Tag: Charlo Castano

Good, bad, worse: Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano draw, one rogue judge

Good, bad, worse: Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano draw, one rogue judge.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka0KQdrX85k

Perhaps lost in the disappointment of the draw is the fact Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano gave us a fight worthy of the hype Saturday at AT&T Center in San Antonio.

The periodic action and ebbs and flows, combined with the significance of the event, had me riveted even though it wasn’t a classic brawl.

Both fighters had to overcome adversity to avoid defeat, Castano surviving a number of precarious moments when he was hurt and Charlo, spurred on by his trainer, overcoming a deficit on the cards in the final three rounds to earn the split draw.

Neither fighter was as effective as we might’ve expected, Castano not quite as busy as usual and Charlo unable to finish off his rugged foe. However, that had more to do with their counterparts’ abilities than any deficiencies on their part.

Castano had to apply pressure in an intelligent, methodical manner or he would never have lasted 12 rounds. And Charlo landed the type of booming shots that have stopped other opponents; this one was just too tough to put away.

Each of them said what you’d expect afterward, that he deserved to have his hand raised. However, Charlo might’ve been speaking for both of them when he admitted in so many words that he didn’t let his hands go as much as he should have.

That’s my only criticism of both fighters: Castano needed to engage a tad more than he did regardless of the risk and Charlo relied too much on his power, which let him down in a sense. He, too, needed to be busier.

That said, the action they gave us was compelling. The inside exchanges were sometimes brutal. Charlo’s big shots had us thinking knockout, particularly in that wild Round 10. And the fact neither could separate himself from the other was an indication of how perfectly these two fighters were matched.

I hated the draw but it was fun to watch.

***

BAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPPNzbTV70g

The draw. Ugh.

The result was legitimate but it’s still difficult to swallow because we became married to the idea that we’d have the first undisputed junior middleweight champion of the four-belt era. In the end, nothing was settled.

Neither fighter was able to demonstrate conclusively that he was better than the other in what turned out to be an evenly matched bout.

We can and should use our knowledge to determine the best fighters in each division without relying on the decisions of corrupt sanctioning bodies. However, battles for all four belts are the best official means of determining who is No. 1.

Could they do it again?

The fighters are still enamored with the idea of becoming “undisputed” – which means a rematch is possible – but we’ll see whether the sanctioning bodies will be willing — able? — to set aside mandatory defenses to allow it.

And, of course, unforeseen obstacles could prevent Charlo-Castano II from happening. After all, boxing has a knack of getting in its own way.

Who would win the rematch? Flip a coin. The fight on Saturday was so close, so competitive that it would be difficult to predict a winner with any conviction.

That’s the point here. The fans were hungry to see the crowning of an undisputed 154-champion but were disappointed in that regard. So were the fighters, both of whom believed they deserved to win.

I hope the powers that be can find a way to do it again. If a rematch was ever warranted, this is it.

***

WORSE

117-110 for Charlo? Nine rounds to three?

I’ve tried to imagine what judge Nelson Vazquez of Puerto Rico was seeing during the Charlo-Castano fight, which I scored 115-113 for Castano. A draw or 115-113 either way would’ve reflected what happened in the ring, not 117-110, in my opinion.

Castano didn’t throw as many punches as he normally does but I thought he got more accomplished than Charlo did, primarily during their inside exchanges. And I thought that Castano blocked many of Charlo’s punches with his gloves. He’s an excellent defensive fighter.

Charlo certainly had strong rounds, particularly Round 10, when he hurt Castano multiple times. And I have no problem with the fact all three judges gave Charlo the final three rounds. His rally was impressive.

However, after the final bell, the fighters, their camps and those watching worldwide had no idea what would come out of Jimmy Lennon’s mouth when he announced the results. That’s because everyone knew the fight was close.

Everyone but Vazquez, that is. He gave Castano only Rounds 3, 7 and 9.

Of course, scoring is subjective. Vazquez would say he called it as he saw it. The problem is that a score that strays so far from the observations of the vast majority is a red flag that something was amiss.

