Tim Tszyu has warned Carlos Ocampo to target his wounded forearm at his peril during a tense final face-off before their super-welterweight title showdown on the Gold Coast.
Australia’s undefeated boxing superstar is defending the interim WBO belt he obtained with a savage ninth-round stoppage of American Tony Harrison in March for the first time.
Tszyu (22-0, 16KO) is also placing his unification blockbuster with undisputed divisional champion Jermell Charlo in jeopardy by stepping into the ring just 22 days after undergoing emergency surgery to repair his right forearm.
The 28-year-old needed 26 stitches to piece together the worst of the injury after being attacked by a friend’s Pit Bull Terrier in Sydney.
But Tszyu bristled when asked on fight eve if his Mexican opponent would target the arm.
“What’s there to target? Honestly, there’s nothing to target. He’d be stupid if he tries,” Tszyu said while showing everyone the scars.
“We’re all good. It’s healed up nicely. It’s covered in a good spot. Even if the bloke hits me with it, whatever man. Whatever, nothing’s gonna happen.”
Tszyu expects to stop Ocampo (35-2, 23KO) with relentless body blows, insisting he has the South American covered “in every single way” but is also ready to go the distance if need be.
“I wouldn’t be fighting if I think I’m going to lose, man. Let’s just say that,” he said.
“I’m there for the whole 12 rounds because I’m not underestimating this bloke because he’s a tough opponent. If it happens earlier, it happens.”
Tszyu, who hit the scales at 69.5kg compared to Ocampo’s 69.74kg, methodically worked Harrison over before unleashing a flurry of brutal uppercuts that forced the referee to stop the fight in Sydney.
Claiming to be in even more supreme physical shape three months on, Tszyu is bracing for a very different contest on Sunday.
“This fight is a completely different style. One is more strategic. This one is going to be more of a dogfight,” he predicted, adding he was raring to go during the face-off.
“I was in that Pit Bull mode, ready to go, and I was also able to relax. I was able to control myself. It’s a stare down.
“I’ve had these two words that are Spanish in my mind over and over again. It’s ‘No Mas’ (No More). That’s the type of fight I intend to do.”
Should he win, Tszyu and Charlo have been ordered to square off for the WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF super-welterweight belts before a September 30 deadline in Las Vegas.
If he loses, Tszyu’s dream of joining his legendary father Kostya as a unified world champion will be in tatters and Ocampo will take on Charlo for all the spoils.
Kostya boasted a five-from-five record over Mexicans during his Hall-of-Fame career and beat arguably the country’s greatest ever, Julio Cesar Chavez.
“It doesn’t matter,” Ocampo said.
“I’m not one of those fighters who got beaten by Tim’s father. I’m Carlos Ocampo and I’m going to show the difference between them and us.
“It’s going to be a real war but it’s not going to last very long and it’s going to be (a) win by knockout.”
