Tim Tszyu blitzes Carlos Ocampo, stays busy while awaiting shot at Jermell Charlo

The Ring’s No. 1-rated junior middleweight Tim Tszyu made short work of Carlos Ocampo, blasting the Mexican veteran out in the opening round of their main event on Sunday at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia.

STATEMENT. MADE. @Tim_Tszyu dominates Carlos Ocampo with a thunderous first-round knockout #TszyuOcampo pic.twitter.com/DbtMpDT63s

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) June 18, 2023

Tszyu (23-0, 17 KOs), who retained the WBO’s interim 154-pound title, remained that sanctioning organization’s mandatory challenger for undisputed champion Jermell Charlo, who was scheduled to defend against the son of hall of famer Kostya Tszyu in January but has been on ice since suffering a hand injury in December.

Despite suffering a dog bite to his right arm on May 26 – a severe injury that required 26 stitches – Tszyu looked sharp and powerful against Ocampo, who had posted a 13-1 record since suffering a first-round KO to Errol Spence in an IBF welterweight title shot in 2018. The 27-year-old Baja California native’s lone loss during that stretch was a 12-round decision to top-rated junior middleweight Sebastian Fundora last October.

Tszyu wasted no time in measuring Ocampo (35-3, 23 KOs) for his vaunted right hand and he immediately landed it. A series of rights buzzed and backed Ocampo near the ropes until one crumpled him to the canvas one minute into the round. Ocampo got up and tried to evade Tszyu, who chased him across the ring and landed short hook (almost from behind) in close that violently swiveled the fringe contender’s head on his way to the canvas for a second time. The referee waved it off at 1:17 of Round 1.

“Statement made,” Tszyu said during his post-fight press conference. “Errol did it in 2 and half minutes. I beat him in less time. “I didn’t think I’d get him out this early. He’s a tough guy. The dog bite got me possessed. I’m a pit bull now.”

The 28-year-old Sydney native turned his attention to Charlo and what he hopes is an undisputed championship in the U.S. by the fall (the WBO has stated that it needs to happen by September 30).

“America is the land I want to conquer,” he said, “the land I’m headed next. I’ve got this interim belt, but I want all four. It’s not just belts, I want Jermell Charlo’s name on my record.”

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