Australian Tim Tszyu stopped American Tony Harrison in the ninth round with a brilliant performance on Sunday to capture the interim WBO super middleweight title.
The undefeated 28-year-old Aussie won by TKO in Sydney after missing a series of powerful right hand strikes.
Tszyu, the son of former world welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, said his victory sent a message to American undisputed super middleweight boxing champion Jermell Charlo.
“The message was sent clearly. You know what’s coming. I’m going. I’m going to America,” he said in an arena filled with Australian fans.
Tszyu was ready to fight Charlo in Las Vegas in January.
But Charlo’s defense of all four major sanctioning world crowns was put on hold when his promoters announced in December that he had broken his left hand while training.
Charlo has only recorded one loss in his career, when Harrison defeated him via unanimous decision in December 2018 in New York.
Charlo returned a year later and defeated Harrison in a rematch.
On Sunday, Harrison, 32, tried to keep Tszyu at bay for much of the fight with a flurry of quick strikes.
But the Australian’s powerful hooks and uppercuts finally took their toll, knocking the American down and forcing the referee to stop the onslaught.
DJ / two
Source: sports.yahoo.com
