Tag: Charlo vs Castano

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.

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

Brian Castano says the pressure is on Jermell Charlo, not him

Brian Castano said the pressure will be on Jermell Charlo, not him, when they meet for the undisputed 154-pound championship Saturday.

The way Brian Castano sees it, he has one advantage going into his showdown with Jermell Charlo for the undisputed 154-pound championship Saturday at AT&T Center in San Antonio: The pressure is on his opponent.

Charlo, from Houston, is fighting in front of his fellow Texans. And Charlo’s favored to win.

“He has all the pressure on him being in his home state,” Castano said at a news conference Thursday. “I’ve been training so hard for nine months and I’m comfortable as the underdog, so I don’t feel any pressure.”

Of course, there is a lot at stake for both fighters. The opportunity to become the first to win all four major titles at 154 in the four-title era could be a one-time thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2FVrfJdLyw

If Castano wins, he’ll instantaneously become one of the most storied fighters in the history of his country.

“We have a war to fight on July 17,” he said. “I’m not thinking about anything beyond that fight. My mind is fully set on becoming undisputed champion Saturday night. …

“I want to make not only Argentina but all of Latin America proud. That’s what I want to do on Saturday night.”

Castano (17-0-1, 12 KOs) has relied on volume punching and toughness to put himself in this position. His work rate allowed him to fight to a surprising draw with slick Erislandy Lara in March 2019 and outpoint Patrick Teixeira to win the WBO belt this past February.

That undoubtedly will be his plan of attack against Charlo (34-1, 18 KOs) on Saturday. At the same time, he has the experience – including almost 200 amateur fights – to make adjustments if necessary.

“When it comes down to it, if I have to lower my punch output to put more power on my punches, then I will,” he said. “I don’t like to focus on past fights, because we have our own game plans for this fight. I have a plan to come out victorious Saturday night.

“… In the end, I can only focus on what I’m going to do. If Charlo wants to be more finesse, I can deal with that. And if he wants to brawl, then by all means I will welcome that as well.”

And, finally, Castano, from Buenos Aires, has been inspired by the Argentina soccer team’s 1-0 victory over rival Brazil on Saturday to win the Copa America for the first time since 1993.

Major championships on back-to-back Saturdays sounds like a dream come true for him.

“Seeing Argentina win the Copa America last Saturday night motivated me even more,” he said. “[Lionel] Messi deserved his title, and he made the entire country happy. I hope that the party can continue a week later with an undisputed champion as well.”

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

Brian Castano says the pressure is on Jermell Charlo, not him

Brian Castano said the pressure will be on Jermell Charlo, not him, when they meet for the undisputed 154-pound championship Saturday.

The way Brian Castano sees it, he has one advantage going into his showdown with Jermell Charlo for the undisputed 154-pound championship Saturday at AT&T Center in San Antonio: The pressure is on his opponent.

Charlo, from Houston, is fighting in front of his fellow Texans. And Charlo’s favored to win.

“He has all the pressure on him being in his home state,” Castano said at a news conference Thursday. “I’ve been training so hard for nine months and I’m comfortable as the underdog, so I don’t feel any pressure.”

Of course, there is a lot at stake for both fighters. The opportunity to become the first to win all four major titles at 154 in the four-title era could be a one-time thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2FVrfJdLyw

If Castano wins, he’ll instantaneously become one of the most storied fighters in the history of his country.

“We have a war to fight on July 17,” he said. “I’m not thinking about anything beyond that fight. My mind is fully set on becoming undisputed champion Saturday night. …

“I want to make not only Argentina but all of Latin America proud. That’s what I want to do on Saturday night.”

Castano (17-0-1, 12 KOs) has relied on volume punching and toughness to put himself in this position. His work rate allowed him to fight to a surprising draw with slick Erislandy Lara in March 2019 and outpoint Patrick Teixeira to win the WBO belt this past February.

That undoubtedly will be his plan of attack against Charlo (34-1, 18 KOs) on Saturday. At the same time, he has the experience – including almost 200 amateur fights – to make adjustments if necessary.

