Rising Australian superstar Tim Tszyu has verbally blasted former WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn's boxing skills ahead of their high-stakes showdown.

Some have suggested it is too soon in Tszyu's career for him to fight the vastly more-experienced Horn. The younger Tszyu disagrees with everyone who takes that position.

The 25-year-old contender feels very confident that he will knock off Horn. They will collide in a ten round super welterweight fight on April 22, with a venue expected to be announced in the next month.

"I knew I was going to beat him from the first time I saw him," Tszyu told AAP.

"We could have fought last year and I could have beat him, I believe, I'm ready now. I don't think he's got much boxing skills, beside his physicality, that's all."

The 32-year-old Horn, who has moved down from middleweight, is off his feet with a minor Achilles tendon injury, but didn't anticipate any issues leading up to the fight.

Horn is coming off a decision December victory over Michael Zerafa in a revenge rematch.

“Haven’t watched it — I was sunbaking in Hawaii,” Tszyu said. “I had better things on at that time. I like big boxing fights — not little local ones like that. It didn’t really interest me.”

As far as the fight itself, Tszyu is not impressed with Horn's accomplishments and does not view him as a world class opponent. He believes a victor over Horn will lead him to a much higher level of competition, and big money fights, the very near future.

“Jeff Horn, I don’t think he’s world class, just under,” Tszyu said. “He’s a stepping stone for me. I have a few fights to get through this year. I’ve got world titles to win. He’s 31 (sic), he wants to drag it out. I’m young: I’ve got the whole world ahead of me.”