Tszyu, Volk plan Aussie Vegas takeover as surprise target date for Charlo blockbuster revealed

Tim Tszyu is pushing to fight Jermell Charlo in Las Vegas this July – and potentially within days of UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski defending gold in the same town.

In what would be a huge first for the Australian fight game, both Tszyu and Volkanovski are gunning for massive summer championship bouts in the world’s fight capital.

Australia’s most popular boxer has again secured himself a showdown with Charlo – who he says “barks a lot” -- after claiming the WBO interim super welterweight title via brutal stoppage of American Tony Harrison.

Speaking on Sunday night, Tszyu’s manager Glenn Jennings confirmed July as the date his client now wants to challenge the division’s undisputed king for all four belts.

Jennings also suggested Team Tszyu was serious about now using Harrison – the only man to ever beat Charlo – as part of what will be a seven-week build up Stateside.

The news comes as UFC executives discuss having Volkanovski defend his featherweight strap against Mexican Yair Rodriguez at UFC International Fight Week, also in July.

While the Wollongong star initially wanted an immediate rematch with Islam Makhachev after narrowly losing out to the lightweight king at UFC 284, company boss Dana White has stated a Rodriguez fight will be first.

Like Tszyu, Volkanovski has now developed a huge following among mainstream Aussie sports fans and was part of the Main Event coverage on Sunday night as Harrison got stopped in the ninth by a flurry of uppercuts and big left hand by the undefeated Sydneysider.

Initially, Tszyu was set to fight Charlo in January, however that bout was abandoned on Christmas Day after the champ suffered a broken hand in sparring.

Speaking on the Showtime broadcast of Sunday’s title fight, Charlo suggested he would be ready to return by “late summer”.

Yet with the Texan already back in the gym, the two biggest names in Australian combat sports right now are hopeful of fighting in Las Vegas, and for world titles, within days of each other.

“In a perfect world, we go in July,” Jennings said.

“We already know Tim isn’t carrying injuries from the win over Tony, which is wonderful.

“So we’ll do an assessment before he disappears on holiday but I’m thinking early to mid July would be ideal.

“Obviously we’re bound by Charlo’s recovery, but I do understand he’s back in the gym so there is every chance the fight is going to be earlier than everyone initially expected.

“And I know given what happened tonight, Tim and Igor (coach Goloubev) will want to keep rolling.”

With the build up to Sunday’s bout preceded by a beautiful fortnight of jawing from Harrison, Tszyu was asked what he now expected from Charlo.

“Charlo is a real angry man,” Tszyu said.

“That’s just how he is. Barks a lot.

“But Tony is happy man. Happy in what he does. Enjoys life a bit more.

“The other bloke is just grumpy all the time.”

Asked if Charlo, watching on Stateside, would have been surprised by what he saw, Jennings said back in a jubilant Tszyu dressing room: “Absolutely.

“I think all of America got a message tonight about who Tim Tszyu is.

“After disposing of Harrison like he did, Tim now has to be considered among the elites.

“Up there with the top one cent.

“Tony Harrison, he was Tim’s ticket to credibility.

“This is the guy who beat Jermell Charlo.

“So now we go and fight Charlo ourselves.

“He has to answer to Tim just like Tony Harrison did.

“And Tim will win that fight. Prove he’s the best in the world in his division, bar none.

“So we ain’t afraid of anyone.

“Because there are now 22 fighters who’ve said Tim isn’t up to it. Said Tim is lower level, that he is nothing like his father.

“There have also been 22 silenced.

“And while Tim has some things like his father, he is still very much his own fighter.

“He’s developed a style that is Tim Tszyu, not Kostya Tszyu.”

Jennings revealed the Tszyu crew was also serious about now employing Harrison as part of their Charlo fight preparations.

“I can tell you right now, Tony and Tim have built a relationship through this professionally,” he said. “And they could end up mates.

“That’s how this goes.

“Not all fighters carry a vendetta after they compete.

“And the Harrison camp, they’re terrific people.

“So for Charlo, we’ll head back to the US for seven, maybe eight weeks.

“The camp for this fight obviously went a bit long over there because of the delay. We had almost 14 weeks all up, which was a long time.

“But as far as Harrison is concerned, if I can see an advantage and it’s fiscally responsible to do so, absolutely we’ll knock on their door.”

Tszyu agreed, saying: “There was never any bad blood between us”.

No Limit promoter George Rose also confirmed a July timeframe was possible if Charlo’s recovery from that busted hand lined up.

“I know if I ask Tim when he wants to fight he will say tomorrow or any time soon,” he said.

“So we’ll sit down and have a yarn this week and get ready for what is next. But it will come down to when Charlo is ready.”