And nine rounds to three was an insult to Castano, who turned in a fine performance – maybe the best of his career — against one of the top fighters in the world pound for pound. He deserved better.

Thank goodness that Vazquez’s poor scoring didn’t result in a disastrous decision. We can live with a draw.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Lightweight contender Rolando Romero (14-0, 12 KOs) gave a strong performance against late replacement Anthony Yigit (24-2-1, 8 KOs) on the Charlo-Castano card, stopping the Swedish fighter in the seventh round of a scheduled 12-rounder. Romero is what he says he is: a big puncher. Yigit, a good, experienced opponent, certainly couldn’t stand up to Romero’s power. Romero called out fellow 135-pounder Gervonta Davis after the fight. Can Romero handle “Tank”? I doubt it. Davis is a better all-around fighter and probably punches harder than Romero. That said, Romero’s power is real. You never know what would happen if a big shot found Davis’ chin. I wouldn’t mind seeing that fight. … I feel for Immanuwel Aleem (18-3-2, 11 KOs). The much-improved protégé of trainer Ronnie Shields gave an inspired performance against middleweight contender Amilcar Vidal (13-0, 11 KOs) only to lose a majority decision in a 10-round bout on the Charlo-Castano card. I thought Aleem beat Vidal at his own power-punching game, getting the better of most of their inside exchanges and withstanding the shots Vidal was able to land. I gave Aleem the edge in what I thought was a close fight. Judge Anthony De Los Santos had it right, 95-95. Judges Ruben Carrion and Glen Rick Crocker both scored it 97-93, seven rounds to three, for Vidal. That was too wide in Vidal’s favor even if you believed he landed the bigger blows. Aleem had a right to be frustrated afterward. The good news is that he made a strong statement. He’ll be back.

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Good, bad, worse: Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano draw, one rogue judge

Good, bad, worse: Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano draw, one rogue judge.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka0KQdrX85k

Perhaps lost in the disappointment of the draw is the fact Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano gave us a fight worthy of the hype Saturday at AT&T Center in San Antonio.

The periodic action and ebbs and flows, combined with the significance of the event, had me riveted even though it wasn’t a classic brawl.

Both fighters had to overcome adversity to avoid defeat, Castano surviving a number of precarious moments when he was hurt and Charlo, spurred on by his trainer, overcoming a deficit on the cards in the final three rounds to earn the split draw.

Neither fighter was as effective as we might’ve expected, Castano not quite as busy as usual and Charlo unable to finish off his rugged foe. However, that had more to do with their counterparts’ abilities than any deficiencies on their part.

Castano had to apply pressure in an intelligent, methodical manner or he would never have lasted 12 rounds. And Charlo landed the type of booming shots that have stopped other opponents; this one was just too tough to put away.

Each of them said what you’d expect afterward, that he deserved to have his hand raised. However, Charlo might’ve been speaking for both of them when he admitted in so many words that he didn’t let his hands go as much as he should have.

That’s my only criticism of both fighters: Castano needed to engage a tad more than he did regardless of the risk and Charlo relied too much on his power, which let him down in a sense. He, too, needed to be busier.

That said, the action they gave us was compelling. The inside exchanges were sometimes brutal. Charlo’s big shots had us thinking knockout, particularly in that wild Round 10. And the fact neither could separate himself from the other was an indication of how perfectly these two fighters were matched.

I hated the draw but it was fun to watch.

***

BAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPPNzbTV70g

The draw. Ugh.

The result was legitimate but it’s still difficult to swallow because we became married to the idea that we’d have the first undisputed junior middleweight champion of the four-belt era. In the end, nothing was settled.

Neither fighter was able to demonstrate conclusively that he was better than the other in what turned out to be an evenly matched bout.

We can and should use our knowledge to determine the best fighters in each division without relying on the decisions of corrupt sanctioning bodies. However, battles for all four belts are the best official means of determining who is No. 1.

Could they do it again?

