- Tim Tszyu has opened as the heavy -909 betting favorite to beat Takeshi Inoue.
- Tszyu is unbeaten in 19 bouts with 15 knockouts.
- Inoue has lost just once, to Jaime Munguia, when he fought for the WBO super welterweight title.
Tim Tszyu will see the minus money sign once again when he faces Takeshi Inoue in one of the biggest fights of the year in Australia on November 17th.
The son of former world champion Kostya Tszyu is currently listed as a heavy -909 favorite to beat Japan’s Inoue who came back at +550 when the betting lines first opened at the best boxing betting sites:
Takeshi Inoue (+550)
Tim Tszyu (-909)https://t.co/I4Rbf3yStl— ProBoxingOdds (@ProBoxingOdds) October 23, 2021
Tszyu Sparks Steve Spark
Tim Tszyu Floors Stevie Spark Twice, Scores Third Round Stoppage in Newcastle https://t.co/7ellecK24v pic.twitter.com/SRlWEWLNR2
— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) July 7, 2021
Tszyu is coming off a third-round stoppage of Steve Spark in Newcastle last July 7th in a bout where he successfully defended the WBO Global light middleweight title and captured the Commonwealth middleweight title. Two fights earlier, Tszyu had the biggest win of his career, an 8th round TKO of former WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn.
In his last 11 bouts, Tszyu has closed as the betting favorite of at least -700 10 times. The only time he didn’t was when he fought Horn at -145 odds. He won nine of those bouts via knockout. Overall, Tszyu has a record of 19-0 with 15 wins via knockout. He has held the WBO Global light middleweight title since August 2019, making five successful title defenses.
Last August, Tszyu was named as the WBO’s mandatory 154-pound challenger. However, with champion Brian Castano most probably headed to a rematch with unified champion Jermell Charlo for the undisputed light middleweight title, Tszyu’s title shot doesn’t have a timetable yet. Wanting to stay active, the Aussie tried to book a fight with former WBC champion Tony Harrison but the two could not get a fight down.
Biggest Indoor Event in Sydney Since Lockdowns
Tim Tszyu will headline the biggest indoor event in Sydney since lockdowns began in June when he fights Takeshi Inoue at Qudos Bank Arena next month, via @JamiePandaram
DETAILS: https://t.co/Ryp87BWt0y pic.twitter.com/l9ONYd7rfp— Telegraph Sport (@telegraph_sport) October 13, 2021
The Tszyu vs Inoue bout was supposed to take place at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Queensland but the promoters had to find another venue due to COVID-19 restrictions. It found a new home at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney and is now billed as the biggest indoor event in Sydney since the lockdowns.
Tszyu has fought 8 times in Sydney but this will be his first bout in the venue and his first in Sydney since the onset of the pandemic. He’s never fought outside his home country and will have the benefit of the hometown crowd cheering him on as he tries to keep his rise in the ranks.
On the other hand, it will mark the first time that Inoue will be fighting outside Japan or Thailand. The 31-year old from Tokyo is the current WBO Asia-Pacific super welterweight champion. Although he is not related to Naoya Inoue, he is just as devastating with his punches. Takeshi is 17-1-1 with 10 knockouts with his only loss coming at the hands of Jaime Munguia when he fought for the WBO super welterweight title.
