Undefeated Australian superstar Tim Tszyu will return to the ring and defend his Interim WBO 154-pound title against Mexican contender Carlos Ocampo headlining action live on Showtime on Saturday, June 17 (Sunday, June 18 in Australia) from the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia.
About two and a half weeks ago, Tszyu suffered a severe dog bite injury while attending a friend’s barbecue.
Tszyu was bit by an American Staffordshire Terrier. The boxer required surgery and 26 stitches on his right forearm.
There were fears that Tszyu would have to withdraw from the fight, but he refused to back away from the Ocampo bout.
“I dodged a bullet. It was close to the muscle, the tendon and the arteries, which would have been not just blood loss, but end-of-career-type stuff. So, I’m blessed,” Tszyu said.
Glen Jennings, who is Tszyu’s manager, praised his boxer’s toughness to move forward with the fight.
“There is no tougher fighter on the planet than Tim. Most other fighters would have said I’m out, but not this kid. I said are you comfortable mentally, because physically it will heal. He said no way, I’m not pulling out. I do quietly smile from time to time because Tim’s toughness is a DNA streak he inherited from his dad. A severed tendon would have been a totally different ball game,” Jennings said.
“Tendons are a minimum 12 months out of boxing and who knows what that could have meant for his career. If the dog pulled him forward, it could have severed the tendon and then he would have been f***ed. This was no small mark. There was serious damage to his arm and the images are proof of how deep the cut was. His skin was torn apart by the dog digging into his arm.”
The Showtime telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will also feature top super bantamweight contender Ra’eese Aleem taking on undefeated Australian Sam Goodman in an IBF 122-pound title eliminator in the co-main event.