The team being WBO junior middleweight titleholder Tim Tszyu 24-0 (17) have declared WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo 35-2-1 (19) missing.
The 33-year-old from Houston, Texas has been largely unsighted since his lacklustre display against undisputed super middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 60-2-2 (39) two months ago.
Charlo copped criticism from some quarters for his lack of offense in his wide unanimous decision loss to the 33-year-old Mexican superstar in September. He was on the canvas in the seventh round and lost by scores of 109-118, 109-118 and 108-119.
Charlo has since flagged a move back down to junior middleweight, where hungry young sharks like Tszyu lurk. The unflappable 29-year-old Australian picked up the vacant WBO strap that was stripped from Charlo with a unanimous decision victory over dangerous American Brian Mendoza 23-3 (16) in October.
The plan now is to put Tszyu in the ring in Las Vegas on the first weekend of March headlining an all-Aussie blockbuster against a name opponent.
If Charlo doesn’t come to the party, another option is Erickson ‘Hammer’ Lubin 26-2 (18) who is ranked number four in the division by The Ring.
“Right now, those are the two names jumping out,” Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings said to Fox Sports Australia. “Lubin definitely, he is high in the mix. But make no mistake, we’re also pushing hard on Jermell Charlo.
“Problem is nobody knows where he is. He didn’t even turn up for his brother Jermall’s fight (last weekend) so nobody knows.
“But we’re still pushing for it. And we hope to hear soon from the Rose boys.
“In a perfect world it’s Tim and Nikita headlining a great card stacked with Aussie fighters like Sam Goodman, Liam Wilson, Vegas Larfield, Issac Hardman… that’s a cracker crew.
“Match them all up with guys in the USA.”
Tszyu’s younger brother Nikita is fresh off his fifth-round knockout of Dylan Biggs 10-1 (7) to claim the Australian junior middleweight title last week. The 25-year-old southpaw, who goes by the monniker ‘The Butcher’, is also expected a known opponent in his USA debut.
Top of the list is Nico Ali Walsh 8-1 (5). The 25-year-old Chicago native who boxes out of Las Vegas is the grandson of three-time heavyweight champion of the world Muhammad Ali.
“The big name we’re looking at for Nikita is Nico Ali Walsh. That’s definitely a fight we would take next,” said Jennings, who also manages Nikita.
“You’re talking about putting arguably the biggest name in world boxing up against a family that has now produced two world champions in [father] Kostya and Tim Tszyu.
“And Nico is a good fighter who brings a lot of celebrity. But he also brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm when he fights.
“So even if Tim’s fight wasn’t to come off, the second one would stand alone as a headliner anyway.”