Brian Mendoza’s conditioning, determination and toughness enabled him to somehow withstand Tim Tszyu’s onslaught in the 11th round Sunday afternoon.
Mendoza commendably made it through those treacherous three minutes, even when it seemed as though Tszyu would finish him, and later to the final bell in their 12-round, 154-pound championship bout. That’s not what Mendoza traveled halfway around the world to prove, however, therefore finishing their fight on his feet was of little consolation to the Albuquerque native following his unanimous-decision defeat at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach, Australia.
“Man, we were throwing bombs in there,” the hard-hitting Mendoza said during their post-fight press conference.
A reporter then asked Mendoza if there was any point when he felt as if Tszyu was going to become the first fighter to knock him out.
“Man, I told you I’mma go out on my shield every time,” Mendoza said. “You gotta kill me to get me out of there, and I feel like I showed that tonight. And I didn’t come here just to show that. I’m not a type of guy, ‘Oh, thanks, you know, I did a great fight.’ It just is what it is, man. This is a sport, and I trained, you know, 110 percent. I did bring everything and, like I said, I’m a go-out-on-my-shield type of guy, so even hurt or not, man, you gotta kill me to get me outta there.”
Tszyu attacked Mendoza as soon as the 11th round began and continually unloaded a barrage of power punches on him. Mendoza managed to bob and weave and hold his way to the final round, and he threw just enough punches back at the Australian star to prevent referee Mark Nelson from stopping their fight.
The 12th round was much more competitive, but Tszyu had already built more than enough of a lead so that there was little doubt about who won once the final bell rang. Judge Katsuhiko Nakamura (117-111) scored nine rounds for Tszyu, who won eight rounds apiece on the cards of judges Steve Gray (116-112) and Adam Height (116-111).
Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs) didn’t make any excuses for his third professional defeat and credited Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) for his performance.
“It’s just what it is,” Mendoza said. “It’s fighting at the top of the division. It just is what it is, man. He was a better man tonight, just flat out.”
Nothing about Tszyu surprised Mendoza, who credited the Sydney native for finding his rhythm in the second half of their fight and taking control of the action.
“No, it was, honestly, exactly what I was expecting,” said Mendoza, who previously lost decisions to Jesus Ramos (unanimous) and Larry Gomez (split). “You know, I just wasn’t able to make certain adjustments. You know, that’s why like when I was able to neutralize at certain points, this and that, but I wasn’t able to get my offense. So, he did his thing, man. He was just a better man.”
The 29-year-old Mendoza sensed the first half of their fight was very competitive, which the scorecards reflected.
“I felt close, you know, up until the second half,” Mendoza said. “That’s when he started finding his rhythm more than mine. I let him get a little bit too much momentum and everything. And it just, you know, that’s the way it played out.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.