From the moment he threw on his first pair of gloves, Tim Tszyu knew he wanted to become a world champion. As he made his way up the junior middleweight ranks, he noticed that just about anyone could grab a belt but it takes someone special to beat the man who beat the man.
Whether you liked his aloof personality or not, Jermell Charlo was on top of the 154-pound mountain. Tszyu wouldn’t deny it and reluctantly handed him his flowers. Ultimately, the Aussie wanted a crack at him, despite few believing he had much of a chance.
Given that Charlo eventually aggregated every world title available, Tszyu had no way around him. Going through the top dog, however, was something that Tszyu didn’t mind. Charlo, nevertheless, had other plans. Instead of defending his throne last year against Tszyu, he made an arbitrary move up in weight to take on Canelo Alvarez.
A nice payday was all Charlo left the ring with that night as Alvarez won practically every round. Tszyu, soon after, was elevated from interim WBO champ to full belt holder. Still, he remained hopeful that he and Charlo could get it on. Now, after noticing that Charlo has gone radio silent, he doesn’t view a showdown against him as pragmatic or even feasible.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m never going to fight him because he’s a bit of a coward,” Tszyu told a group of reporters.
Charlo, 33, hasn’t said much as of late but his actions are speaking much louder than his words ever could. He vacated his IBF strap while the WBC has made him Champion in Recess.
There was never a time when Tszyu liked Charlo as a person but he revered him as a fighter. The Texas native fought like a man with something to prove before he became an undisputed champion. Now, Tszyu is of the belief that Charlo is satisfied with what he’s accomplished.
“Finally, all of the sanctioning bodies are realizing that he’s a fraud. He went so hard to win the belts but you got to harder to keep them.”