“When it comes down to it, if I have to lower my punch output to put more power on my punches, then I will,” he said. “I don’t like to focus on past fights, because we have our own game plans for this fight. I have a plan to come out victorious Saturday night.

“… In the end, I can only focus on what I’m going to do. If Charlo wants to be more finesse, I can deal with that. And if he wants to brawl, then by all means I will welcome that as well.”

And, finally, Castano, from Buenos Aires, has been inspired by the Argentina soccer team’s 1-0 victory over rival Brazil on Saturday to win the Copa America for the first time since 1993.

Major championships on back-to-back Saturdays sounds like a dream come true for him.

“Seeing Argentina win the Copa America last Saturday night motivated me even more,” he said. “[Lionel] Messi deserved his title, and he made the entire country happy. I hope that the party can continue a week later with an undisputed champion as well.”

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

Fight Week: Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano for all major 154-pound titles

Fight Week: Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano for all major 154-pound titles.

FIGHT WEEK

JERMELL CHARLO AND BRIAN CASTANO FACE OFF FOR ALL THE MAJOR JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLES SATURDAY IN SAN ANTONIO ON SHOWTIME.

***

JERMELL CHARLO (34-1, 18 KOs)
VS. BRIAN CASTANO (17-0-1, 12 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, July 17
  • Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio
  • TV/Stream: Showtime
  • Division: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
  • At stake: Charlo’s IBF, WBA, WBC, and Castano’s WBO titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: Charlo No. 12
  • Odds: Charlo 2-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Bakhram Murtazaliev vs. Khiary Gray, junior middleweights
  • Prediction: Charlo KO 10
  • Background: Charlo is one of the hottest fighters in the world. The big puncher from Houston has stopped all three of his opponents since he lost a close decision to Tony Harrison in December 2018, Jorge Cota (KO 3), Harrison in a rematch (KO 11) and Jeison Rosario (KO 8). The victory over Rosario this past September unified three of the four major 154-pound titles. Charlo also has victories over Gabriel Rosado, Vanes Martirosyan, Erickson Lubin and Austin Trout, giving him one of the better resumes in the sport. He’ll have the advantage of fighting in front of his fellow Texans on Saturday. Castano, a relentless pressure fighter from Argentina, is coming off a one-sided decision over Patrick Teixeira that gave him the WBO belt and made him a prime target for Charlo, who wants to be undisputed champion. Castano made waves by outpointing Michel Soro in 2017 and then drawing with Erislandy Lara in 2019, evidence that he is no ordinary junior middleweight. And he underscored that with his dominating victory over Teixeira. Consensus says that Charlo had better be prepared for stiff challenge.

 ***

Also fighting this weekend: Ronald Cruz faces Chris Gray in a scheduled eight-round welterweight bout on Saturday in Rock Rapids, Iowa (FITE).

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

Fight Week: Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano for all major 154-pound titles

Fight Week: Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano for all major 154-pound titles.

FIGHT WEEK

JERMELL CHARLO AND BRIAN CASTANO FACE OFF FOR ALL THE MAJOR JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLES SATURDAY IN SAN ANTONIO ON SHOWTIME.

***

JERMELL CHARLO (34-1, 18 KOs)
VS. BRIAN CASTANO (17-0-1, 12 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, July 17
  • Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio
  • TV/Stream: Showtime
  • Division: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
  • At stake: Charlo’s IBF, WBA, WBC, and Castano’s WBO titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: Charlo No. 12
  • Odds: Charlo 2-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Bakhram Murtazaliev vs. Khiary Gray, junior middleweights
  • Prediction: Charlo KO 10
  • Background: Charlo is one of the hottest fighters in the world. The big puncher from Houston has stopped all three of his opponents since he lost a close decision to Tony Harrison in December 2018, Jorge Cota (KO 3), Harrison in a rematch (KO 11) and Jeison Rosario (KO 8). The victory over Rosario this past September unified three of the four major 154-pound titles. Charlo also has victories over Gabriel Rosado, Vanes Martirosyan, Erickson Lubin and Austin Trout, giving him one of the better resumes in the sport. He’ll have the advantage of fighting in front of his fellow Texans on Saturday. Castano, a relentless pressure fighter from Argentina, is coming off a one-sided decision over Patrick Teixeira that gave him the WBO belt and made him a prime target for Charlo, who wants to be undisputed champion. Castano made waves by outpointing Michel Soro in 2017 and then drawing with Erislandy Lara in 2019, evidence that he is no ordinary junior middleweight. And he underscored that with his dominating victory over Teixeira. Consensus says that Charlo had better be prepared for stiff challenge.

