Undefeated junior middleweight contender Tim Tszyu provided an update on his recent arm injury to media in Sydney this morning.
On Saturday, while attending a friend’s BBQ, Tszyu was bit by an American Staffordshire Terrier. The boxer required surgery and 26 stitches on his right forearm.
Tszyu is scheduled to defend his WBO interim-title against Mexico’s Carlos Ocampo on the Gold Coast on June 18.
According to Tszyu, he never contemplated the possibility of withdrawing from the fight.
“He took a little bite at me. It’s quite simple,” Tszyu said to WA Today. “But I’m good now. That’s the main thing. I knew it was, I knew that it was gonna be superficial anyway. I could see none of my muscles or nothing was affected. So at the back of my mind, I was thinking ‘shit, this is not good at all’. But at the same time I was quite confident [it was] just a little bump on the road. A lot of people would have pulled out, but I’m not like that.”
Should he win, Tszyu will face undisputed world champion Jermell Charlo in a mandatory showdown, which the WBO has ordered to take place on or before September 30.
“At first I was a bit worried [when the bite happened] and a bit nervous when it happened but today, a week after the incident, it’s all on track,” Tszyu said.
“I was full training on Monday. I was back in the gym, so it didn’t really limit me at all. It was a little bit of a distraction, it’s not ideal to go to surgery three weeks before a fight, but whatever. I just want to get it on right now. There’s a dog in me right now that’s about to come out …
“It was never, ever even considered as an option [to pull out]. If I couldn’t punch with my right, then I would have had to fight with one hand. So be it. I still feel like I’m the best in the division and I can beat anyone with one hand if it came to that.”
It was also announced that the event scheduled for the Gold Coast Convention and Entertainment Centre was now sold out.
The fight will be broadcast live on Foxtel’s Main Event and Kayo Sports in Australia and on Showtime in the United States. The event is supported by the Queensland Government via Tourism and Events Queensland and Major Events Gold Coast.
“It’s really exciting for us and it shows the magnitude of Tim Tszyu and his status here in Australia,” No Limit CEO George Rose said.
“No other fighter comes close on this side of the globe and our shows are world class. I know the crowd on the night is going to raise the roof without a doubt.
“We’ll be working to create some more ticketing options if possible, as I know there’s a lot of people from Sydney and other states who want to get up there to enjoy the Gold Coast, so we’ll be working on that that this week.”