Time Tszyu Take Notice
After an underwhelming couple of days of boxing, it was down to Tim Tszyu and Carlos Ocampo to save the sport from a weekend to forget. Thankfully, Tszyu was in the mood to deliver.
Known to start slow, Tszyu took his time, for the first 30 seconds anyway. After landing a peach of a backhand that caught Ocampo’s attention, he then smelt blood.
Considering Ocampo had only ever been stopped by Errol Spence, and that was with a body shot at the weight below, it wasn’t an expectation that Tszyu would be able to get him out of there early, but that’s exactly what he did.
After pivoting off the ropes, Ocampo found himself in the centre of the ring, then BANG, before you knew it, Tszyu had landed a huge backhand which Ocampo could not stand up to.
He beat the count, but it was Tszyu time. He jumped all over him and landed a signature left uppercut that sent half of Ocampo’s body through the ropes and that was it. Statement made for Tim Tszyu.
An undisputed clash with Jermell Charlo looks likely to happen next but after this performance, don’t be surprised if Charlo takes another 12-month sabbatical.
To Louisiana, where it was Regis Prograis’ turn to try and make a statement in the 140lbs division following impressive performances from Jack Catterall and Teofimo Lopez in the past few weeks.
Up against the Puerto Rican Danielito Zorrilla, the fight started off cagey until the final 30 seconds of the first round where both fighters looked to trade, resulting in Prograis hitting the canvas. The referee, however, ruled it as a slip.
The second round was cagey once again but in the third, Prograis made a breakthrough. Backing Zorrilla up, he sent his man flying to the canvas.
Zorrilla beat the count and recovered well, and at this point you’re predicting an early night for Prograis.
However, it wasn’t to be. Zorrilla got on his bike and the fight became a difficult watch. Reluctant to engage, he picked Prograis off when he did throw, albeit not very often, and that was pretty much how the fight went for the remaining nine rounds.
The scorecards were read out with Prograis claiming a split-decision win.
What next? Well, there might be a few more takers for a fight with Prograis following this performance. His inability to cut off the ring was evident and if he is to land a big money fight against Devin Haney, he’ll really need to improve in that particular area as footwork is one of Haney’s biggest strengths.
A match up with Catterall is also a possibility but Prograis has already made his intentions clear that he wants Haney, or a shot at so-called ‘retired’ Lopez.
Elsewhere, Boxxer went to York Hall in the hope that Frazer Clarke could lay down a marker against world title challenger Marius Wach.
In truth, it was a poor fight as 10 rounds passed with little excitement. Wach showed what we already knew - he was durable. He also showed he was hittable, but unfortunately for Clarke not hittable enough to be moved.
He did land a stinging right hand that pierced Wach’s guard in the fifth, but the Pole was not discouraged from marching forward in an attempt to drag himself back into the fight.
The fight laboured as it came to a close, but Clarke still showed signs of positivity and was clearly a step ahead of his opponent. Rounds were banked, but his British rivals will have been watching on with little fear.
Fabio Wardley next? It has to be.