 ***

Also fighting this weekend: Ronald Cruz faces Chris Gray in a scheduled eight-round welterweight bout on Saturday in Rock Rapids, Iowa (FITE).

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

Fight Week: Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano for all major 154-pound titles

Fight Week: Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano for all major 154-pound titles.

FIGHT WEEK

JERMELL CHARLO AND BRIAN CASTANO FACE OFF FOR ALL THE MAJOR JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLES SATURDAY IN SAN ANTONIO ON SHOWTIME.

***

JERMELL CHARLO (34-1, 18 KOs)
VS. BRIAN CASTANO (17-0-1, 12 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, July 17
  • Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio
  • TV/Stream: Showtime
  • Division: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
  • At stake: Charlo’s IBF, WBA, WBC, and Castano’s WBO titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: Charlo No. 12
  • Odds: Charlo 2-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Bakhram Murtazaliev vs. Khiary Gray, junior middleweights
  • Prediction: Charlo KO 10
  • Background: Charlo is one of the hottest fighters in the world. The big puncher from Houston has stopped all three of his opponents since he lost a close decision to Tony Harrison in December 2018, Jorge Cota (KO 3), Harrison in a rematch (KO 11) and Jeison Rosario (KO 8). The victory over Rosario this past September unified three of the four major 154-pound titles. Charlo also has victories over Gabriel Rosado, Vanes Martirosyan, Erickson Lubin and Austin Trout, giving him one of the better resumes in the sport. He’ll have the advantage of fighting in front of his fellow Texans on Saturday. Castano, a relentless pressure fighter from Argentina, is coming off a one-sided decision over Patrick Teixeira that gave him the WBO belt and made him a prime target for Charlo, who wants to be undisputed champion. Castano made waves by outpointing Michel Soro in 2017 and then drawing with Erislandy Lara in 2019, evidence that he is no ordinary junior middleweight. And he underscored that with his dominating victory over Teixeira. Consensus says that Charlo had better be prepared for stiff challenge.

 ***

Also fighting this weekend: Ronald Cruz faces Chris Gray in a scheduled eight-round welterweight bout on Saturday in Rock Rapids, Iowa (FITE).

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

Fight Week: Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano for all major 154-pound titles

Fight Week: Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano for all major 154-pound titles.

FIGHT WEEK

JERMELL CHARLO AND BRIAN CASTANO FACE OFF FOR ALL THE MAJOR JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLES SATURDAY IN SAN ANTONIO ON SHOWTIME.

***

JERMELL CHARLO (34-1, 18 KOs)
VS. BRIAN CASTANO (17-0-1, 12 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, July 17
  • Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio
  • TV/Stream: Showtime
  • Division: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
  • At stake: Charlo’s IBF, WBA, WBC, and Castano’s WBO titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: Charlo No. 12
  • Odds: Charlo 2-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Bakhram Murtazaliev vs. Khiary Gray, junior middleweights
  • Prediction: Charlo KO 10
  • Background: Charlo is one of the hottest fighters in the world. The big puncher from Houston has stopped all three of his opponents since he lost a close decision to Tony Harrison in December 2018, Jorge Cota (KO 3), Harrison in a rematch (KO 11) and Jeison Rosario (KO 8). The victory over Rosario this past September unified three of the four major 154-pound titles. Charlo also has victories over Gabriel Rosado, Vanes Martirosyan, Erickson Lubin and Austin Trout, giving him one of the better resumes in the sport. He’ll have the advantage of fighting in front of his fellow Texans on Saturday. Castano, a relentless pressure fighter from Argentina, is coming off a one-sided decision over Patrick Teixeira that gave him the WBO belt and made him a prime target for Charlo, who wants to be undisputed champion. Castano made waves by outpointing Michel Soro in 2017 and then drawing with Erislandy Lara in 2019, evidence that he is no ordinary junior middleweight. And he underscored that with his dominating victory over Teixeira. Consensus says that Charlo had better be prepared for stiff challenge.

