Australian boxing star Tim Tszyu will return to the Gold Coast to try to defend his WBO super-welterweight title and emulate his legendary father as a unified world champion.
Tszyu will take on American Brian Mendoza on October 15 at the Gold Coast Exhibition Centre, hoping to add the WBC strap to the WBO belt he won in March with victory over Tony Harrison in Sydney and then defended successfully against Mexican Carlos Ocampo in June.
Tszyu (23-0, 17KOs) knocked out Ocampo in the first round at the same venue in which he will square off with Mendoza (22-2, 16KOs) next month.
"Very grateful for this opportunity again, to be fighting for a third time this year and in front of crazy Gold Coast fans, it's always an honour," Tszyu said at Thursday's announcement in Las Vegas, where he has set up his training camp.
"To be doing it against a credible champion such as Mendoza, it's another honour.
"It's a big opportunity for myself to show the world - to keep showing the world - who I am and where I'm from."
Tszyu and Mendoza are strictly still interim belt holders but will be officially elevated to champions the minute undisputed divisional king Jermell Charlo enters the ring to face Mexican superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez in Vegas on September 30.
Charlo (35-1-1, 19KOs) was to have fought Tszyu for all four belts this year but has twice pulled out, the second time to instead move up two weight divisions to take on super-middleweight undisputed champion Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs).
The winner out of Tszyu and Mendoza is likely to finally get a shot at Charlo next year.
Tszyu's promoters are predicting this will be the last chance for fans to see the 29-year-old in action in Australia for some time.
"Because a big fight like this means the opponents start getting bigger, better and a lot more expensive," said No Limit Boxing boss George Rose.
"So those fights will be taking place overseas, and it's on Tim's bucket list, as it is on ours.
"We'd love to see him fighting in places like Las Vegas, like Madison Square Garden, taking on those big fights and big opportunities.
"Vegas is the home of boxing and for now that's where we're trying to do in Australia too - Vegas in Australia is Gold Coast - and it could be the last time we get to see Tim fight here too."
Kostya Tszyu (31-2, 25KOs) first became a unified world champion in 2001 when he beat American Sharmba Mitchell in Las Vegas to add the WBA junior-middleweight belt to his WBC strap.
