American superstar Terence Crawford has been secretly pursuing a Tim Tszyu title showdown for at least five months — and even requested a showdown with the WBO super welterweight champion last December.
On the eve of his hyped Las Vegas debut, Fox Sports Australia can reveal Team Tszyu are already well advanced in talks for a fight between their undefeated 29-year-old and world boxing’s pound-for-pound king.
BOXING: Tszyu v Fundora + Zerafa v Lara LIVE from Las Vegas | SUN 31 MAR 11AM AEDT | Exclusive to Main Event, order on Kayo Sports. No Kayo subscription needed.
Should Tszyu win Sunday’s headliner against towering American Sebastian Fundora, his promoters No Limit will go immediately into discussions to defend the WBO and WBC crowns against Crawford.
Speaking in Las Vegas this week, Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings says there will be no issue with the two parties engaging in dialogue given it has already been happening for months.
Jennings revealed there was even an approach for the pair to square off shortly before Christmas last year, however it came when his fighter was already preparing for his first WBO title defence against Brian Mendoza.
After initially being linked to fights with Canelo Alvarez, Jermell Charlo and Chris Eubank Jnr, Crawford is now reportedly set to use his status as WBO welterweight champ to become mandatory in the weight class above.
This makes him first-pick for the winner of Tszyu versus Fundora, a fight for which both the WBO and WBC belts are up for grabs.
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Over the weekend, Crawford even posted a gym photograph of himself to socials, which showed the superstar shirtless, and with an obviously bulked-up physique, after a session with his team.
Apart from Tszyu being shadowed by a huge Australian media contingent in Las Vegas this week, Jennings said Sunday’s fight had also entered “a new stratosphere” Stateside following revelations Crawford now wants the winner.
The agent added that promoters No Limit will also have no issue ripping straight into negotiations with the American’s team given “we’ve already had discussions about Tszyu versus Crawford”.
Asked to confirm Team Crawford had already reached out about a fight, Jennings replied: “Yes, they have.
“I received a call from Crawford’s business manager, who is a friend of mine … but it still came out of the blue.
“It was shortly before the Mendoza fight.
“And he just came out straight away and said ‘would you be interested in putting Tim in the ring with Terence?’.
“I said ‘of course we would’.
“I then asked what time frame they were talking about and he replied ‘what about right now?’
“I was ‘ah, s …, sorry no’ because we already had the Mendoza deal and I wasn’t going to upset our promoters in Australia or America (by trying to break it).
“And who knows?
“Maybe they put out a call out to six fighters like that?
“But they definitely reached out to me to see how quick we could take up the offer.
“It would’ve been for a fight before Christmas.
“But there was no way we could get it done because we already had what we knew was going to be a tough fight coming up against Mendoza.
“So we didn’t reject the fight, but we were already committed.
“I then left it between Terence’s people and No Limit to keep discussions open and those talks have absolutely remained alive.
“They’ve been continuing in the background and it now appears there is going to be an opportunity to make something happen.”
Jennings admitted Crawford had “played his cards well”.
“Going up to 154, he automatically becomes mandatory for the WBO title,” he said.
“So if Tim Tszyu retains his world title belt in this next fight – and he will retain it – then Crawford becomes his mandatory.
“So immediately after that fight, when everything becomes official, we’ll go straight into negotiations to see what we can get done.
“Of course, Tim will also have a WBC mandatory which clouds the situation somewhat.
“But obviously when Crawford comes into play the entire boxing world sits up and takes notice.”
Jennings added any showdown with the American superstar would almost certainly take place Stateside.
Tim’s unbelievable face-off with Fundora | 00:55
“Tszyu versus Crawford will be huge,” he said.
“It will be for two belts at 154, and I think would be over here.
“But that isn’t my call.
“That would be No Limit, after having some discussions with us.
“But I’m thinking Tim would want that fight in the States because it would be such a massive fight.
“The talk over here now about Tim Tszyu being a unified champion and taking on Terence Crawford, it’s massive.”
Earlier this week it was announced Crawford would exercise his right as WBO welterweight champion to be named mandatory challenger for the winner.
While WBO president Paco Valcarcel suggested the bout must take place within 180 days, other reports suggested the governing body may in fact opt for a 120-day window.
Crawford (40-0) has not fought since last July, when he earned three of the welterweight division’s four straps with a convincing stoppage win against Errol Spence Jr.
While Spence initially triggered a rematch clause, he was then forced to undergo eye surgery, with Crawford then turning his attention to several other options – including Tszyu.
With the P4P No.1 showing little no interest in a unification match with IBF champ Jaron “Boots” Ennis, Tszyu now appears the most appealing target.