Tough junior middleweight contender Takeshi Inoue is confident in his ability to pull off a big upset against Australian superstar Tim Tszyu.

Inoue (17-1-1, 10 KOs) will face Tszyu on November 17 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney Olympic Park.

The Japanese fighter has picked up four wins in a row since losing a twelve round unanimous decision to then WBO world champion Jaime Munguia in January 2019. 

“My condition has gotten better and also my punch is now very, very powerful so I can beat Tim Tszyu,” Inoue said through an interpreter to WA Today.

“I respect his results because Tim Tszyu has not lost. I respect also his boxing technique and I basically respect everything about him. But towards the end of the fight, I’m thinking of knockout. That’s how I’m practicing.”

Tszyu is the WBO's top rated contender and very close to securing a mandatory crack at the world champion, Brian Castano.

Inoue's trainer, Tatsuya Saita, believes Tyszu's handlers made a big mistake in taking the fight.

He believes his boxer will be too big and too strong for Tszyu. The Japanese coach expects Inoue to end the fight by knockout in the second half of the fight.

“It is a mistake. If I were Tim’s promoter, I wouldn’t let him challenge Takeshi,” Saita said. “He has chosen Takeshi and he may regret his chance.

“Tim Tszyu’s experience is limited to fighting in Australia. I don’t think he has fought a boxer as heavy as Takeshi, most of his opponents were lighter. Although he has fought against Denis Hogan, when I watched the match I didn’t think Tszyu was that strong. Takeshi could possibly exceed Denis Hogan two or three times. I would say [Takeshi will knock Tszyu out] in the seventh to ninth round.”