The future of lineal, unified junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo in the division he made home is unclear. After a lopsided loss to Saul Alvarez at super middleweight, a return makes sense.
The division has to keep moving in the meantime.
Tim Tszyu was supposed to fight Charlo earlier in 2023 but a hand injury knocked the champ out of the ring and Tszyu’s moving on has had its benefits. Tszyu picked up a career best win over former titlist Tony Harrison before an emphatic knockout of Carlos Ocampo. If Charlo does come back, he has a serious leading threat waiting for him.
Unless he doesn’t.
Sebastian Fundora had positioned himself with Tszyu as the hottest young guns in the class. Fundora took an undefeated record in the ring with Brian Mendoza in April. Mendoza left with his hand raised after a stunning knockout win. Can Mendoza strike twice?
Let’s get into it.
Stats and Stakes
Tim Tszyu
Age: 28
Title: WBO Jr. Middleweight (2023-Present, 1st Defense)*
Previous Titles:
Height: 5’8 ½
Weight: 153 lbs.
Stance: Orthodox
Hails from: Rockdale, New South Wales, Australia
Record: 23-0, 17 KO
Press Rankings: #1 (TBRB, Ring, ESPN), #3 (BoxRec)
Record in Major Title Fights: N/A (2-0, 2 KO including interim title fights)
Last Five Opponents: 115-9-3 (.917)
Notable Outcomes, TBRB and/or Ring Rated Foes: Tony Harrison TKO9
Additional Current/Former Titlists Faced: Jeff Horn TKO8
*Tszyu won the interim WBO title in March 2023 and defended once; he has since been elevated to full titlist
Vs.
Brian Mendoza
Age: 29
Title/Previous Titles: None
Height: 5’10
Weight: 154 lbs.
Stance: Orthodox
Hails from: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Record: 22-2, 16 KO
Press Rankings: #2 (TBRB, ESPN), #3 (Ring), #4 (BoxRec)
Record in Major Title Fights: N/A
Last Five Opponents: 102-13-3 (.877)
Notable Outcomes, TBRB and/or Ring Rated Foes: Sebastian Fundora KO7
Additional Current/Former Titlists Faced: Jeison Rosario KO5
The Pick: Tszyu is having the best year of his career to date. So is Mendoza. Something has to give. The thinking here is that something will be Mendoza. While his upset of Fundora was fun stuff, it was also a bit of a bolt from the blue. Mendoza had lost basically every round before that. While Tszyu has been down before against Terrel Guasha, his chin has otherwise been an asset and had to be as he learned on the job. Tszyu is showing patience, maturity, has the physicality to match Mendoza, and is more refined in his approach. Mendoza has never been stopped but the possibility is there this weekend. The safer pick is made here with Tszyu by decision.
Additional Saturday Pick
Zhanibek Alimkhanuly Dec. Vincenzo Gualtieri
Rold Picks 2023: 32-11
Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, a member of the International Boxing Research Organization, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com..