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- Who: Tim Tszyu vs. Brian Mendoza
- What: Tszyu’s WBO junior middleweight title
- Date: Saturday, October 14, 2023
- Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Gold Coast Convention Centre in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia
- How to Watch: Showtime
Two of the top-ranked 154-pound fighters in the world meet in Queensland, Australia, on October 14 when the undefeated Tim Tszyu faces Brian Mendoza. Tszyu holds the interim WBO junior middleweight title, but the sanctioning body is going to move Tszyu to champion status when the incumbent titleholder, Jermell Charlo, steps into the ring on September 30 to face undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in Las Vegas. Here is some background information before we look at the betting breakdown for Tim Tszyu vs. Brian Mendoza, which marks Tszyu’s first official title defense.
Tim Tszyu (23-0 with 17 knockouts) won the vacant WBO interim light-middleweight title in March 2023 with a ninth-round TKO win over Tony Harrison. Tszyu was then booked to face Charlo on January 28, but that fight was scrapped when the American broke his hand in training. The Australian then defended his title in June with a first-round knockout of Carlos Ocampo.
Brian Mendoza (22-2 with 16 KOs) comes into this title fight on a three-fight winning streak. He knocked out Jeison Rosario in November 2022. The American followed that by knocking out Sebastian Fundora in April of this year to win the interim WBC junior middleweight crown.
Before looking at the betting odds and picks for Tim Tszyu vs. Brian Mendoza, check out the best boxing betting sites and our betting picks for the Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo fight.
Tim Tszyu vs. Brian Mendoza betting picks
| Fighters |  |  |  |  |
| Tim Tszyu | -600 | -550 | -497 | -625 |
| Brian Mendoza | +400 | +350 | +372 | +357 |
Tim Tszyu vs. Brian Mendoza betting breakdown
The soon-to-be WBO junior middleweight champion, Tim Tszyu, who is the The Ring No 1. rated fighter among all junior middleweights, is a pressure fighter who can also counterpunch with the best boxers in the division. The 28-year-old does a good job in keeping a high defensive guard and then responding to his opponent’s strikes before they can regain their guard. He also has the nifty ability to employ step-back counters. Tszyu’s offense is based off his ability to get his foe to open their guard and then using his fast hands to score. He also has an uncanny ability to control the pacing and location of a fight.
Brian Mendoza comes into this fight as the No. 3 rated fighter at 154 pounds, according to The Ring. Mendoza is a good fighter who might not deserve to be as big of a betting underdog as he is in this fight. The 29-year-old is a focused combatant who also puts a lot of pressure on his opponents. Mendoza is a tough out, and he doesn’t back down from a challenge. He also has power, as his three consecutive knockout wins can attest.
Tim Tszyu vs. Brian Mendoza: Who has the edge?
Of these two boxers, Tszyu has received more of the hype, and that’s justified. He is unbeaten with wins over notable names like Jeff Horn and Takeshi Inoue. He’s also the fighter who was set to face Charlo. Tszyu is extremely skilled, and as this fight shows, he is also confident. He didn’t need to take on an opponent as tough as Mendoza once the Charlo fight fell through. The fact that he booked this contest shows his confidence.
Mendoza has two straight upsets to his name. Rosario was a -310 betting favorite over Mendoza, and Fundora was a whopping -1500 favorite over the +500 dog, Mendoza, when they faced off. Adversity does not bother the American.
All told, this is a fight that will add to the legacy of the more skilled Tszyu, but it’s also a matchup that could change the trajectory of Mendoza’s career.
Tim Tszyu vs. Brian Mendoza: What’s on the line
There is an outside chance that the winner of this contest could wind up booked against the winner of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo scrap or maybe even Terrence Crawford. Whoever the winner faces, expect their next fight, which will probably go down in 2024 to be a significant one. That’s one of the reasons this scrap is so important.
Best Bets for Tim Tszyu vs. Brian Mendoza
I’ll start by saying there is betting value in going with the betting underdog in this contest, Brian Mendoza, even picking him just to win. However, that will not be the outcome of the fight. The betting favorite, Tim Tszyu, will have a tough matchup in Mendoza, but he will get his hand raised in the end to retain the WBO junior middleweight title. Tszyu is the betting pick to win via decision.
Best bet for Tim Tszyu vs. Brian Mendoza: Tim Tszyu to win via decision.
See below the best sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
