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).
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.
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.
Good, bad, worse: Gervonta Davis overcomes adversity, Vasiliy Lomachenko is back.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL741-fh_J0
Gervonta Davis didn’t just deliver another memorable knockout on Saturday in Atlanta. He overcame adversity to do it, which made it more compelling.
We all knew that Davis made a bold move by jumping up two weight classes to fight capable Mario Barrios at State Farm Arena. In spite of that, not many expected Barrios to push Davis as hard as he did before the fight ended in Round 11.
Barrios used his height, reach, ability and determination to frustrate Davis much of the fight. Even after Barrios went down twice in Round 8, he had a strong Round 9 and the fight still seemed to be in the balance.
Davis (25-0, 24 KOs) was in a tough spot, which is why Floyd Mayweather, his promoter, gave him a pep talk between rounds late in the fight.
In the end, Davis met the challenge with his not-so-secret weapon, his punching power. The southpaw essentially ended the fight with a left uppercut to the body that put Barrios (26-1, 17 KOs) down in Round 11. Barrios, badly hurt, got up, took one more shot against the ropes and the fight was stopped.
Dramatic fight, dramatic ending.
Davis showed us what he typically does, his punch accuracy, his defensive skills and his power, among other things. He added mental toughness to the mix out of necessity, which makes him a more complete fighter than we might’ve realized.
That might not be good news for those between 130 and 140 pounds.
“He has the potential to be one of the greatest ever,” Mayweather said. “When I first met ‘Tank,’ when he was 14 or 15 years old, I told him I’d make him a world champion and that you’ll be one of the best someday. I’m proud of him.”
***
BAD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee06FLKlqbQ
The only thing “bad” about Vasiliy Lomachenko these days is that many seemed to have written him off after his unanimous-decision loss to Teofimo Lopez in October.
Lomachenko (15-2, 11 KOs) was strangely inactive in the first half of that fight but rallied to make it competitive, although he lost by a wide margin. Afterward, he said he entered the fight with a right-shoulder injury that affected his performance.
I don’t usually buy into excuses but I don’t believe he was lying, particularly in light of the fact he had surgery shortly afterward.
Still, the No. 1 fighter in the world according to some outlets – including Boxing Junkie – was said to be in decline at only 32 years old (now 33). Suddenly, people were talking about lightweights Lopez, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, not Lomachenko.
Well, Lomachenko demonstrated against Masayoshi Nakatani on Saturday that he’s far from finished. He outclassed his Japanese opponent, broke him down and stopped him in the ninth round.
OK, Nakatani (19-2, 13 KOs) isn’t a top-tier fighter, which limits our ability to read into Lomachenko’s performance. That said, he’s a big, strong lightweight who had knocked out Felix Verdejo in his previous fight. And he went the distance with Lopez last year.
Nakatani is a good fighter. And Lomachenko, looking much like the boxing wizard he has always been, made him look foolish for eight-plus rounds.
I hope he gets a rematch with Lopez. Who would win? I would pick Lomachenko.
***
WORSE
Erickson Lubin stopped Jeison Rosario in six rounds. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
Jeison Rosario is a living example of how success in boxing can be fleeting.
The hard-punching Dominican burst onto the world scene by stopping Julian Williams in five rounds to win two junior middleweight titles in January of last year. He was an overnight sensation, one that figured to evolve into a true star.
Then everything went south.
Jermell Charlo knocked him out in eight rounds to unify three titles last September. And on the Davis-Barrios card Saturday Erickson Lubin took him out in six as a result of body blows, giving Rosario back-to-back losses and an uncertain future.
Rosario (20-3-1, 14 KOs) probably made a mistake by jumping into a difficult fight immediately after the devastating setback against Charlo. Lubin, a first-round knockout victim of Charlo in 2017, got it right. He eased back into elite competition, a strategy that culminated in his victory on Saturday.
The damage is done, though. Is Rosario, only 26, a one-hit wonder who will fade into history? Or will he somehow overcome his back-to-back disasters and become an elite fighter again?
The former seems more likely. Rosario is a good boxer who can hurt anyone, as he demonstrated against Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs). However, he seems to have a glaring weakness: the ability to take body shots. Charlo also stopped him with a punch to the gut.
Bottom line: Rosario and his team have a lot of work to do if he hopes to become a major player again.
Lubin? Kudos to him. He demonstrated what he was made of by overcoming his setback against Charlo to reach the pinnacle of his division. He would seem to be first in line to challenge the winner of the Charlo-Brian Castano on July 17.
