Julian Williams said he has put the past behind him and is focused on regaining the status he once had.
Julian Williams wouldn’t describe his fight with Carlos Adames on Saturday as do-or-die for him.
The former 140-pound titleholder doesn’t need that kind of pressure. The reality is clear, though: He’s not going to get too many more opportunities like this one at The Armory in Minneapolis (Showtime).
Williams (28-3-1, 16 KOs) plunged from a pound-for-pound candidate after upsetting Jarret Hurd to win his belt in 2019 to an afterthought after a knockout loss to Jeison Rosario in his first defense and split-decision setback against Vladimir Hernandez in his next fight.
The fight with Adames is an opportunity – perhaps his last – to recapture what he once had.
“That’s exactly how I’m looking at it,” he told Boxing Junkie on Tuesday.
What went wrong in those losses?
Williams didn’t want to discuss that, other than to say it was “an accumulation of a couple of things.” He just wants you to know that he has made the necessary adjustments in his preparation.
“At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter what happened in the past,” he said. “What matters is that I didn’t get the ‘W’ I was supposed to get. What matters is what’s happening afterwards.
“… I didn’t let it get me down too much. Nobody cares who is down, who is depressed. You gotta keep going.”
Williams is only 33, an age when most fighters are still near their peak abilities.
He said he feels good physically. Why not? He has fought only four times in the past four years. And while he has been stopped twice (Jermall Charlo in 2016 and Rosario in 2020) he has never taken a beating.
How is he emotionally? He acknowledged that his setbacks were disappointing. At the same time, as he said, there’s no point in dwelling in the past.
He has been working diligently to regain his form. That was evident in his most-recent fight, a shutout decision over Rolando Mansilla in his first fight as a full-fledged 160-pounder in November at The Armory.
He said that was only a first step, though, a chance to shed rust after a 13-month layoff. The best, he said, is yet to come. He expects to beat Adames and ultimately become a two-division beltholder.
“I think it will all come together on Saturday night,” he said.
One more thing: He doesn’t care what his doubters think.
“If I listened to people in the past,” he said, “about what people think of me, the ups and downs, I never would’ve been a world champion in the first place.”
Julian Williams said he has put the past behind him and is focused on regaining the status he once had.
Julian Williams wouldn’t describe his fight with Carlos Adames on Saturday as do-or-die for him.
The former 140-pound titleholder doesn’t need that kind of pressure. The reality is clear, though: He’s not going to get too many more opportunities like this one at The Armory in Minneapolis (Showtime).
Williams (28-3-1, 16 KOs) plunged from a pound-for-pound candidate after upsetting Jarret Hurd to win his belt in 2019 to an afterthought after a knockout loss to Jeison Rosario in his first defense and split-decision setback against Vladimir Hernandez in his next fight.
The fight with Adames is an opportunity – perhaps his last – to recapture what he once had.
“That’s exactly how I’m looking at it,” he told Boxing Junkie on Tuesday.
What went wrong in those losses?
Williams didn’t want to discuss that, other than to say it was “an accumulation of a couple of things.” He just wants you to know that he has made the necessary adjustments in his preparation.
“At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter what happened in the past,” he said. “What matters is that I didn’t get the ‘W’ I was supposed to get. What matters is what’s happening afterwards.
“… I didn’t let it get me down too much. Nobody cares who is down, who is depressed. You gotta keep going.”
Williams is only 33, an age when most fighters are still near their peak abilities.
He said he feels good physically. Why not? He has fought only four times in the past four years. And while he has been stopped twice (Jermall Charlo in 2016 and Rosario in 2020) he has never taken a beating.
How is he emotionally? He acknowledged that his setbacks were disappointing. At the same time, as he said, there’s no point in dwelling in the past.
He has been working diligently to regain his form. That was evident in his most-recent fight, a shutout decision over Rolando Mansilla in his first fight as a full-fledged 160-pounder in November at The Armory.