The fighters are still enamored with the idea of becoming “undisputed” – which means a rematch is possible – but we’ll see whether the sanctioning bodies will be willing — able? — to set aside mandatory defenses to allow it.

And, of course, unforeseen obstacles could prevent Charlo-Castano II from happening. After all, boxing has a knack of getting in its own way.

Who would win the rematch? Flip a coin. The fight on Saturday was so close, so competitive that it would be difficult to predict a winner with any conviction.

That’s the point here. The fans were hungry to see the crowning of an undisputed 154-champion but were disappointed in that regard. So were the fighters, both of whom believed they deserved to win.

I hope the powers that be can find a way to do it again. If a rematch was ever warranted, this is it.

***

WORSE

117-110 for Charlo? Nine rounds to three?

I’ve tried to imagine what judge Nelson Vazquez of Puerto Rico was seeing during the Charlo-Castano fight, which I scored 115-113 for Castano. A draw or 115-113 either way would’ve reflected what happened in the ring, not 117-110, in my opinion.

Castano didn’t throw as many punches as he normally does but I thought he got more accomplished than Charlo did, primarily during their inside exchanges. And I thought that Castano blocked many of Charlo’s punches with his gloves. He’s an excellent defensive fighter.

Charlo certainly had strong rounds, particularly Round 10, when he hurt Castano multiple times. And I have no problem with the fact all three judges gave Charlo the final three rounds. His rally was impressive.

However, after the final bell, the fighters, their camps and those watching worldwide had no idea what would come out of Jimmy Lennon’s mouth when he announced the results. That’s because everyone knew the fight was close.

Everyone but Vazquez, that is. He gave Castano only Rounds 3, 7 and 9.

Of course, scoring is subjective. Vazquez would say he called it as he saw it. The problem is that a score that strays so far from the observations of the vast majority is a red flag that something was amiss.

And nine rounds to three was an insult to Castano, who turned in a fine performance – maybe the best of his career — against one of the top fighters in the world pound for pound. He deserved better.

Thank goodness that Vazquez’s poor scoring didn’t result in a disastrous decision. We can live with a draw.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Lightweight contender Rolando Romero (14-0, 12 KOs) gave a strong performance against late replacement Anthony Yigit (24-2-1, 8 KOs) on the Charlo-Castano card, stopping the Swedish fighter in the seventh round of a scheduled 12-rounder. Romero is what he says he is: a big puncher. Yigit, a good, experienced opponent, certainly couldn’t stand up to Romero’s power. Romero called out fellow 135-pounder Gervonta Davis after the fight. Can Romero handle “Tank”? I doubt it. Davis is a better all-around fighter and probably punches harder than Romero. That said, Romero’s power is real. You never know what would happen if a big shot found Davis’ chin. I wouldn’t mind seeing that fight. … I feel for Immanuwel Aleem (18-3-2, 11 KOs). The much-improved protégé of trainer Ronnie Shields gave an inspired performance against middleweight contender Amilcar Vidal (13-0, 11 KOs) only to lose a majority decision in a 10-round bout on the Charlo-Castano card. I thought Aleem beat Vidal at his own power-punching game, getting the better of most of their inside exchanges and withstanding the shots Vidal was able to land. I gave Aleem the edge in what I thought was a close fight. Judge Anthony De Los Santos had it right, 95-95. Judges Ruben Carrion and Glen Rick Crocker both scored it 97-93, seven rounds to three, for Vidal. That was too wide in Vidal’s favor even if you believed he landed the bigger blows. Aleem had a right to be frustrated afterward. The good news is that he made a strong statement. He’ll be back.

[vertical-gallery id=21965]

Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano have to settle for split draw

Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano had to settle for split draw in their 154-pound title fight Saturday in San Antonio.

Sometimes a draw is the right result.

That might’ve been the case on Saturday night in San Antonio, where Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano – both hoping to become the first undisputed 154-pound champ – had to settle for a stalemate that allowed them to hold onto their respective belts.

And both had to overcome adversity to avoid losing. Castano survived being hurt in the second and 10th rounds while Charlo had to win the final three frames to avoid defeat.