I wonder about his chin, particularly after he seemed to be rocked by a jab on Saturday, but his overall game is formidable. He could beat anyone at his best.
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
Barrios deserves respect after his performance on Saturday. All three judges somehow had Davis well ahead on the scorecards after 10 rounds – 97-91 (seven rounds to three), 96-92 and 96-92 – but I had it 94-94 and Davis admitted afterward that he thought he was losing late in the fight. In fact, Barrios, a significant underdog in spite of whatever size advantage he might’ve had, fought one the sports’ most-gifted stars on roughly even terms. And when things got dicey for him beginning in Round 8, when he went down twice, he demonstrated the kind of courage and resilience fans love. He certainly didn’t want to quit in the end. “Of course I wanted to continue. I got up for a reason,” Barrios said. “I told everybody that I was going to show the Azteca Warrior that I am.” I think Barrios’ stock improved in a losing cause. … The Davis-Barrios fight was unusual in one sense: It was exciting even though the principals combined to throw only 690 punches, 57.5 per round. Davis’ early frustration, the knockdowns, Barrios’ resilience and the final stoppage added up to one of the better fights of the year. …
News item: Paradigm Sports Management is suing Manny Pacquiao for alleged breach of contract, which could threaten Pacquiao’s scheduled fight against Errol Spence Jr. on Aug. 21. The company, which handles Conor McGregor, insists it had a contractual right to negotiate Pacquiao’s next two fights. Paradigm believed that Pacquiao and Mikey Garcia were near a deal to fight one another when Pacquiao, evidently working with other advisors, decided to fight Spence instead. Paradigm is seeking millions of dollars in damages and an injunction to stop the Pacquiao-Spence fight from taking place. My guess is that Pacquiao might have to pay off Paradigm but who knows? We were surprised when Tyson Fury was forced to fight Deontay Wilder a third time. … Flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez said after his knockout victory over Joel Cordova on Saturday at he wants to unify titles at 112 pounds before moving up to 115, where the likes of Roman Gonzalez and Juan Francisco Estrada reside. That probably makes sense because he probably wouldn’t get a shot at the junior bantamweight stars until next year anyway. Why not try to unify at 112 and continue to build your brand? … I was surprised to hear Showtime describe Crimea as Crimea, Russia on its telecast. The majority of the international community considers Crimea a Russian-occupied region of Ukraine.
Good, bad, worse: Gervonta Davis overcomes adversity, Vasiliy Lomachenko is back.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL741-fh_J0
Gervonta Davis didn’t just deliver another memorable knockout on Saturday in Atlanta. He overcame adversity to do it, which made it more compelling.
We all knew that Davis made a bold move by jumping up two weight classes to fight capable Mario Barrios at State Farm Arena. In spite of that, not many expected Barrios to push Davis as hard as he did before the fight ended in Round 11.
Barrios used his height, reach, ability and determination to frustrate Davis much of the fight. Even after Barrios went down twice in Round 8, he had a strong Round 9 and the fight still seemed to be in the balance.
Davis (25-0, 24 KOs) was in a tough spot, which is why Floyd Mayweather, his promoter, gave him a pep talk between rounds late in the fight.
In the end, Davis met the challenge with his not-so-secret weapon, his punching power. The southpaw essentially ended the fight with a left uppercut to the body that put Barrios (26-1, 17 KOs) down in Round 11. Barrios, badly hurt, got up, took one more shot against the ropes and the fight was stopped.
Dramatic fight, dramatic ending.
Davis showed us what he typically does, his punch accuracy, his defensive skills and his power, among other things. He added mental toughness to the mix out of necessity, which makes him a more complete fighter than we might’ve realized.
That might not be good news for those between 130 and 140 pounds.
“He has the potential to be one of the greatest ever,” Mayweather said. “When I first met ‘Tank,’ when he was 14 or 15 years old, I told him I’d make him a world champion and that you’ll be one of the best someday. I’m proud of him.”
***
BAD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee06FLKlqbQ
The only thing “bad” about Vasiliy Lomachenko these days is that many seemed to have written him off after his unanimous-decision loss to Teofimo Lopez in October.
Lomachenko (15-2, 11 KOs) was strangely inactive in the first half of that fight but rallied to make it competitive, although he lost by a wide margin. Afterward, he said he entered the fight with a right-shoulder injury that affected his performance.
I don’t usually buy into excuses but I don’t believe he was lying, particularly in light of the fact he had surgery shortly afterward.
