October 15 will set the stage for a clash between the future WBO super welterweight champion Tim Tszyu and the 154 lbs division’s current WBC interim champion Brian Mendoza. With Tszyu set to become the WBO champion on September 30, deliberately the same day that Jermell Charlo faces Canelo Alvarez, Mendoza will therefore be involved in his first world title challenge.
Tim Tszyu (23-0, 17 KO’s) will meet Brian Mendoza (22-2, 16 KO’s) in his home country of Australia, though a venue has yet to be established. Tszyu is guaranteed to become the WBO champion on September 30, turning their fight into an official title bout come October 15.
Tszyu, 28, has made his mark on the division for the past several years, dominating over other contenders while gradually building up his profile and his ability in the ring all while remaining unbeaten. After approximately two years of failing to challenge for a world title, Tszyu will finally head into the ring as a world champion in his next bout but will immediately face one of the toughest challenges in the division in Brian Mendoza.
The American Brian Mendoza has for a long time been one of the division’s most underrated contenders. The two losses he suffered in 2019 and 2021 may have played a part in him being underestimated, but two back-to-back wins over some of the division’s best in Jeison Rosario (23-4-1, 17 KO’s) and Sebastian Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KO’s) has catapulted him to the brink of stardom.
Now, only Tim Tszyu stands in the way of Brian Mendoza’s path towards glory. The Australian boasts the same sort of experience as Mendoza, and though the age difference between the two is trivial, Tszyu is undoubtedly regarded as the better fighter due to his undefeated record and the dominance he has displayed throughout his past couple of matches.
Tszyu’s wins over Tony Harrison (29-4-1, 21 KO’s) and Carlos Ocampo (35-3, 23 KO’s) sealed his status as the #1 contender at 154 lbs, and the Australian will be looking to prove that on October 15th.
The match between the two is set to be spectacular, as arguably the two best contenders in the division are poised to light up the venue with their boxing prowess.
It is yet unknown what will happen to Brian Mendoza’s status as the WBC super welterweight interim champion. In fact, there has never been a known instance in boxing where a full champion faced an interim champion, meaning that Mendoza will likely have to forfeit his interim title for the opportunity to face a real-world champion in Tszyu.
However, the WBC has been known to bend the rules on occasion and could potentially allow Mendoza to retain his interim title as he comes head-to-head with Tim Tszyu. However, doing so would heavily compromise the division, as other contenders in the division would be deprived of becoming interim champions themselves.
Highly likely, Brian Mendoza will head into the ring without his interim title, creating a fair and balanced world title fight. The winner and holder of the WBO world title will be in the perfect position to unify against Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KO’s), who will still possess the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles if he chooses to return to the division following his blockbuster 168 lbs match against Canelo Alvarez (49-2-2, 39 KO’s) on September 30.