Castano, the pressure fighter from Argentina, didn’t throw as many punches as he normally does in part out of respect for Charlo’s power. A left hook to his jaw in the second round buckled his knees, underscoring an obvious concern.

However, Castano used cautious aggression to outwork Charlo through nine rounds, generally getting the better of inside exchanges while blocking many of Charlo’s shots with his gloves.

Going into the 10th, it seemed that the underdog might be on the cusp of a significant upset. Then Charlo’s vaunted power turned the tide. He hurt Castano a number of times in Round 10, forcing him to move laterally to survive as Charlo went in for the kill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka0KQdrX85k

Castano recovered by the end of that round and was competitive in the final two frames. However, Charlo, warned by trainer Derrick James that he needed a knockout, fought with urgency to finish the fight with a flourish and stave off defeat.

“My coach told me I need the knockout in the ninth round and I just knew he knew what he was talking about. I trust my coach,” Charlo said.

Turns out he just needed three strong rounds to finish the fight. Tim Cheatham scored it 114-114, Steve Weisfeld had Castano winning 114-113 and Nelson Vazquez somehow scored it 117-111 for Charlo, nine rounds to three, making it a split draw. Boxing Junkie scored it 115-113 for Castano.

Thus, Charlo holds onto his IBF, WBA and WBC titles and Castano goes home with his WBO belt.

Afterward, both fighters said they believed they did enough to win the fight.

“My skills and my ability and my power … I felt like I won this fight and I deserve to be going home undisputed,” he said. Said Castano: “I won the fight. There were some rounds that he did hit me and he hit me hard, but I won this fight.”

Now what? The world was expecting the coronation of a new undisputed champion and nothing was resolved.

It remains to seen whether the sanctioning bodies will allow their titleholders to put off mandatory defenses so Charlo and Castano can do it one more time. Only this is certain: They both still are in love with the idea of being called “undisputed.”

“I want to be undisputed,” Charlo said. “That’s what I want. That’s my destiny.”

Said Castano: “I hope I get the rematch. … I need the rematch.”

The fans do, too.

[lawrence-related id=21957,21953]

Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano have to settle for split draw

Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano had to settle for split draw in their 154-pound title fight Saturday in San Antonio.

Sometimes a draw is the right result.

That might’ve been the case on Saturday night in San Antonio, where Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano – both hoping to become the first undisputed 154-pound champ – had to settle for a stalemate that allowed them to hold onto their respective belts.

And both had to overcome adversity to avoid losing. Castano survived being hurt in the second and 10th rounds while Charlo had to win the final three frames to avoid defeat.

Castano, the pressure fighter from Argentina, didn’t throw as many punches as he normally does in part out of respect for Charlo’s power. A left hook to his jaw in the second round buckled his knees, underscoring an obvious concern.

However, Castano used cautious aggression to outwork Charlo through nine rounds, generally getting the better of inside exchanges while blocking many of Charlo’s shots with his gloves.

Going into the 10th, it seemed that the underdog might be on the cusp of a significant upset. Then Charlo’s vaunted power turned the tide. He hurt Castano a number of times in Round 10, forcing him to move laterally to survive as Charlo went in for the kill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka0KQdrX85k

Castano recovered by the end of that round and was competitive in the final two frames. However, Charlo, warned by trainer Derrick James that he needed a knockout, fought with urgency to finish the fight with a flourish and stave off defeat.

“My coach told me I need the knockout in the ninth round and I just knew he knew what he was talking about. I trust my coach,” Charlo said.

Turns out he just needed three strong rounds to finish the fight. Tim Cheatham scored it 114-114, Steve Weisfeld had Castano winning 114-113 and Nelson Vazquez somehow scored it 117-111 for Charlo, nine rounds to three, making it a split draw. Boxing Junkie scored it 115-113 for Castano.

Thus, Charlo holds onto his IBF, WBA and WBC titles and Castano goes home with his WBO belt.

Afterward, both fighters said they believed they did enough to win the fight.