Still, the No. 1 fighter in the world according to some outlets – including Boxing Junkie – was said to be in decline at only 32 years old (now 33). Suddenly, people were talking about lightweights Lopez, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, not Lomachenko.
Well, Lomachenko demonstrated against Masayoshi Nakatani on Saturday that he’s far from finished. He outclassed his Japanese opponent, broke him down and stopped him in the ninth round.
OK, Nakatani (19-2, 13 KOs) isn’t a top-tier fighter, which limits our ability to read into Lomachenko’s performance. That said, he’s a big, strong lightweight who had knocked out Felix Verdejo in his previous fight. And he went the distance with Lopez last year.
Nakatani is a good fighter. And Lomachenko, looking much like the boxing wizard he has always been, made him look foolish for eight-plus rounds.
I hope he gets a rematch with Lopez. Who would win? I would pick Lomachenko.
***
WORSE
Erickson Lubin stopped Jeison Rosario in six rounds. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
Jeison Rosario is a living example of how success in boxing can be fleeting.
The hard-punching Dominican burst onto the world scene by stopping Julian Williams in five rounds to win two junior middleweight titles in January of last year. He was an overnight sensation, one that figured to evolve into a true star.
Then everything went south.
Jermell Charlo knocked him out in eight rounds to unify three titles last September. And on the Davis-Barrios card Saturday Erickson Lubin took him out in six as a result of body blows, giving Rosario back-to-back losses and an uncertain future.
Rosario (20-3-1, 14 KOs) probably made a mistake by jumping into a difficult fight immediately after the devastating setback against Charlo. Lubin, a first-round knockout victim of Charlo in 2017, got it right. He eased back into elite competition, a strategy that culminated in his victory on Saturday.
The damage is done, though. Is Rosario, only 26, a one-hit wonder who will fade into history? Or will he somehow overcome his back-to-back disasters and become an elite fighter again?
The former seems more likely. Rosario is a good boxer who can hurt anyone, as he demonstrated against Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs). However, he seems to have a glaring weakness: the ability to take body shots. Charlo also stopped him with a punch to the gut.
Bottom line: Rosario and his team have a lot of work to do if he hopes to become a major player again.
Lubin? Kudos to him. He demonstrated what he was made of by overcoming his setback against Charlo to reach the pinnacle of his division. He would seem to be first in line to challenge the winner of the Charlo-Brian Castano on July 17.
I wonder about his chin, particularly after he seemed to be rocked by a jab on Saturday, but his overall game is formidable. He could beat anyone at his best.
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
Barrios deserves respect after his performance on Saturday. All three judges somehow had Davis well ahead on the scorecards after 10 rounds – 97-91 (seven rounds to three), 96-92 and 96-92 – but I had it 94-94 and Davis admitted afterward that he thought he was losing late in the fight. In fact, Barrios, a significant underdog in spite of whatever size advantage he might’ve had, fought one the sports’ most-gifted stars on roughly even terms. And when things got dicey for him beginning in Round 8, when he went down twice, he demonstrated the kind of courage and resilience fans love. He certainly didn’t want to quit in the end. “Of course I wanted to continue. I got up for a reason,” Barrios said. “I told everybody that I was going to show the Azteca Warrior that I am.” I think Barrios’ stock improved in a losing cause. … The Davis-Barrios fight was unusual in one sense: It was exciting even though the principals combined to throw only 690 punches, 57.5 per round. Davis’ early frustration, the knockdowns, Barrios’ resilience and the final stoppage added up to one of the better fights of the year. …
News item: Paradigm Sports Management is suing Manny Pacquiao for alleged breach of contract, which could threaten Pacquiao’s scheduled fight against Errol Spence Jr. on Aug. 21. The company, which handles Conor McGregor, insists it had a contractual right to negotiate Pacquiao’s next two fights. Paradigm believed that Pacquiao and Mikey Garcia were near a deal to fight one another when Pacquiao, evidently working with other advisors, decided to fight Spence instead. Paradigm is seeking millions of dollars in damages and an injunction to stop the Pacquiao-Spence fight from taking place. My guess is that Pacquiao might have to pay off Paradigm but who knows? We were surprised when Tyson Fury was forced to fight Deontay Wilder a third time. … Flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez said after his knockout victory over Joel Cordova on Saturday at he wants to unify titles at 112 pounds before moving up to 115, where the likes of Roman Gonzalez and Juan Francisco Estrada reside. That probably makes sense because he probably wouldn’t get a shot at the junior bantamweight stars until next year anyway. Why not try to unify at 112 and continue to build your brand? … I was surprised to hear Showtime describe Crimea as Crimea, Russia on its telecast. The majority of the international community considers Crimea a Russian-occupied region of Ukraine.
