Via Sean Jones: Tony Harrison says he’s chasing a trio with undisputed middleweight champion Jermell Charlo, and he believes he’ll lock himself into that bout by beating Tim Tszyu for it. 154 lb temporary WBO belts available on 12 March in Australia.
Former young WBC middleweight champion Harrison (29-3, 21 KOs) will need to get through the massive amount of rusty ring he wears to beat the undefeated Tszyu (21-0, 15 KOs).
Harrison, 32, has only fought twice in the past four years since losing his WBC belt to Charlo in an 11th knockout in December 2019.
Tony doesn’t look good at all, fighting to draw 12 rounds with Bryant Perrella in his only game in 2021 and then beating Sergio Garcia by a decisive 10 inning in 2022.
Tszyu, 28, has let boxing fans know that his plan to beat Harrison is to drag him into the following rounds and engulf him with pressure on March 12.
Historically, Harrison has had problems running out of breath in the later rounds against heavy pressure fighters. All three of Harrison’s past losses have come in skirmishes where he ran out of breath in the later innings and was then knocked out by Willie Nelson, Jarrett Hurd and Jermell Charlo.
Harrison pursues the Charlo . trio
Tony Harrison said: “I look at it like, I never want to see no athletes get injured, but that happens to us in the physical sport we’re in. fightasked for his thoughts on Jermell Charlo’s injury, which opened the door for him to face Tim Tszyu on March 12 in Australia.
“Everyone knows that’s the fight I’m after,‘ Harrison said of Jermell Charlo. “Honestly, that’s the goal,” Harrison said of retreating if he defeated Charlo in a three-way battle. “For now, I am still awake. I can still talk to my kids and talk sensibly. One punch can change everything.
“Let me be undisputed and let me begin the journey that AB [Alycia Baumgardner] just become, I don’t think there’s nothing else for me to do.
“It was the nightmare I had to live with,” Harrison said of his being knocked out by Charlo in the 11th round in 2019. “That’s why I pursued that fight.
“So for me, he was injured, and I said, ‘You know what? I as a fighter, I will take that position.’ I’ve been chasing him [Jermell]. So I’ll fight whoever I need to fight to get that battle. Harrison said.
Tony excited for 2023
“If my head weren’t so big, I could do 147 easily,” Harrison continued. “However, God gave me a giant head. My head is too big and I have all that weight in it; I could probably earn 147. My eating habits and discipline are very ingenious. I don’t plan on going up to 160, so when they [Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford] go there, maybe I’ll be there.
“I think it was a great fight. I really commend those guys for hitting like that,” Harrison said of the April clash between Spence and Keith Thurman. “I think 2023 is going to be one of the best years for boxers and the boxing era.
“You have the best fights going on. You are having the best warriors fighting the best warriors. That’s what sport needs. Keith Thurman pursued Errol the same way I pursued Charlo.
“So for me, jumping rope to be able to fight the guy he fought with, who has a similar style to the guy I just fought, that’s undisputed for me.” Harrison said.
“I think Errol can hit any weight and be great. I think there are great fights for Errol in whatever weight class he hits. There are still great battles for Errol at 147 if he decides to stay there. I think the level of talent he has, the coaches he has; I think the sky is the limit for those guys.
“It’s done. It’s over. Harrison said when asked how difficult it would be for Spence to go back to 147 to fight Terence Crawford after he faced Thurman at 154. “I think it’s the hardest thing to put a body on weight. new amount, get used to it, and then deplete it; I don’t think we’ll see the same Errol Spence return.
“I just thought I would give Errol the advantage [over Crawford] just for the people he fought for. I think his career is more solid because of the people Errol has fought for. I think Errol can retire now and not care about Terence Crawford, and I think Terence Crawford can retire now and not care about Errol.
“That’s really annoying, man. It’s the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight we’ve been waiting for. These people are still young. Mayweather and they have been dragging us on for too long. We have two young men at the peak of the sport who can give us a shot, and we’re not going to be in. I just think it’s sad.
“Business, everything is business now,” Harrison said when asked why we haven’t entered the Errol vs. Crawford. “I think the boxers put too much into the business part of it. Warriors want to fight.
“Errol wants to fight Terence, and Terence wants to fight Errol. It’s something in the middle that’s shaking it causing it not to shake properly. I do not know what it is. No one missed out except the fans,” Harrison said.
Tszyu’s toughness is not enough
Harrison said of Tszyu: “I think he’s tough, but I don’t think that’s enough. “If that’s all you have to offer is being tough, that’s not enough. The game plan where he has to try to get me into deep water to try to drown me; I’ve heard it, and I’ve seen it hundreds of times before.
“I think he missed the train when he should have. I think he missed that train, and now I’m a seasoned vet. I don’t think anyone can tell me that’s what they’re going to do, and it’s going to work.
“I think the most gratifying thing was seeing him leave the ring and every round after that,” Harrison said of Tszyu being knocked out by Terrell Gausha in the first round of the match last April.
“I patted him on the back because that’s what real champions and true fighters do. He showed me what a true champion and true fighter he is. Everyone has flaws. You can see the flaws in everyone’s game,” Harrison said when asked if he saw Tszyu’s flaws in the game from the Gausha war.
“There is no fighter you can see that you don’t see flaws in their play. The point is to exploit it. I have errors; he has flaws; everyone has mistakes. The point is to exploit them. If I can exploit it as I think it is, then I will win,” Harrison said.
“I don’t think he needs me,” Harrison said of Jermell Charlo. “He did what AB [Baumgardner] do. He mastered division. Regardless of how he does it, he’s already mastered division, so I don’t think he needs me.
“We don’t like each other. You don’t like me, I don’t like you. It’s one on one. So I don’t understand. What is the competitiveness in me, why do we leave it right there? I just want to fight him again for the sake of humanity.
“I’m getting sick of retiring one-on-one with him. I think for legacy purposes, I think he’s going to have to defend it,” Harrison said of Jermell needing to defend his undisputed 154 lb championship, which he has yet to do.
“He talks about heritage a lot. There is no way you can move forward after winning it the way you won it. There are still great fights to be made. Whether you fight me or not, there are great fights to be made, and there are still great fighters for you to fight and defeat. It’s for legacy purposes,” Harrison said of Charlo.