“My skills and my ability and my power … I felt like I won this fight and I deserve to be going home undisputed,” he said. Said Castano: “I won the fight. There were some rounds that he did hit me and he hit me hard, but I won this fight.”

Now what? The world was expecting the coronation of a new undisputed champion and nothing was resolved.

It remains to seen whether the sanctioning bodies will allow their titleholders to put off mandatory defenses so Charlo and Castano can do it one more time. Only this is certain: They both still are in love with the idea of being called “undisputed.”

“I want to be undisputed,” Charlo said. “That’s what I want. That’s my destiny.”

Said Castano: “I hope I get the rematch. … I need the rematch.”

The fans do, too.

[lawrence-related id=21957,21953]

Rolando Romero takes out Anthony Yigit in seventh round

Rolando Romero put Anthony Yigit down three times and took him out in the seventh round on the Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano card Saturday.

Rolando Romero simply had too much power for Anthony Yigit.

Romero put his Swedish opponent down three times and stopped him in Round 7 in a scheduled 12-round lightweight bout Saturday on the Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano card at AT&T Center in San Antonio.

Yigit, who took the fight on short notice and came in overweight, began taking heavy punches early in the fight but used good movement to stay out of serious trouble.

However, by Round 5, the hard blows began to break Yigit down. Romero lost a point in that round for punching on the break but moments later put Yigit down and hurt him with a right hand that landed a split second before the bell.

Yigit (24-2-1, 8 KOs) was able to survive in Round 6 by holding and moving but the writing seemed to be on the wall. In the following round, Romero (14-0, 12 KOs) put Yigit on the canvas again with a short right and then stopped him with a right-left combination.

The official time of the knockout was 1:54 of Round 7.

Romero was asked afterward who he would like to face next and he mentioned one of the most-dangerous fighters on the planet, fellow 135-pound contender Gervonta Davis.

Power vs. power. Something would have to give.

 

 

 

 

Rolando Romero takes out Anthony Yigit in seventh round

Rolando Romero put Anthony Yigit down three times and took him out in the seventh round on the Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano card Saturday.

Rolando Romero simply had too much power for Anthony Yigit.

Romero put his Swedish opponent down three times and stopped him in Round 7 in a scheduled 12-round lightweight bout Saturday on the Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano card at AT&T Center in San Antonio.

Yigit, who took the fight on short notice and came in overweight, began taking heavy punches early in the fight but used good movement to stay out of serious trouble.

However, by Round 5, the hard blows began to break Yigit down. Romero lost a point in that round for punching on the break but moments later put Yigit down and hurt him with a right hand that landed a split second before the bell.

Yigit (24-2-1, 8 KOs) was able to survive in Round 6 by holding and moving but the writing seemed to be on the wall. In the following round, Romero (14-0, 12 KOs) put Yigit on the canvas again with a short right and then stopped him with a right-left combination.

The official time of the knockout was 1:54 of Round 7.

Romero was asked afterward who he would like to face next and he mentioned one of the most-dangerous fighters on the planet, fellow 135-pound contender Gervonta Davis.

Power vs. power. Something would have to give.

 

 

 

 

Amilcar Vidal survives spirted effort from Immanuwel Aleem to win decision

Amilcar Vidal survived a spirted effort from Immanuwel Aleem to win a majority decision on the Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano card Saturday.

Middleweight contender Amilcar Vidal is fortunate he’s still undefeated.

The strapping Uruguayan fighter emerged with a majority-decision victory over Immanuwel Aleem on Saturday in San Antonio but the scoring will have been questioned by many who watched the fight.

Vidal (13-0, 12 KOs) has overwhelmed most of his opponents. However, Aleem (18-3-2, 11 KOs) was able to take his power and dish out plenty of punishment himself.

Aleem started out by fighting behind his jab and moving in the early rounds, when he was stalked by Vidal. However, when Vidal finally closed the distance, Aleem was happy to trade punches inside and got the better of many exchanges in what evolved into an entertaining scrap.

