Tim Tszyu understands all too well that Jermell Charlo presents a dangerous proposition in the ring.

Nevertheless, the 154-pound contender from Australia still thinks he has the ideal style to defuse the undisputed champion of the division. Tszyu and Houston’s Charlo have nearly finalized a deal to face each other later in the year, as reported by BoxingScene.com. Tszyu is the mandatory challenger for Charlo’s WBO belt. Charlo unified all four titles in the division with a rousing 10th-round knockout of Brian Castano in their rematch on May 14 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

In a recent interview, Tszyu, who was ringside for the fight, offered both a sobering awareness of the challenge that lies before him and a confident assessment of his own abilities to overcome a fighter of Charlo’s caliber.

“I have to come very, very smart in the fight,” Tszyu said on a recent episode of The PBC Podcast. “I see that Charlo’s got power; he’s got that one punch that can change everything.

“You have to come out smart and you gotta give him a fight that he’s never been in and give him hell. I think I’ve got that style that can give him hell.”

Tszyu, the son of boxing legend Kostya Tszyu, is signed to Premier Boxing Champions, which also backs Charlo. Tszyu made his debut with PBC in March, in Minneapolis, with a 12-round decision over veteran contender Terrel Gausha. That was Tszyu’s first fight in the United States.

Charlo himself has repeatedly denigrated Tszyu as an opponent, stating at one point that the Aussie would be better served to face someone like Sebastian Fundora, the top 154-pound contender within the WBC.

Asked about Charlo’s comments, Tszyu made it clear he would not be budging from his place and had no interest in fighting anyone else except the Houstonian.

“Look, my main concern is to fight for the belts,” Tszyu said. “He’s the one that’s holding them so that’s the only part that interests me at this moment.”

“Man, in all honesty I just want the belts, man,” Tszyu continued. “Whoever’s on the roster that’s there for the belt. I want Charlo. He’s the top one in the division. He’s the one that’s on top of the tree.”