Today’s boxing takes us to Australia, where a strong main event sees Tim Tszyu seeking to step out of his father’s shadow by taking on Tony Harrison for an interim title belt at 154lbs.
Tszyu (21-0-0, 15 KOs), son of local legend Kostya, has reached the stage of his career where he really needs to prove he belongs at world level. A win here will do that. Harrison (29-3-1, 21KOs) isn’t just a gatekeeper though- victory would give him a third crack at unified divisional champion Jermell Charlo, with whom he’s 1-1, so he’s got a lot to fight for himself.
The fight will be available in the US on Showtime. They’ll only show the main event, with coverage starting at 10:45PM ET. That’s the expected time for the ringwalks, but if the undercard runs long, Showtime will probably resort to filler, so keep an eye out here for where we stand.
For Australian viewers, it’s a $59.95 KayoTV PPV, with the main card starting at 12PM on Sunday, AEDT and the main event scheduled for 2:45PM.
update: apologies for the lack of highlights of the undercard here guys. The undercard not being on Showtime appears to have done a number on those being available. There appears to be some anger over the Murdock-Hardman and particularly the Mazoudier-Mahoney decision anyway, the Showtime card is live, but the co-main appears to still be going on, so we’ve got a little wait before main event ringwalks
update: They’ve decided to join the co-main, Aokuso vs Gonzalez, live for the last half. And Aokuso drops him just after they do. Nice timing.
update: okay, the anthems are going for the main events. Ringwalks in a second.
Play-by-play
Tszyu vs Harrison
Round 1: Here we go. They start off feinting at each other, Harrison jabbing. As expected. Tszyu closing range slowly, but not throwing in the first minute or so. That guard really is very open. He has managed to push Tszyu to a corner, but only throws one punch. It is worrying for Harrison how easily he’s gotten cornered, even when he’s winning the round easily. Tszyu lands a straight right behind a combination, finally. Harrison’s jab is the story of this round, varied to head and body. He does eat a nice right hand at the end, but still 10-9 Harrison
Round 2: Tszyu trying some left hooks in response to Harrison’s jab, Tony has to be careful. Not quite landed yet though. Tszyu’s jab coming in a bit more, but still Harrison’s the more dominent punch. And a right hand over the top of Harrison’s jab. Harrison responds in kind, avoids an uppercut. Eats one a few seconds later. Still jabbing strongly though. One of those Tszyu left hooks lands. Much closer round, but still 10-9 Harrison, 20-18
Round 3: I’ve got Harrison 2 up but still think this is worring for him, because Tszyu is pushing him to the corners very easily, and looking specifically for work to counter that jab. A left hook and double right hand moves Harrison back, then a long left snaps his head. Double jab by Harrison and he has temporarily stopped the forward movement. And a huge right rocks Harrison, who wobbles on the ropes! Covers up and seems okay, but a minute left and he has to hold on. Tszyu patient, but relentless. Left hook, then chopping right hands. Harrison survives but started to unravel a bit there. 10-9 Tszyu, 29-28 Harrison
Round 4: Harrison opens busier, but pushed straight back into the corner. Trying to circle, but Tszyu is very good at cutting space. Harrison has landed good jabs, still, but he leans into one right hand and just avoids the next. And that right is continuing to score over Harrison’s low lead hand. Bodyshot/headshot combo for Tszyu with the left. Closer round this, but Harrison just spends too much time in the corner, with his right hand down. 10-9 Tszyu, 38-38
Round 5: Tszyu opens with a hard right. He’s upped the pressure here and unloading more punches. Harrison fighting back, not wilting and landing his own work, including one lo blow, but he can’t get clear. Big right snaps his head back again. And a left to the body. Harrison’s relying almost entirely on the jab even in close. And another big Tszyu right lands. And one to the body. Part of the story here is that Tszyu is closing te distance, but waiting for Harrison to throw so he can counter. Harrison does score with a big right, but immediately eats one in answer. Strong round for Tszyu. 10-9 Tszyu, 48-47
Round 6: Exchange of left hooks at the opening of the sixth. Harrison tries to fight his way off the rope in spots, but he continually just moves straight back even after success. More volume from him this round, but Tszyu’s jab is starting to tell too. Straight right by Tszyu, potshot jabs by Harrison. This round’s been pretty close, but Tszyu closes the last 30 seconds strong. 10-9 Tszyu, 58-56
Round 7: past halfway now and Harrison- the older man- really needs to start upping the tempo against the younger, patient, high-pressure Tszyu. A big ask. Instead, he spends the first minute in the corner. And he’s really not keeping that right hand high enough. His head movement isn’t good enough to fight like that. Part of his problem is that he can’t bait Tszyu to throw first with anything answerable, he’s constantly eating counters. Finally fights off the ropes in the last 30 seconds, but too little too late. 10-9 Tszyu, 68-65
Round 8: Tszy pushes Harrison to the ropes with a jab then rocks him with an overhand right. Just continuous pressure. He uses bodyshots very well to cut off routes of escape. He’s upped that bodywork as the fight’s gone on. Uppercut from Harrison but it’s tiny pieces of success. Tszyu starting to get in real close and maul, push him around. Right hand by Harrison asnwered by uppercuts and an overhand right. The bodyshots taking their toll, now Harrison slips, quick stoppage here to wipe the ring. This is good for Harrison, a good extra 30 seconds rest. The round ends shortly after, 10-9 Tszyu, 78-74
Round 9: Ramrod jab snacks Harrison’s head back early. Harrison responds with some bodyshots, but… again, to the ropes. Mind you, he does keep it long better for the next minute or so. Jabbing well, not following it up but he’s keeping range for now. Then a Tszyu right hurts Harrison badly, bodyshots bend him in half, and he’s in a bad bad way. Whales away on the ropes and Harrison goes down! Beats the count but the ref doesn’t like his movement and stops it! It’s all over! Excellent performance by the rising star!
Tim Tszyu wins, TKO-9
Results
Interim WBO super-welterweight title: Tim Tszyu TKO9 Tony Harrison
Light-heavyweight: Paulo Aokuso UD Yunieski Gonzales 97-92, 99-90, 100-89
Super-bantamweight: Sam Goodman UD TJ Doheny 97-92, 98-92, 100-89
Super-Middleweight: Rohan Murdock SD Issac Hardman 97-92, 97-92, 93-96
Super-welterweight: Nikita Tszyu TKO4 Bo Belbin
Super-welterweight: Koen Mazoudier Draw Ben Mahoney 97-94, 93-97, 95-95
Featherweight: Shanell Dargan UD Courtney Martin 40-36, 39-37, 40-36
Light-heavyweight: Iman Khataev TKO-2 Gi Sung Gwak