Neither fighter was hurt seriously, although Vidal made Aleem wince once with one of his many body shots and he got clipped himself on a number of occasions.

In the end, it seemed the back-and-forth fight could’ve gone either way but two judges thought Vidal won handily. One scored it 95-95 while the other two, apparently believing Vidal landed the bigger shots, had him winning 97-93.

Thus, the 25-year-old from Montevideo remained on course toward a world title shot. And while Aleem came up short, everyone watching undoubtedly was impressed with his effort. He took a step forward in defeat.

Vidal and Aleem fought on the undercard of the Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano card at AT&T Center.

Amilcar Vidal survives spirted effort from Immanuwel Aleem to win decision

Amilcar Vidal survived a spirted effort from Immanuwel Aleem to win a majority decision on the Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano card Saturday.

Middleweight contender Amilcar Vidal is fortunate he’s still undefeated.

The strapping Uruguayan fighter emerged with a majority-decision victory over Immanuwel Aleem on Saturday in San Antonio but the scoring will have been questioned by many who watched the fight.

Vidal (13-0, 12 KOs) has overwhelmed most of his opponents. However, Aleem (18-3-2, 11 KOs) was able to take his power and dish out plenty of punishment himself.

Aleem started out by fighting behind his jab and moving in the early rounds, when he was stalked by Vidal. However, when Vidal finally closed the distance, Aleem was happy to trade punches inside and got the better of many exchanges in what evolved into an entertaining scrap.

Neither fighter was hurt seriously, although Vidal made Aleem wince once with one of his many body shots and he got clipped himself on a number of occasions.

In the end, it seemed the back-and-forth fight could’ve gone either way but two judges thought Vidal won handily. One scored it 95-95 while the other two, apparently believing Vidal landed the bigger shots, had him winning 97-93.

Thus, the 25-year-old from Montevideo remained on course toward a world title shot. And while Aleem came up short, everyone watching undoubtedly was impressed with his effort. He took a step forward in defeat.

Vidal and Aleem fought on the undercard of the Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano card at AT&T Center.

Jermell Charlo says he’s primed for his biggest moment

Jermell Charlo says he’s primed for his biggest moment, a showdown with Brian Castano for the undisputed 154-pound championship Saturday.

Jermell Charlo already has a lengthy list of accomplishments.

The 31-year-old Houstonian has beaten a string of quality opponents, including Gabriel Rosado, Vanes Martirosyan, Erickson Lubin, Austin Trout, Tony Harrison and Jeison Rosario. The victory over Harrison, an 11th-round knockout, avenged his only defeat. And he has collected three 154-pound titles.

That acknowledged, he’ll a rare opportunity on Saturday in San Antonio: He and Brian Castano will fight to become the first undisputed junior middleweight champion in the four-belt era.

Talk about a defining fight. A victory over Castano, combined with his current resume, could lead some to use Charlo’s name and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the same sentence.

“This is a dream come true,” he said at a news conference Thursday. “I’ve wanted to be undisputed since I was a child because this is the highest you can reach in boxing. Being in this moment really makes me thankful to my whole team who helped me get to this point.

“Now is the time that me and my brother (Jermall Charlo) finally get the opportunity to show the world what we’re worth. This is the moment for us. Opportunities like this don’t come around too often, so I have to go out there and take advantage.

“I’m not old enough to think about the Hall of Fame yet. I’m just focusing on the right now. I have a goal to accomplish that will take 36 minutes or less on Saturday. I’ll look into everything else that this means after Saturday night.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg17xhkNieM

Castano (17-0-1, 12 KOs) said at the news conference that the pressure is on Charlo, not him. After all, Charlo will be fighting in front of his fellow Texans and he’s favored to win. One might think he has more to lose.

Charlo (34-1, 18 KOs) doesn’t see it that way. Yes, he has what could be a once-in-a-career opportunity. But he’s been in many big fights in his 13-plus-year career. This is nothing new.

