One of the most anticipated matchups for the coming year has been postponed.
Undisputed 154-pound champ Jermell Charlo broke his left hand during training for his defense against Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 in Las Vegas, which has forced organizers to push back the bout.
No new date has been determined.
“I was sparring, and I threw this nice punch and as soon as it landed, I knew something was wrong,” Charlo said. “I felt my hand throbbing right away. I had two X-rays and an MRI to see what was wrong. It showed it was broken in two places.
“I hate this feeling. My hand will be in a cast for two months. I’m as disappointed as the fans, maybe more, because this was my first chance to defend the undisputed title.”
He went on: “The way I am, I would have beaten Tim Tszyu with one hand, but the doctors and the boxing commission won’t allow that. It’s even more dangerous when a lion faces adversity and has to come back to defend the pride.
“I’ve been training since July, and I’ve been hitting harder than ever, and these are the things that happen when you push yourself to the limits. After my hand heals, I’m coming back stronger than ever to defend my legacy.’’
Tszyu, who will be fighting for a major title for the first time when the bout happens, was gutted by the news.
“I’m very disappointed,” said Tszyu. “I felt like the stars aligned for undisputed … but we move on. I’m ready to take on the next mandatory challenger. I’ll be back for Charlo once he is ready and healed.”
Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) unified all four titles when he stopped Brian Castano in 10 rounds in their rematch in May.
Tszyu (21-0, 15 KOs) is coming off his biggest victory, a unanimous decision over Terrell Gausha in March. He’s the son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu.
