Tim Tszyu demolishes Carlos Ocampo to set up Jermell Charlo super welterweight showdown

Gold Coast – Australian power puncher Tim Tszyu scored a stunning first-round knockout over Mexico’s Carlos Ocampo to retain his interim World Boxing Organisation (WBO) super welterweight title on Sunday and set up a shot at undisputed champion Jermell Charlo.

The 28-year-old, son of renowned former world champion Kostya, came out with all guns blazing on Australia’s Gold Coast despite needing surgery just weeks ago after a nasty dog bite.

He landed some huge right-handers, and a blistering left hook, to twice put Ocampo on the canvas, with the fight over in just 72 seconds. Tszyu connected with 14 punches, while the shell-shocked Mexican failed to land a single one and dropped to 35-3.

“It was a statement made. America is the land I want to conquer, the land I’m going to next, the big one is coming,” said Tszyu, who earned the interim belt with a savage ninth-round stoppage of American Tony Harrison in March.

“I’ve got the interim belt, but I’m not satisfied. I want all four. I want the name Charlo on my resume.”

The victory kept his unbeaten record intact as he moved to 23-0 (17 KOs) to position himself as the mandatory challenger for the unified titles. American Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) has not fought since knocking out Brian Castano in a May 2022 rematch following a disputed draw in their first meeting.

He and Tszyu had been poised to fight in Las Vegas in January but the American’s defence of all four major sanctioning body world crowns was postponed after he broke his left hand.

The pair have been ordered to face off for the WBA (World Boxing Association), WBC (World Boxing Council), WBO (World Boxing Organisation) and IBF (International Boxing Federation) super welterweight belts later in 2023. “I’ve copped a lot of adversity coming into this fight and it was just about pushing through. I didn’t think it would be that early, this guy is a warrior,” Tszyu said.

He came into the fight despite undergoing surgery for a gaping wound on his right arm just three weeks ago that needed 26 stitches. But he showed no issues with his movement or punching power to send Charlo a message.

Over in New Orleans, hometown hero Regis Prograis retained his WBC light welterweight crown on Saturday with a split-decision victory over Puerto Rico’s Danielito Zorrilla.

Prograis, 34, won by scores of 118-109 and 117-110 while the third judge saw Zorrilla winning 114-113. He improved to 29-1 while Zorrilla, 29, fell to 17-2.

“I got the drop early and I kept pressing the action but he ran around the whole time,” Prograis said. “I definitely have to go back to the gym and work on some things but he ran, he definitely tried to survive.”

He suffered his only loss in a 2019 title unification bout with Scotsman Josh Taylor, but the southpaw has won his five fights since then, including knocking out American Jose Zepeda last November for the vacant WBC title. Despite his brief tenure, Prograis is the division’s longest-reigning champion among major belt holders. AFP