He said that was only a first step, though, a chance to shed rust after a 13-month layoff. The best, he said, is yet to come. He expects to beat Adames and ultimately become a two-division beltholder.
“I think it will all come together on Saturday night,” he said.
One more thing: He doesn’t care what his doubters think.
“If I listened to people in the past,” he said, “about what people think of me, the ups and downs, I never would’ve been a world champion in the first place.”
Brian Mendoza is confident that he’ll buck the odds again against Sebastian Fundora on Saturday in Carson, Caliifornia.
Brian Mendoza demonstrated that perseverance and a little luck can lead to big things.
The 154-pounder from Albuquerque lost two of three fights between 2019 and 2021, the second a one-sided decision against rising star Jesus Ramos. He seemed to have hit his ceiling as a relevant boxer.
Then he received a phone call.
Yoelvis Gomez had pulled out of his Nov. 5 160-pound fight with former unified champion Jeison Rosario. Would Mendoza be willing to step in for Gomez on short notice at an unnatural weight?
Absolutely.
“As soon as I heard about the possibility, I said, ‘Pleeeeeease get me that fight and watch what I do,” Mendoza told Boxing Junkie.
What Mendoza did was knock out the once-feared Dominican in five rounds, a victory that made him a player again and earned him a fight with top contender Sebastian Fundora on Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California (Showtime).
He’s pleased with the turnaround but not surprised.
“I’m a full-time fighter,” he said. “Ever since I got into boxing, all I do is eat, sleep and breathe boxing. It’s been my obsession. I took the [Ramos] loss and just said, ‘Where do I go from here? How do I regroup?’
“I had a lot of faith. I believed that with my work ethic, the experience I gained, the team behind me, my dreams were still achievable.”
Of course, another potential hazard lies ahead.
Rosario was in decline at the time he met Mendoza, having suffered back-to-back knockouts against Jermell Charlo and Erickson before winning three meaningless fights in the Dominican Republic. He retired after losing to Mendoza.
By contrast, Fundora (20-0-1, 13 KOs) is one of the hottest fighters in the world. The 6-foot-6 brawler stopped Lubin in his breakout victory in April of last year.
Mendoza doesn’t seem to fazed, even by Fundora’s height and the fact he’s left-handed. He’s 5-foot-10 and fights from an orthodox stance.
“I used to help out a UFC fighter, Tim Means, get ready for his fights,” he said. “… He’s like 6-2, a 6-2 southpaw that fights inside. Just tons of pressure and everything. So I feel I’ve had the look since I was an amateur.
“And over the years there’s been tons of tall guys. Even before I got the call for this fight I was in there with cruiserweights. I’m sparring big dudes. So I don’t care about the height.
“I know how to get in, I know how to move around, I know how to neutralize their best assets. It’s just another style. Every style if different that you have to neutralize and bring out your best weapons.
“It’s just another fight I have to go in there and get the job done.”
If he can, an opportunity to fight for a genuine world title – Fundora holds an “interim” belt – could be around the corner, which would’ve been difficult to imagine two years ago.
Indeed, he will have come a long way in a short time.
“This my Rocky movie,” he said. “It’s incredible. Every step of the way I wasn’t supposed to be here. I started boxing at like 15, 16 years old. I had less than 30 amateur fights. I turned pro, got my experience as a pro mostly.
“The whole way I wasn’t supposed to get this far, I wasn’t supposed to get this far. And I just keep proving people wrong and taking it farther.”
Brian Mendoza is confident that he’ll buck the odds again against Sebastian Fundora on Saturday in Carson, Caliifornia.
Brian Mendoza demonstrated that perseverance and a little luck can lead to big things.
The 154-pounder from Albuquerque lost two of three fights between 2019 and 2021, the second a one-sided decision against rising star Jesus Ramos. He seemed to have hit his ceiling as a relevant boxer.
