World title hopeful Tim Tszyu says Michael Zerafa is his "last option" and his main focus is snaring a top 10 opponent granted he beats Dennis Hogan in his super welterweight bout in Newcastle on Wednesday next week.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Tszyu condemned Zerafa's fight with Anthony Mundine in Bendigo earlier this month, where the Victorian fighter called out the Sydneysider after the two-minute victory.<\/p>\n
Zerafa demanded Tszyu "stop running" and step into the ring for a fight he claimed all Australian boxing fans wanted to see.<\/p>\n
Tszyu said Zerafa's fight with the Mundine should never have happened and he won't be manipulated into a fight unless there's nothing else on the table.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
"I find the whole thing about him is he's tryng to do a circus. He's trying to gain media attention," Tszyu told AAP.<\/p>\n
"If it wasn't for me, who's he going to fight?<\/p>\n
"He sees himself as this A-class fighter and a pay-per-view fighter and in reality he's not.<\/p>\n
"He's trying to use his mouth to get the fight.<\/p>\n
"If there's nothing else on the table, then we'll pursue that.<\/p>\n
"You don't get an opportunity by beating a 47-year-old grandfather. Let's just say that."<\/p>\n
Tszyu said he has plans on challenging himself against bigger name fighters on the world stage.<\/p>\n
"I've got top-10 options that I'm going for. The world title opportunities, the Liam Smiths, the (Magomed) Kurbanovs, the Danny Garcias, they're the boys I want.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
"They're the big boys in the division that I want to play with.<\/p>\n
"We got offered the Mundine fight and I said straight away it's not happening.<\/p>\n
"It's disrespectful for Mundine. He's a grandfather, he's 47 years old. Who does that? There's a time when just enough's enough."<\/p>\n
The undefeated star's goal is to fight Argentina's WBO belt holder Brian Castano or potentially American Jermell Charlo. As for Hogan, Tszyu said his objective against the Irishman<\/p>\n
In the meantime, he's biding his time and says his objective against Hogan is simple.<\/p>\n
"Just knock him out. Whoever stands in my way, just to take them out," Tszyu said.<\/p>\n
"I'm improving as a fighter, I get better each time and I've been proving that to everyone.<\/p>\n
"I'm targeting the big boys in the division. I'm going to get the opportunity to fight one of those guys soon, so I've got to be a hundred per cent ready."<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"