Tim Tszyu Says Charlo is Keeping him and Mendoza from Unifying
The junior middleweight division is gearing up for a major showdown featuring WBO Interim champion Tim “The Soul Taker” Tszyu (23-0, 17KO) and WBC Interim champion Brian “La Bala” Mendoza. Tszyu believes that undisputed champion Jermell Charlo is the reason their bout isn’t a unification match.
The boxing world was caught off guard when the announcement came that Tszyu and Mendoza would face off on October 15.
Why Aren’t They Fighting for Two Belts Again?
In an interview with Fox Sports, The Soul Taker pointed the finger at Charlo for preventing their bout from being a unification clash.
“We both chose to fight each other, but it’s simple — the best fighting the best. If Charlo didn’t hold up the division, he hasn’t fought for a year and a half to two years, I should be the full WBO champ, and he [Mendoza] should be the full WBC champ. If we’re talking by the books, this should be a unification and not interim versus interim.”
It’s worth mentioning that they will be competing for the WBO title, as the organization decided they will strip Charlo following his fight with Canelo Alvarez and elevate Tszyu to full champion. The WBC has not yet mandated a fight for the undisputed champion and will likely wait until after the Canelo fight to do so.
On April 8, La Bala shocked the boxing community by winning the WBC Interim title with a brutal knockout over Sebastian Fundora. There’s no denying that this is the most significant fight of both fighters’ careers, and fans can expect them to bring their A-game to the ring.