“I don’t have any pressure on me,” he said. “I’ve been in this position so many times in my life. If I felt the pressure, I wouldn’t be in this moment. He has to come and do his thing. He has to put the pressure on me and avoid these bombs I’m throwing.

“I can’t predict the future, but just know that I’m stronger and faster than I was before. I just feel like I’m ready. I have power in every punch I throw and I’m thankful for this opportunity to face another champion.”

One unusual trend in Charlo’s career is his recent run of stoppages. A fighter’s knockout rate typically drops as his quality of opposition improves. That’s not the case with Charlo, who has stopped seven of his last nine opponents.

Could Castano be No. 8? Charlo suggested that his foe’s aggressive style could lead to his demise.

“I have the don’t-blink attitude for this fight,” he said. “You never know what could happen at any moment of any round. I’ve knocked people out in just about every round. …

“It’s dangerous for him to come forward and walk into shots. Most opponents that I’ve faced who’ve done that, I’ve put them out. We’ll see if he’s able to stand up to the power.”

If not, Charlo will have taken another significant step in his impressive career.

[lawrence-related id=21910,21851,21768,14178,17760]

Jermell Charlo says he’s primed for his biggest moment

Jermell Charlo says he’s primed for his biggest moment, a showdown with Brian Castano for the undisputed 154-pound championship Saturday.

Jermell Charlo already has a lengthy list of accomplishments.

The 31-year-old Houstonian has beaten a string of quality opponents, including Gabriel Rosado, Vanes Martirosyan, Erickson Lubin, Austin Trout, Tony Harrison and Jeison Rosario. The victory over Harrison, an 11th-round knockout, avenged his only defeat. And he has collected three 154-pound titles.

That acknowledged, he’ll a rare opportunity on Saturday in San Antonio: He and Brian Castano will fight to become the first undisputed junior middleweight champion in the four-belt era.

Talk about a defining fight. A victory over Castano, combined with his current resume, could lead some to use Charlo’s name and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the same sentence.

“This is a dream come true,” he said at a news conference Thursday. “I’ve wanted to be undisputed since I was a child because this is the highest you can reach in boxing. Being in this moment really makes me thankful to my whole team who helped me get to this point.

“Now is the time that me and my brother (Jermall Charlo) finally get the opportunity to show the world what we’re worth. This is the moment for us. Opportunities like this don’t come around too often, so I have to go out there and take advantage.

“I’m not old enough to think about the Hall of Fame yet. I’m just focusing on the right now. I have a goal to accomplish that will take 36 minutes or less on Saturday. I’ll look into everything else that this means after Saturday night.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg17xhkNieM

Castano (17-0-1, 12 KOs) said at the news conference that the pressure is on Charlo, not him. After all, Charlo will be fighting in front of his fellow Texans and he’s favored to win. One might think he has more to lose.

Charlo (34-1, 18 KOs) doesn’t see it that way. Yes, he has what could be a once-in-a-career opportunity. But he’s been in many big fights in his 13-plus-year career. This is nothing new.

“I don’t have any pressure on me,” he said. “I’ve been in this position so many times in my life. If I felt the pressure, I wouldn’t be in this moment. He has to come and do his thing. He has to put the pressure on me and avoid these bombs I’m throwing.

“I can’t predict the future, but just know that I’m stronger and faster than I was before. I just feel like I’m ready. I have power in every punch I throw and I’m thankful for this opportunity to face another champion.”

One unusual trend in Charlo’s career is his recent run of stoppages. A fighter’s knockout rate typically drops as his quality of opposition improves. That’s not the case with Charlo, who has stopped seven of his last nine opponents.

Could Castano be No. 8? Charlo suggested that his foe’s aggressive style could lead to his demise.

“I have the don’t-blink attitude for this fight,” he said. “You never know what could happen at any moment of any round. I’ve knocked people out in just about every round. …

“It’s dangerous for him to come forward and walk into shots. Most opponents that I’ve faced who’ve done that, I’ve put them out. We’ll see if he’s able to stand up to the power.”

If not, Charlo will have taken another significant step in his impressive career.

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