Then he received a phone call.
Yoelvis Gomez had pulled out of his Nov. 5 160-pound fight with former unified champion Jeison Rosario. Would Mendoza be willing to step in for Gomez on short notice at an unnatural weight?
Absolutely.
“As soon as I heard about the possibility, I said, ‘Pleeeeeease get me that fight and watch what I do,” Mendoza told Boxing Junkie.
What Mendoza did was knock out the once-feared Dominican in five rounds, a victory that made him a player again and earned him a fight with top contender Sebastian Fundora on Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California (Showtime).
He’s pleased with the turnaround but not surprised.
“I’m a full-time fighter,” he said. “Ever since I got into boxing, all I do is eat, sleep and breathe boxing. It’s been my obsession. I took the [Ramos] loss and just said, ‘Where do I go from here? How do I regroup?’
“I had a lot of faith. I believed that with my work ethic, the experience I gained, the team behind me, my dreams were still achievable.”
Of course, another potential hazard lies ahead.
Rosario was in decline at the time he met Mendoza, having suffered back-to-back knockouts against Jermell Charlo and Erickson before winning three meaningless fights in the Dominican Republic. He retired after losing to Mendoza.
By contrast, Fundora (20-0-1, 13 KOs) is one of the hottest fighters in the world. The 6-foot-6 brawler stopped Lubin in his breakout victory in April of last year.
Mendoza doesn’t seem to fazed, even by Fundora’s height and the fact he’s left-handed. He’s 5-foot-10 and fights from an orthodox stance.
“I used to help out a UFC fighter, Tim Means, get ready for his fights,” he said. “… He’s like 6-2, a 6-2 southpaw that fights inside. Just tons of pressure and everything. So I feel I’ve had the look since I was an amateur.
“And over the years there’s been tons of tall guys. Even before I got the call for this fight I was in there with cruiserweights. I’m sparring big dudes. So I don’t care about the height.
“I know how to get in, I know how to move around, I know how to neutralize their best assets. It’s just another style. Every style if different that you have to neutralize and bring out your best weapons.
“It’s just another fight I have to go in there and get the job done.”
If he can, an opportunity to fight for a genuine world title – Fundora holds an “interim” belt – could be around the corner, which would’ve been difficult to imagine two years ago.
Indeed, he will have come a long way in a short time.
“This my Rocky movie,” he said. “It’s incredible. Every step of the way I wasn’t supposed to be here. I started boxing at like 15, 16 years old. I had less than 30 amateur fights. I turned pro, got my experience as a pro mostly.
“The whole way I wasn’t supposed to get this far, I wasn’t supposed to get this far. And I just keep proving people wrong and taking it farther.”
A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD The fans were spoiled on Saturday night. They received not one, but two unusually fine performances in venues separated by around 7,000 miles, first by 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol in the United …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
The fans were spoiled on Saturday night.
They received not one, but two unusually fine performances in venues separated by around 7,000 miles, first by 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol in the United Arab Emirates and then by 168-pound contender David Morrell in Minneapolis
Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs) reminded us of how he was able to upset Canelo Alvarez in May, outclassing a good, previously unbeaten opponent in Gilberto Ramirez to win a wide decision and set up another big fight.
Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs) was competitive for the first four rounds. Then, after Bivol settled into the fight, he toyed with the former 168-pound champion the rest of the way to win a wide unanimous decision and underscore the perception that he’s one of the best pure boxers on the planet.
Bivol’s defensive performance was particularly striking: Ramirez landed only 12.2% of his punches, according to CompuBox. No one is harder to hit.
What’s next?
He wants to fight countryman Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed light heavyweight championship. If that doesn’t happen – and it probably won’t because of a prior commitment – he’d happily settle for a rematch with Alvarez.
Neither of those fights is easy but I’d pick Bivol to win both. He’s the best among those three … maybe the best, period.
