Tim Tszyu will look to the man who almost ended his world title dream to help make it a reality.
Tszyu is in the process of compiling a list of sparring partners ahead of his undisputed world title fight against Jermell Charlo in Las Vegas on January 29 (AEDT), and at the top is Terrell Gausha.
Gausha was Tszyu’s last opponent, a former American Olympian who knocked him to the canvas in the opening round of their clash in Minneapolis in March. Tszyu recovered from the early onslaught to record a unanimous points victory in what was the toughest test of his undefeated career to date.
Gausha is a class act in and out of the ring; he didn’t engage in the usual pre-fight trash talk and then made Tszyu earn a victory that ultimately secured a title shot. The American’s only losses throughout an underrated career have been to Tszyu and fellow big names Erislandy Lara and Erickson Lubin.
After giving Tszyu a scare in his last outing, Gausha has been asked to sharpen Tszyu up for his tilt at four-belt champion Charlo.
“If I get Terrell for sparring, that would be incredible,” Tszyu told the Herald.
Tim Tszyu in his US debut against former Olympian Terrell Gausha.
“He’s got great defence, great experience, great timing. He’s aware of all the punches and has great skill. I think Brian Castano used him for his Charlo fight, so that would be perfect.
“I was cold and careless [at the start of the fight], but got to show my level of skill. I put on a show against a really good fighter and dominated.
“Terrell is right up there, skill-wise. For someone to be in the American national team and an Olympian, that speaks a lot about where his skill is at.
“The pro game is a bit different, there’s politics and money and that stuff involved, whereas amateurs are based on who is the more skilful fighter.
Tim Tszyu will again come face to face with Terrell Gausha.
“At one stage he was the best in America.”
Gausha’s profile doesn’t match his accomplishments, perhaps because of his reticence to trash talk and put himself into the public domain. However, Tszyu says there is no denying his credentials.
“Money talks, especially in this industry, the entertainment industry,” he said from a training camp in Thailand.
“If you’re not able to generate it, they just brush you off. In this sport it’s not sometimes who is the best boxer, that’s the craziest part about it.
“He said I was his toughest opponent. And he has fought Lara and Lubin.”
While Tszyu has been getting into shape during a training camp in Thailand, Michael Zerafa has talked up the prospect of belatedly facing him down the track.
Zerafa, who faces Danilo Creati on the undercard of the Paul Gallen-Justin Hodges bout in Sydney next week, infamously pulled out of a scheduled showdown with Tszyu last year. He has publicly admitted he regrets that decision and still wants to fight Tszyu in the future, but the “Soul Taker” has made it clear that will never happen.
“I’m going to Vegas to fight for all four belts against the biggest name, Charlo, in the division,” Tszyu said. “Do you think I’m worrying about a guy that started making up all of these excuses to not fight me a week before a fight?
“He’s done. Dusted. Finished. End of chapter. Let him go on and do what he wants to do. He’s done. Finito.”
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