Aussie world champion Tim Tszyu (22-0-0, 16 KOs) has insisted he’ll be ready to fight in 17 days’ time despite a dog bite that cut so deep, fat was exposed in his arm.

The interim WBO superwelterweight champion is scheduled to face Mexico’s Carlos Ocampo on June 18 at Gold Coast Convention Centre.

But having required 26 stitches after suffering a dog bite inside the elbow bend of his right arm last Saturday night, and being rushed to hospital, there have been questions over just how fit Tszyu will be.

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“I visited my friend and I guess the dog just smelt me and went at it. It wasn’t bad, luckily it was just (superficial) but yeah, he definitely didn’t like me,” Tszyu told Fox Sports Australia’s Ben Damon.

While Tszyu didn’t want to show the wound – saying he’d do so after the bout – he explained just how dramatic the situation was.

“I just wanted to be really, really cautious about everything because I know with dogs a lot of infections can happen, so I wanted to get to hospital and get it sorted,” Tszyu said.

“I was worried at first but when I woke up a day after, I was alright – felt a bit sore after but the day after that I was good, Monday I was back in the gym training. It was one day off literally.”

He continued: “It was funny, I was in my operating bed and getting ready to go into surgery, and all I hear in the background is someone watching Kayo and a little ad comes up – Tim Tszyu fighting on the Gold Coast.

“And I just said to the nurse, ‘Tim Tszyu’s not fighting on the Gold Coast at this moment in time!’

“It was just a bit of fat (that was visible), just a bit of blood… I was hanging the two pieces of meat together.

“These things happen, it’s a dog, you know? I was ready for Round 2 actually, I called my mate up, and I was like we’ve got to get the dog back man, Round 2!

“My Frenchie’s a little softie so that wouldn’t have helped, he would’ve gotten eaten alive.”

Tszyu said he could begin sparring now, two and a half weeks out from the fight, but doesn’t want to “rip anything open”.

“I’ve tried to take it a bit easier with the punching, but I’ll be sparring my last week next week, so I’ll be back into it.

“I haven’t told many people but I’ve dealt with a lot of injuries in my career.

“I had a broken hand leading up to my first fight in my first year – I should’ve pulled out but I didn’t. Leading up to Charlo I had a torn shoulder; I didn’t say nothing, I just kept going along with it and got on with it.

“It is what it is, when you’re dealt with circumstances you’ve got to just deal with it and find a way.”

Tszyu has a guaranteed unification bout against Jermell Charlo looming later this year but is still challenging himself with the dangerous Ocampo, after knocking out Tony Harrison.

The Tszyu camp remain confident the fight will go ahead, with manager Glen Jennings saying: “The wound was superficial. The post surgical report is all good.

“There is no doubt that Tim will be ready and 100 per cent healthy and focused to take on Carlos Ocampo on June 18.”

Meanwhile Tszyu’s promoter, No Limit Boxing chief George Rose said he was “shocked” and “worried” after first hearing the news.

“It’s certainly not the ideal preparation anytime a fighter ends up in hospital a few weeks out from a world title fight,” Rose said.

“But the best news right now is that Tim is doing OK.

“He has the best and most experienced team around him in world boxing.

“They have reassured me he’ll be more than ready on June 18 to take on Ocampo. If they’re confident, I’m confident.”