Morrell (8-0, 7 KOs) demonstrated in his 12th-round knockout of Aidos Yerbossynuly (16-1, 11 KOs) why he’s going to be a handful for the top super middleweights and eventually light heavyweights.
Find a weakness. The Cuban defector is naturally gifted, has polished skills, has punching power and appears to have a good chin. On Saturday, he outclassed a good, rugged opponent, beat him up and then brutally knocked him out.
The fans in his adopted hometown loved every minute of it. The rest of us just nodded in appreciation.
Morrell appears to be special.
BAD
Bivol suggested after his victory on Saturday that he’s open to moving down to 168 pounds to challenge for Alvarez’s undisputed championship after outpointing Alvarez at 175 in their first fight.
Let’s hope he doesn’t do it.
It’s one thing to move up a division, as Alvarez did in May. It’s another to shed weight, which can leave a fighter depleted and create a significant advantage for his opponent. And that’s the last thing you want if you’re facing a future Hall of Famer.
Bivol has fought as a light heavyweight his entire eight-year professional career. As he said, “I’m a light heavyweight. This is my weight.”
He needs to remember that. And so does Alvarez.
If the Mexican star wants to turn the tables on Bivol, he needs to do it against a Bivol who is at full strength. That would be at 175 pounds, not 168 or a catch weight. Otherwise a victory in the rematch wouldn’t mean nearly as much.
And Alvarez has had success at 175. He stopped a still-competent Sergey Kovalev to win a light heavyweight title in 2019. A size disadvantage wasn’t an insurmountable obstacle on that night. And there’s no reason it should be in a second fight with Bivol.
Indeed, the first meeting was more about ability than size. That would also be the case in a rematch.
It has to take place at 175 pounds.
WORSE
Bivol, Morrell and the fans will have to wait for the fights they want.
Bivol is choosing legacy over money when he says that he’d prefer to fight Beterbiev over a rematch with Alvarez in his next fight. You have to think Beterbiev also wants that fight. And, of course, the fans would love to see a matchup between the boxing wizard and the knockout artist.
Instead, it appears that Beterbiev will defend his three belts against mandatory challenger Anthony Yarde early next year.
That’s unfortunate for the fans. Beterbiev-Yarde is mismatch. Yarde has power but he doesn’t have the skill set to compete with a fighter with the ability and experience of Beterbiev, who almost certainly would dominate and ultimately stop Yarde. Knockouts are always fun to watch but I’d rather see a competitive fight.
Bivol will probably fight Beterbiev at some point. The question is when.
He could face Alvarez a second time in May, when the Mexican normally fights. Then, if things go well for Bivol and Beterbiev defeats Yarde, the Russians could meet in the fall.
That seems to be the best case scenario for Bivol.
Meanwhile, Morrell left little doubt on Saturday that he’s ready to challenge one of the top 168-pounders. He would like to face former two-time titleholder David Benavidez next.
However, Benavidez appears headed toward a long-awaited showdown with Caleb Plant. Benavidez-Plant is a much better matchup than Beterbiev-Yarde, particularly after Plant’s one-punch knockout of Anthony Dirrell last month.
It’s just not as good as Benavidez-Morrell, which now seems to be the ultimate 168-pound matchup not involving Alvarez. Why? Because Morrell is a bigger threat to Benavidez than Plant is.
Benavidez-Morrell also could happen next year if Benavidez defeats Plant and Morrell wins an interim fight, which will probably happen.
