Tszyu vs Mendoza Prediction: Another Title Defense for the Champion

Undefeated boxer Tim Tszyu will face Brian Mendoza in a title defense match in the light-middleweight division. The winner will win or retain the WBO belt. Here is our Tszyu vs Mendoza prediction.

Tszyu vs Mendoza Prediction: Two Light-Middleweight Titles on the Line

Tim Tszyu Preview

Tim Tszyu is an undefeated Australian boxer of Russian origin and the eldest son of former absolute world champion Kostya Tszyu. Tim holds the WBO title, which he defended in June 2023 in a fight with Mexican Carlos Ocampo (knockout, first round). The 28-year-old boxer has 23 victories (17 by knockout) in the professional ring.

Tszyu is a master of pressure, who will have to not only catch up with his opponent's speed but also adapt to Mendoza’s frequent changes in style. Tim is capable of succeeding with such a task.

Tszyu’s arsenal is just right for a fight with such a versatile opponent. Tim himself likes to combine long series with neat jabs.

In the first few rounds, the Australian will probe Brian's defense with swift straight punches. Then, he will certainly find weak points in the defense. Surely, he will rely on bodywork and uppercuts, because Mendoza dives under hooks and jabs all the time.

Tim has a good chance of winning here thanks to his superiority in a couple of aspects. Mendoza has fast and explosive attacks, like Tszyu, but the latter's combinations include a lot more punches. Brian seems to understand when to throw a strong punch, but the Australian is ahead of him here too due to his longer arms and more versatile technique.

With this said, you can already see the direction we have picked for our Tszyu vs Mendoza prediction. Nevertheless, let's take a closer look at Tim's opponent.

Brian Mendoza Preview

Brian Mendoza became the interim WBC super welterweight champion after defeating his compatriot Sebastian Fundora in April 2023 (knockout, seventh round). Prior to this, La Balananes defeated Dominican Jason Rosario (knockout, fifth round) and American Benjamin Whitaker (knockout, fifth round). The 29-year-old Mendoza has 22 wins (16 by knockout) and two losses.

He is a massive underdog in this fight and there are good reasons for it. Nobody expected him to win the belt earlier this year and it was a surprise for both fans and analysts. He has been underestimated before and he has proven that it is a mistake.

The undefeated champion (Sebastian Fundora) was superior to Brian in size, and Mendoza himself entered the fight on short notice. And despite all this, he managed to confidently dismantle his opponent, and then catch him making a mistake and score a knockout. Here's what we expect from him against Tim Tszyu.

Mendoza often loses the opening rounds. Bryan gives up control of the ring and allows his opponent to carry out combinations, get close, and demonstrate his entire striking arsenal. He risks everything in order to feel the power of his opponent, understand the timing of his attacks, and track all movements and tactics.

Only after this, does Mendoza get involved in the work and show his diverse arsenal. He starts to put pressure on his opponent, punches into the body and head, and moves the fight to the ropes.

Mendoza uses sudden and powerful hooks, but he does not rely on lucky punches. If Tszyu hesitates a little even in the late rounds, he will lose the title. Mendoza understands that knockout punches are his main weapon. When Brian gets tired in the 7th or 8th round, he may start to defend less and move worse, but the American never stops charging for big shots and counterattacking.

If nobody scores a knockout here, Mendoza is probably going to lose on points. Tszyu throws more punches in his fights and Mendoza will suffer if he comes out with his usual tactics.

Tim Tszyu vs Brian Mendoza: The Australian Remains Undefeated

Tszyu is moving with confident steps toward the title of absolute boxing champion in the light-middleweight division. A win over Mendoza will be another massive step towards that goal.

The Australian is clearly head and shoulders above his opponent, so the bookmakers have appointed him as the undisputed favorite for the upcoming fight. We absolutely agree with the bookmakers for our Tszyu vs Mendoza prediction. The only question is how he will achieve that victory.

We expect a KO in this match as we have two proactive fighters who never wait for a decision. Tszyu won 17 out of 23 wins by knockout and Mendoza won 16 out of 22 by KO.

• Tim Tszyu by Knockout
• Tim Tszyu & Under 9.5 Rounds