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AAP
AAP
Sport
Darren Walton

Tszyu to fight for world title on home turf

Tim Tszyu (pictured) will fight American Tony Harrison for the WBO world title in Sydney in March. (PR HANDOUT IMAGE PHOTO) (AAP)

Promoters are hoping to sell out Qudos Bank Arena after announcing Sydney as the venue for Tim Tszyu's maiden world-title fight.

Tszyu will fight American Tony Harrison for the interim WBO super welterweight title on Sunday March 12, with close to 20,000 expected to pack the stadium.

The Sydneysider was to have fought Jermell Charlo for all four divisional belts in Las Vegas last month before the American withdrew with two fractures in his left hand.

The 28-year-old Tszyu is risking that unification super bout with Charlo by squaring off against Harrison.

Tszyu (21-0, 15KO) faces a stiff task against Detroit product Harrison (29-3-1, 21KO), the only man to ever beat Charlo.

Harrison took the WBC belt from his US rival in 2018, before immediately losing it in a rematch.

Last week, Harrison said he was excited to fight in Australia, likening it to a Rocky movie.

"Rocky Balboa versus (Ivan) Drago - this is literally like my moment to have that same kind of fight in real life instead of a movie," he told The Last Stand podcast.

"The environment, the hostility for this fight, man, I know I'm going to a fight knowing that the whole country is rooting for me to lose and if that don't excite you, I'm like, what does?"

The US boxer described Tszyu as no better than someone he would fight in a park.

"Tim is a very tough fighter, but he's so basic to me," Harrison said.

"He's like somebody I see around the block, or ... when I'm fighting somebody at the park.

"There's nothing special about him; his defence is not stellar, his offence ain't stellar. He's just a very tough competitor.

"I don't see myself losing, I don't even see how this guy can beat me - he's got like little arms and s**t."

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