We just have to be patient.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Jeison Rosario (23-4-1, 17 KOs) turned out to be a one-hit wonder. The Dominican made a big splash when he stopped talented Julian Williams to win two 154-pound belts in 2020. It has been down hill for him since. He was stopped by Jermell Charlo and Erickson Lubin in his next two fights, beat three journeymen in his native country and then was stopped by Brian Mendoza (21-2, 15 KOs) in five rounds on the Morrell-Yerbossynuly card. Rosario is only 27 but appears to be finished as an elite fighter. … Kudos to Mendoza, who ended the fight with a beautiful right uppercut and follow up left in the fifth round of his first fight at 160 pounds. The victory was a break through for the Albuquerque product, who lost a decision o Jesus Ramos only two fights ago. … Say hello to Fiodor Czerkaszyn. The talented Ukrainian middleweight could be around for a while. Czerkaszyn (21-0, 13 KOs) gave a strong performance on the Morrell-Yerbossynuly card, easily outpointing veteran Nathaniel Gallimore (22-6-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-round bout. The former Muay Thai fighter seems to be a slick, clever boxer with heavy hands and a ton of confidence. It will be interesting to see how he fares at the next level. … Undisputed 147-pound champion Jessica McCaskill (12-3, 5 KOs) looked awful for most of her fight against 140-pound titleholder Chantelle Cameron (17-0, 8 KOs) on the Bivol-Ramirez card, losing a wide decision. Maybe the two-timer conqueror of Cecilia Braekhus had trouble moving down in weight. Maybe a collision of heads early in the fight affected her. Maybe Cameron is just significantly better than she is. Whatever the reason, McCaskill had a bad night. She might have a chance to redeem herself. Cameron said afterward that she’d like to move up to 147 to challenge for McCaskill’s titles in that division.
A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD The fans were spoiled on Saturday night. They received not one, but two unusually fine performances in venues separated by around 7,000 miles, first by 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol in the United …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
The fans were spoiled on Saturday night.
They received not one, but two unusually fine performances in venues separated by around 7,000 miles, first by 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol in the United Arab Emirates and then by 168-pound contender David Morrell in Minneapolis
Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs) reminded us of how he was able to upset Canelo Alvarez in May, outclassing a good, previously unbeaten opponent in Gilberto Ramirez to win a wide decision and set up another big fight.
Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs) was competitive for the first four rounds. Then, after Bivol settled into the fight, he toyed with the former 168-pound champion the rest of the way to win a wide unanimous decision and underscore the perception that he’s one of the best pure boxers on the planet.
Bivol’s defensive performance was particularly striking: Ramirez landed only 12.2% of his punches, according to CompuBox. No one is harder to hit.
What’s next?
He wants to fight countryman Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed light heavyweight championship. If that doesn’t happen – and it probably won’t because of a prior commitment – he’d happily settle for a rematch with Alvarez.
Neither of those fights is easy but I’d pick Bivol to win both. He’s the best among those three … maybe the best, period.
Morrell (8-0, 7 KOs) demonstrated in his 12th-round knockout of Aidos Yerbossynuly (16-1, 11 KOs) why he’s going to be a handful for the top super middleweights and eventually light heavyweights.
Find a weakness. The Cuban defector is naturally gifted, has polished skills, has punching power and appears to have a good chin. On Saturday, he outclassed a good, rugged opponent, beat him up and then brutally knocked him out.
The fans in his adopted hometown loved every minute of it. The rest of us just nodded in appreciation.
Morrell appears to be special.
BAD
Bivol suggested after his victory on Saturday that he’s open to moving down to 168 pounds to challenge for Alvarez’s undisputed championship after outpointing Alvarez at 175 in their first fight.
Let’s hope he doesn’t do it.
It’s one thing to move up a division, as Alvarez did in May. It’s another to shed weight, which can leave a fighter depleted and create a significant advantage for his opponent. And that’s the last thing you want if you’re facing a future Hall of Famer.
Bivol has fought as a light heavyweight his entire eight-year professional career. As he said, “I’m a light heavyweight. This is my weight.”
He needs to remember that. And so does Alvarez.
If the Mexican star wants to turn the tables on Bivol, he needs to do it against a Bivol who is at full strength. That would be at 175 pounds, not 168 or a catch weight. Otherwise a victory in the rematch wouldn’t mean nearly as much.
