this list.

“I wanted Charlo, number one.”

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At which point it was suggested by a reporter that Charlo had put himself in a tough spot by moving up two weight divisions, and may now be reluctant to come back down.

“He’s in that tough spot because I became mandatory,” Tszyu said.

“He was able to manoeuvre his way, make his little payday.

“But if I got him out in January that payday would never have happened.

“His career would’ve been done.

“So he’s got his one last fight left.”

Reckon it does his head in to see you with that belt?

“Absolutely,” the champ continued, grinning.

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

“Saying ‘Mendoza is going to kayo you’.

“Alright bro, what happened?”

Think he watched your latest fight?

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

Told US boxing great Shawn Porter, who this week jetted Down Under to commentate the Tszyu fight, had said Charlo will never come back to the division and fight him, the champ again smiled.

“I don’t blame him,” he grinned. “I think he’ll be on a one year honeymoon spending that cash … wasting that cash.”

While Tszyu would not be drawn on when he thought a Charlo unification bout would happen — “that’s a question for him, I’m ready” – Jennings also offered up the name of Errol Spence Jnr during the press conference.

Tszyu also said that while fighters may have baulked at him previously, he now boasted a shiny gold enticement.

“Having this,” he said, tapping on the world title belt on the table beside him, “it gives you a bit of bargaining power.

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

No Limit CEO George Rose also agreed the March date made sense, while suggesting, if he were Charlo, he would likely be staying away from super welterweight, too.

“If I watched Tim Tszyu fight, I’d be asking what the other options are,” Rose said.

“Because it’s a Tim Tszyu win.

“And that’s why the hit list exists.

“But any time Charlo puts his hand up Tim is ready.”

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

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

“I don’t talk s… out of my arse.

“I’m actually up there.

“I learned from a young age that if you’re going to say you’re something, you’ve got to do it.

“I’m not at the 1% anymore.

“I’m at the 0.01%.

“It’s the superfight level.

“The T-Mobile Arena level.

“That’s where we are heading.

“And to finish here with a bang, the last hooray, it’s good.”

So what chance that happens in March, around the same time the NRL hosts its hyped season launch in Las Vegas?

“Let them get their chequebook out and get it sorted,” Tszyu grinned.

“That would be sick.

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

“For people to go over, watch the rugby and then finish off with a boxing fight, that’s a holiday right there for any sporting fan.”

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

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

And he was tough, right?

“I thought he was out,” Tszyu conceded.

“No offence but he was moaning, doing all these weird noises in one of the rounds and I was thinking ‘man, how is he still standing?’.

“He’s got a big heart.

“A lot of fighters would’ve quit.

“That’s facts.

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

“He said it himself – kill or be killed. And he shows that.”

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

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

“And when I rocked up in those cars, ‘I was thinking back in the day, this would be on horses’.

“I felt that.

“Like ‘this is for my people’.

“And not many people get to experience that.

“I lot of people fight for world titles, defend them, but to get to do that … it beats world titles, man.”