Tim Tszyu faces the biggest test of his dazzling career as he faces Tony Harrison for the interim WBO super welterweight title.
It is Tszyu’s first shot at a world title and it comes against the only man to defeat Jermell Charlo, the man Tszyu was originally set to face before withdrawing to a hand injury late last year.
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Watch undefeated Aussie superstar Tim Tszyu return to the ring for his biggest fight yet versus USA’s former world champion Tony Harrison for an Interim WBO Super Welterweight title LIVE Sunday March 12. ORDER ON MAIN EVENT ON KAYO SPORTS >
ULTIMATE GUIDE: What time will it start, full undercard and what bookies are saying
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TSZYU’S WILD WEIGHT GAIN
Tim Tszyu may have officially tipped the scales at 69.68kg compared to Tony Harrison who weighed in at 69.62kg, but the Aussie will step into the ring later on Sunday significantly heavier.
According to Fox Sports News’ Cody Kaye, Tszyu has rapidly regained weight overnight since the official weigh-ins.
So much so that the Aussie world title challenger is likely to enter the ring “closer to super middleweight”, per Kaye, with the super middleweight limit at 76kg — six kilograms over the super welterweight limit.
Kaye reports Tszyu had already regained 8kg by 4pm yesterday and one would imagine he may have added a few more kilograms since.
‘THEY WILL ROB US’: MAHONEY’S ‘PROPHETIC’ WARNING IN SHOCK RESULT
Main Event’s Paul Kent was one of several left baffled at how Ben Mahoney’s ten round slugfest against Koen Mazoudier was scored as a split draw.
Mahoney and Mazoudier both started strongly before the Queenslander picked up the pace and snapped his jab at pace, rocking his rival in the early and middle rounds.
Although Mahoney appeared to be winning, his corner warned him “they will rob us” going into the eighth round, with “they” being the judges given Mahoney was on enemy territory.
Both men enjoyed a sprint to the finish in a hotly-contested fight, although the consensus seemed Mahoney had eeked out a narrow victory.
Instead, the scorecards showed otherwise with one judge awarding it 97-93 in Mahoney’s favour, 97-94 in Mazoudier’s favour and a 95-95 draw.
Mahoney was left perplexed at the decision.
“We’ve come to Sydney on a No Limit show in the backyard of the opponent and still got a draw,” Mahoney said.
“I won that fight anywhere else. Let’s run it back in the Gold Coast.”
Kent added that the warning from Mahoney’s corner “was prophetic” and was flabbergasted at the judge who scored the fight in Mazoudier’s favour.
“Whoever scored it 97-94 to Mazoudier, I tell you, I want some of what he’s on, because he’s enjoying it,” Kent said.
FULL CARD
Main card (from midday AEDT)
Tim Tszyu vs. Tony Harrison — 12 rounds, super welterweight – interim WBO super welterweight title
Paulo Aokuso vs. Yunieski Gonzalez — 10 rounds, light heavyweight – vacant IBO Intercontinental light heavyweight title
Sam Goodman vs. TJ Doheny — 10 rounds, super bantamweight – WBO ‘Oriental’ super bantamweight title
Issac Hardman vs. Rohan Murdock — 10 rounds, super middleweight – vacant IBF Australasian super middleweight title
Nikita Tszyu vs. Bo Belbin — 6 rounds, super welterweight
Prelims (from 10am)
Koen Mazoudier draws with Ben Mahoney (97-93, 94-97, 95-95)
Shanell Dargan def Courtney Martin via UD (39-37, 40-36 x 2)
Imam Khataev def Gi Sung Gwak via KO in Round Two
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