And Alvarez has had success at 175. He stopped a still-competent Sergey Kovalev to win a light heavyweight title in 2019. A size disadvantage wasn’t an insurmountable obstacle on that night. And there’s no reason it should be in a second fight with Bivol.
Indeed, the first meeting was more about ability than size. That would also be the case in a rematch.
It has to take place at 175 pounds.
WORSE
Bivol, Morrell and the fans will have to wait for the fights they want.
Bivol is choosing legacy over money when he says that he’d prefer to fight Beterbiev over a rematch with Alvarez in his next fight. You have to think Beterbiev also wants that fight. And, of course, the fans would love to see a matchup between the boxing wizard and the knockout artist.
Instead, it appears that Beterbiev will defend his three belts against mandatory challenger Anthony Yarde early next year.
That’s unfortunate for the fans. Beterbiev-Yarde is mismatch. Yarde has power but he doesn’t have the skill set to compete with a fighter with the ability and experience of Beterbiev, who almost certainly would dominate and ultimately stop Yarde. Knockouts are always fun to watch but I’d rather see a competitive fight.
Bivol will probably fight Beterbiev at some point. The question is when.
He could face Alvarez a second time in May, when the Mexican normally fights. Then, if things go well for Bivol and Beterbiev defeats Yarde, the Russians could meet in the fall.
That seems to be the best case scenario for Bivol.
Meanwhile, Morrell left little doubt on Saturday that he’s ready to challenge one of the top 168-pounders. He would like to face former two-time titleholder David Benavidez next.
However, Benavidez appears headed toward a long-awaited showdown with Caleb Plant. Benavidez-Plant is a much better matchup than Beterbiev-Yarde, particularly after Plant’s one-punch knockout of Anthony Dirrell last month.
It’s just not as good as Benavidez-Morrell, which now seems to be the ultimate 168-pound matchup not involving Alvarez. Why? Because Morrell is a bigger threat to Benavidez than Plant is.
Benavidez-Morrell also could happen next year if Benavidez defeats Plant and Morrell wins an interim fight, which will probably happen.
We just have to be patient.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Jeison Rosario (23-4-1, 17 KOs) turned out to be a one-hit wonder. The Dominican made a big splash when he stopped talented Julian Williams to win two 154-pound belts in 2020. It has been down hill for him since. He was stopped by Jermell Charlo and Erickson Lubin in his next two fights, beat three journeymen in his native country and then was stopped by Brian Mendoza (21-2, 15 KOs) in five rounds on the Morrell-Yerbossynuly card. Rosario is only 27 but appears to be finished as an elite fighter. … Kudos to Mendoza, who ended the fight with a beautiful right uppercut and follow up left in the fifth round of his first fight at 160 pounds. The victory was a break through for the Albuquerque product, who lost a decision o Jesus Ramos only two fights ago. … Say hello to Fiodor Czerkaszyn. The talented Ukrainian middleweight could be around for a while. Czerkaszyn (21-0, 13 KOs) gave a strong performance on the Morrell-Yerbossynuly card, easily outpointing veteran Nathaniel Gallimore (22-6-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-round bout. The former Muay Thai fighter seems to be a slick, clever boxer with heavy hands and a ton of confidence. It will be interesting to see how he fares at the next level. … Undisputed 147-pound champion Jessica McCaskill (12-3, 5 KOs) looked awful for most of her fight against 140-pound titleholder Chantelle Cameron (17-0, 8 KOs) on the Bivol-Ramirez card, losing a wide decision. Maybe the two-timer conqueror of Cecilia Braekhus had trouble moving down in weight. Maybe a collision of heads early in the fight affected her. Maybe Cameron is just significantly better than she is. Whatever the reason, McCaskill had a bad night. She might have a chance to redeem herself. Cameron said afterward that she’d like to move up to 147 to challenge for McCaskill’s titles in that division.
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.
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.
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).
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).
