Welcome to Ben Damon’s weekly At The Fights – Main Event look at the best in Australian and foreign boxing.

BIG NEWS FOR TSZYU

Tim Tszyu’s path to a world title has just become much clearer with the IBF preparing to demand that his belt holder Jermell Charlo move towards a fight with the mandatory challenger, Russian Bakhram Murtazaliev .

The development reduces the possibility of Charlo immediately facing WBO champion Brian Castaño, who in turn would receive pressure from that organization to defend his belt against Tszyu, who is their number one challenger.

Charlo and Castaño have the same adviser – Al Haymon – who would prefer a rematch to ensure all super welterweight silverware remains under his control, but the IBF is believed to be adamant. Murtazaliev deserves his shot, after an extended stint as number one. challenger.

Charlo could quit the IBF belt and fight Castaño, but he seemed disappointed with the prospect of an immediate rematch following the weekend’s epic clash, which Castaño appeared to have won before a controversial draw was announced.

With plenty to play for in the next few days, Tszyu’s promoters at No Limit have developed a strategy to get the 26-year-old ready for his title shot at the end of the year, if the going. square.

Tszyu will fight a former world champion in Australia in September and American Tony Harrison is now the preferred option as he is considered the most difficult of the shortlisted options, ahead of Liam Smith and Jack Culcay.

Harrison is the only man to have secured an official victory over Jermell Charlo and appears to be the perfect measure of Tszyu’s place in the division, ahead of the proposed title fight with Castaño or a future clash against Charlo.

If Tszyu beat the highly credible Harrison No Limit, he would want to go straight to Argentina’s Castaño in a title fight in November or December which, if held in Australia, would be our most important event since Jeff Horn took over. defeated Manny Pacquiao.

AUSSIE MEDAL HOPES

The draw for Australian boxers at the Tokyo Games will be released this Thursday at 9:00 p.m. AEST and even without Justis Huni our medal hopes are confident.

Competition kicks off Saturday with Australia who will be represented by Paulo Aokuso (light heavyweight), Skye Nicolson (featherweight), Harry Garside (lightweight), Caitlin Parker (middleweight), Alex Winwood (flyweight).

“All of our five athletes have a chance to win a medal,” said exceptional former professional boxer Jamie Pittman, who now holds the fanciful title of National Performance Pathway Lead.

“The team had great preparation at the multinational camps in Colorado Springs, US and Japan leading up to the Olympics and they had some of the best fights ever.”

UNCONTESTED STILL UNCERTAIN

It is expected that there will be some clarity in the coming days on what is going on with the high-stakes fight between undisputed lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez and undefeated Australian George Kambosos.

The fight will be delayed for a third time when the August 15 (AEST) date is canceled, but despite speculation it is destined never to take place, there is new hope that a new date will be named soon.

Promoter Triller had previously proposed that the fight take place in Australia in October, prompting Lopez’s management to immediately threaten to quit the IBF belt, for which Kambosos is mandatory.

Those threats remain, but Triller and the IBF are currently in talks to see if the big fight can be set for September or October in the United States.

EBANIE EVERYWHERE

Sydney’s Ebanie Bridges left Sydney on March 15 for her memorable world title clash with Shannon Courtenay, but with two more fights scheduled, she is unlikely to return home until September.

The “Blonde Bomber” completes another training camp in Philadelphia before returning to the UK to fight Bec Connolly, in a fight to be broadcast live on Fox Sports as part of Matchroom’s “Fight Camp” series. three weeks in August.

“Courtenay’s fight was a great experience and got an incredible response from the fans. Since then I’ve been to a training camp in Mexico and now I’m back here in Philly and working hard, ”says Bridges.

“I have really improved my boxing and plan to show a lot more of what I have in my toolbox against Bec.”

The Australian is expected to feature on superstar Katie Taylor’s undercard at Leeds in September.

PARO PUSHES FOR SHOOTING

Queensland super-lightweight Liam Paro has quietly headed for a world title in recent years and will risk everything this Saturday night in Brisbane when he takes on fellow left-hander Steve Gago.

A victory over the skillful Gago will push the highly ranked 25-year-old closer to a coveted mandatory position for the WBO and IBF belts held by unified Scottish champion Josh Taylor.

“Gago’s only loss is against a top Kazakh (Nursultan Zhangabayev) who went the distance, so stopping him will show the world that I am a contender,” said Paro.

“I want the world title then. I’m ready.”

BILL DE VALE TREATY

Tributes poured in from across the boxing community this week for the popular and colorful Bill Treacy, who died of a long illness at the age of 74.

Treacy’s Grange Old School Boxing has handled a range of quality fighters, including former Unified Middleweight Champion Daniel Geale.

It has also promoted some of the biggest events in recent memory, including the unforgettable Geale v Mundine 2 card at the Sydney Entertainment Center in 2013.

Personally, I really enjoyed Bill’s company and the stories of his fascinating past, as I will never forget the tough man who hugged me in tears in the middle ring in Germany after Geale beat Felix Sturm . A service will take place in Sydney when restrictions allow.