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Jake Michaels, ESPN Senior Writer
GOLD COAST, Australia — Tim Tszyu has vowed to “annihilate” former world title challenger Carlos Ocampo and maintain his undefeated record on Sunday when he makes his maiden WBO interim super-welterweight title defence.
Both Tszyu (22-0, 16 KOs) and Ocampo (35-2, 23 KOs) comfortably made weight on the Gold Coast. The Australian came in at 69.5kg, while his opponent tipped the scales at 69.74kg.
The prize for the winner could not be greater after the WBO mandated a fight for ‘undisputed champion’ status between the victor and current quad-title holder Jermell Charlo by no later than Sep. 30, this year.
“Tomorrow we will go to war,” said Tszyu. “I’ve dealt with pressure my whole life, so for me, this is nothing. Us athletes, we do this for the fun of it, we do this for the love of it and we’re blessed to do this over and over again. Pressure? This is nothing. I think it sort of shows the position and level I’m at. It’s got nothing to do with [Ocampo].
“Whoever they put in front of me, I’ll annihilate them. If it’s Charlo, if it’s King Kong, if it’s a shark I have to go against or a pitbull I have to go against, I’m coming back for Round 2 with anyone. I’ve had these two words that are Spanish in my mind over and over again. It’s ‘No Más’. That’s the type of fight I intend to do.”
Meanwhile, Ocampo, who is set to fight outside North America for the first time in his career, has issued a stern warning to the home favourite.
“I’m not one of those fighters who got beaten by Tim’s father. I’m Carlos Ocampo and I’m going to show the difference between them and us,” he said. “It’s going to be a real war but it’s not going to last very long and it’s going to be [a] win by knockout.”
Ocampo tasted defeat last time out against American Sebastian Fundora. Prior to that he won 12 consecutive fights to rise up the light middleweight division.
Australian Sam Goodman and American Ra’eese Aleem also made weight ahead of their highly-anticipated 12-round IBF Super Bantamweight World Title Eliminator.