 ***

Also fighting this weekend: Ronald Cruz faces Chris Gray in a scheduled eight-round welterweight bout on Saturday in Rock Rapids, Iowa (FITE).

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

Jermall Charlo, Brian Castano inspired by significance of July 17 showdown

Jermall Charlo and Brian Castano are inspired by the significance of their fight for the undisputed 154-pound championship on July 17.

Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano know what will be at stake when they meet on July 17 at AT&T Center in San Antonio.

They will be fighting to become the first undisputed 154-pound champion in the four-belt era, a distinction that will solidify the winner’s place among the best in the business today and make history in the process.

Not many fights are more significant than this.

“We have 10 days to go and I’m excited,” Charlo said. “This is the most important time of my life. I love this. I’ve been doing this since I was a kid. My experience inside and outside of the ring has all led up to this.

“Now is the time for me to put it all on the line.”

Brian Castano (left) outpointed Patrick Teixeira to win a 154-pound title on Feb. 13. Tom Hogan / Hoganphotos-Golden Boy Promotions

Said Castano: “This is my opportunity. This is the fight of my life. I’m a world champion and Charlo is a world champion. The chance to become undisputed is just 10 days away and I can’t wait.

“This is my time. This fight is so important for my life.”

Charlo (34-1, 18 KOs) is one of the hottest fighters in the world, having destroyed a long list of quality opponents and avenging his only setback by stopping Tony Harrison in 11 rounds in September 2019.

The smaller of the Charlo twins climbed to No. 12 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list after a sensational eighth-round knockout of Jeison Rosario this past September, which gave him three of the four belts.

The big puncher from Houston has knocked out seven of his last nine opponents.

“I know what I possess in the ring,” he said. “When it’s time to fight, I instantly become the best warrior that there is out there. “… Castano is a great fighter who puts on a lot of pressure. But I know my abilities and I know my power. Every punch I throw is dominant and every shot I throw is painful for my opponent. I have a lot of unique abilities in me and I’m going to bring some tricks into this fight.

“I haven’t punched Castano yet so I don’t know what his chin will do when I hit him. I know he’s got a big heart. I’m just going to do what I do, which is what everyone knows that I do. Everyone sees what I can do each time I get into the ring.”

Castano (17-0-1, 12 KOs) also has had success against top-tier opposition, including a draw with master boxer Erislandy Lara in March 2019. That opened some eyes to Castano’s ability.

Two fights later, on Feb. 13, the volume puncher from Buenos Aires, Argentina easily outpointed Patrick Teixeira to win the WBO version of the junior middleweight title and earn himself a shot at Charlo and all the major belts.

Castano’s goal is to join ranks of the best fighters from his country — legends like Carlos Monzon, Nicolino Locche, Pascal Perez and Sergio Martinez — or even surpass them.

“I am out for glory,” he said. “I want to be the first in history to be undisputed champion at 154 pounds in the four-belt era and also be one of the best Argentinian and Latin American boxers that ever lived. …

“If I win, the glory would be equal to a potential Argentina World Cup title next year. … This opportunity to make history for my country and for Latin American people brings out very strong emotions in me.

“I don’t want to let down my Latin American people from all over the world. I feel an immense amount of pride in that and I am up to the challenge.”

Sounds as if motivation won’t be a problem for either fighter.