Australia’s Tim Tszyu (21-0, 15 KOs) is set to take the biggest risk of his outstanding career and challenge Tony Harrison (29-3-1, 21 KOs) for the interim WBO world title.
The event will take place on Sunday afternoon in Australia and it will air live during primetime on Saturday in the United States.
Previously, Tszyu was scheduled to fight Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) on January 28 for the undisputed title of the division, but the match was called off late in December after Charlo injured his hand.
As the WBO's obligatory challenger, Tszyu was required to make Charlo's first defense of the undisputed title. Now that Charlo hasn't shown up yet, Tszyu wants to strengthen his position. While it may not be necessary, winning an interim championship offers Tszyu more justification to challenge Charlo, and if Charlo vacates the WBO belt, Tszyu would then advance to full titleholder status.
However, Harrison is unquestionably no pushover, so nothing is set in stone. Despite losing the rematch in 2019, the 32-year-old veteran gave Charlo his one and only loss back in late 2018. Since then, he has a record of 1-0-1: a draw with Bryant Perrella in April 2021 and a win over Sergio Garcia in April 2022 by decision.
In the co-main event, Australia’s Paulo Aokuso (3-0, 3 KOs) takes on Cuba's Yunieski Gonzalez (21-5, 17 KOs) in a ten-round fight at light heavyweight.
Fight card:
▪️Tim Tszyu vs. Tony Harrison, 12 rounds, for interim WBO super welterweight title ▪️Paulo Aokuso vs. Yunieski Gonzalez, 10 rounds, for the vacant IBO Intercontinental light heavyweight title ▪️Sam Goodman vs. TJ Doheny, 10 rounds, for Goodman’s WBO ‘Oriental’ super bantamweight title ▪️Issac Hardman vs. Rohan Murdock, 10 rounds, super the vacant IBF Australasian super middleweight title ▪️Nikita Tszyu vs. Bo Belbin, 6 rounds, super welterweight
Undercard:
▪️Koen Mazoudier vs. Ben Mahoney, 10 rounds, for Mazoudier’s WBA Oceania super welterweight title ▪️Imam Khataev vs. Gi Sung Gwak, 8 rounds, light heavyweight ▪️Shanell Dargan vs. Courtney Martin, 4 rounds, featherweight
