Blowout! Tim Tszyu takes care of Carlos Ocampo

Tim Tszyu’s brutal one-round destruction of Carlos Ocampo has made the boxing world sit up and take notice.

The WBO interim junior middleweight champion has opted to stay busy since his January 28 date with WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine champion Jermell ‘Iron Man’ Charlo 35-1-1 (19) was cancelled after the champion suffered two fractures to his left hand in training shortly before Christmas.

Never one to rest on his laurels, the 28-year-old Tszyu from Sydney, Australia opted to take on the only man to defeat Charlo in Tony Harrison 29-4-1 (21) in March. He stopped the Detroit, Michigan native in nine rounds.

With no date scheduled for the Charlo fight, Tszyu 23-0 (17) invited the number one Mexican 154-pounder Carlos Ocampo 35-3 (23) to meet him in the ring at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia on Sunday afternoon local time.

Tszyu started uncharacteristically fast, swarming Ocampo and trading bombs in close as he wobbled the visitor before smashing a right hand into his temple that crumpled him to the canvas.

Ocampo beat the count but was on wobbly legs. It didn’t take long for Tszyu to close the show, landing a flush left hook that dropped Ocampo again.

Referee Danrex Tapdasan halted the contest at the 1:17. According to CompuBox, it took Tszyu just 11 landed punches to do the job – 10 power punches and one jab.

The bout was broadcast into the United States on Showtime and shown domestically on Main Event and Kayo pay-per-view.

The impressive nature of the victory has had fans and pundits alike queuing up to compliment Tszyu, with many tabbing him the favourite to defeat the inactive Charlo who will have been out of the ring for 16 months if the bout takes place before the end of September as mandated by the WBO.

Retired former world champion Shawn Porter turned commentator sees Tszyu as a genuine threat to Charlo’s reign.

“This is a big problem for Charlo. Look at all this momentum on the side of Tim Tszyu,” Porter said on the broadcast.

“Tim Tszyu has so much to talk about when they go to a press conference, or they go to this and that – Charlo has to keep his mouth shut, because Charlo hasn’t been busy. What can he talk crap about? Nothing.

“Guess what – everything’s on Tim’s side to win this fight. I even guarantee that even from a standpoint of bookies, if bookies don’t put Tim as the favourite, they’re just favouring Charlo.

“Tim Tszyu is now the favourite to win and become undisputed.”

Social media blew up too with some serious voices praising Tszyu’s impressive performance.

WBO welterweight champion Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford put it succinctly: “He’s dangerous.”

Tszyu, when told of Crawford’s comment, replied: “Crawford is one of my favourite fighters. That’s pretty cool to see he watched my fight actually.”

Former foe Harrison tipped his lid too, posting: “That was impressive.”

The Ring’s number five junior middleweight contender Erickson Lubin said: “Tszyu didn’t play with his food.”

Tszyu has found a true believer in Aussie boxing royalty Jeff Fenech, who says that the top contender could not only surpass his storied career, but also that of his famous father Kostya Tszyu.

“People always compare people with their dads and put a lot of pressure,” Fenech said.

“This kid’s just stepped into a zone of his own. He’s Kostya’s son, which is a great thing a great legacy. But this kid’s done everything on his own. 

“Don’t be surprised if he surpasses Jeff Fenech, Kostya Tszyu and everybody else. This kid can do it all. This kid’s amazing, getting better and better.”

Fenech added that Charlo injured hand has only given Tszyu more time to improve ahead of the biggest fight of his career.

“The Tim Tszyu that’s going to meet him now is going to destroy this guy,” Fenech said. “The Tim Tszyu a year ago? I was a little worried. But I don’t have a worry in the world now.”

A fight against Texan Charlo, 33, would take place in the United States, where Tszyu has fought just once.

“The question is going to be ‘can he do that in America?’” Porter asked. “I’m going to say yes. He needs to go to America. He needs to continue this.”

Tszyu is certainly keen on the assignment.

"There’s no doubt I’m going to America, that’s the land I want to conquer,” he said.

"The big one’s coming up. I’ve got this interim belt but I’m not satisfied. It’s not just the belts. I want the name ’Charlo’ on my resume."

He added: “Look, I’m a professional at heart. I want the big fights. He’s the man of the division. I’m second in line right now. We should just get it on. 

“I know his hand has been busted, but now let’s just get it done. That was the message sent.”