Erickson Lubin stopped Jeison Rosario as result of body shots in Round 6 of their fight Saturday in Atlanta.
Erickson Lubin continues to roll.
The junior middleweight contender gave the most impressive performance of his career on the Gervonta Davis-Mario Barrios card Saturday in Atlanta, stopping former titleholder Jeison Rosario in six rounds.
The stoppage was the result of body blows midway through the final round, a left that landed somewhat below the belt and right that hurt Rosario badly.
The Dominican, in obvious pain, dropped to all fours but was able to get to his feet. Moments later, with Rosario’s back against the ropes, Lubin put Rosario down again with a straight left and he couldn’t continue.
The fight was stopped at 1:42 of Round 6.
Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs) controlled the early rounds with his right jab, consistently following with power punches to both the head and body as Rosario was searching for a way to cope.
Then, in Round 4, Lubin found himself in trouble. Rosario seemed to rock him with a left jab with about 20 seconds to go in the round. He survived and then got back to work in a competitive Round 5, in which he seemed to land the cleaner punches.
And he finished the show the following round, claiming his sixth victory since he was stopped in the first round by 154-pound titleholder Jermell Charlo in October 2017.
Lubin has beaten in succession Nathaniel Galimore, Terrell Gausha and Rosario, putting him in prime position to challenge the winner of the Charlo-Brian Castano title-unification bout, which is set for July 17.
Rosario (20-3-1, 14 KOs) burst onto the scene by stopping Julian Williams in five rounds to capture a junior middleweight bout. However, he lost it by eighth-round stoppage to Charlo in his subsequent fight.
The loss on Saturday was his second in a row, which will make his climb back to title contention difficult.
Erickson Lubin stopped Jeison Rosario as result of body shots in Round 6 of their fight Saturday in Atlanta.
Erickson Lubin continues to roll.
The junior middleweight contender gave the most impressive performance of his career on the Gervonta Davis-Mario Barrios card Saturday in Atlanta, stopping former titleholder Jeison Rosario in six rounds.
The stoppage was the result of body blows midway through the final round, a left that landed somewhat below the belt and right that hurt Rosario badly.
The Dominican, in obvious pain, dropped to all fours but was able to get to his feet. Moments later, with Rosario’s back against the ropes, Lubin put Rosario down again with a straight left and he couldn’t continue.
The fight was stopped at 1:42 of Round 6.
Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs) controlled the early rounds with his right jab, consistently following with power punches to both the head and body as Rosario was searching for a way to cope.
Then, in Round 4, Lubin found himself in trouble. Rosario seemed to rock him with a left jab with about 20 seconds to go in the round. He survived and then got back to work in a competitive Round 5, in which he seemed to land the cleaner punches.
And he finished the show the following round, claiming his sixth victory since he was stopped in the first round by 154-pound titleholder Jermell Charlo in October 2017.
Lubin has beaten in succession Nathaniel Galimore, Terrell Gausha and Rosario, putting him in prime position to challenge the winner of the Charlo-Brian Castano title-unification bout, which is set for July 17.
Rosario (20-3-1, 14 KOs) burst onto the scene by stopping Julian Williams in five rounds to capture a junior middleweight bout. However, he lost it by eighth-round stoppage to Charlo in his subsequent fight.
The loss on Saturday was his second in a row, which will make his climb back to title contention difficult.
Jeison Rosario’s knockout of Julian Williams to win two 154-pound titles in January is Boxing Junkie’s Upset of the Year.
Editor’s note: This is the third in a six-part series. Boxing junkie will reveal one year-end award each day through Dec. 30. Today: Upset of the Year.
***
UPSET OF THE YEAR
JEISON ROSARIO KO 5 JULIAN WILLIAMS
ROSARIO SHOCKED THE BOXING WORLD WHEN HE TOOK DOWN ONE OF ITS HOTTEST FIGHTERS in january
Julian Williams was a 19-1 favorite the day before the fight on Jan. 18, according to Forbes. He was coming off a sensational unanimous-decision victory over then-unbeaten Jarret Hurd, who seemed to be a rising star, to win two 154-pound titles. He had climbed onto to some pound-for-lists.
And Jeison Rosario destroyed him.
Those who had followed the career of the strapping Dominican knew he was a capable all-around fighter. He had slipped up against Nathanial Gallimore in 2017, losing by knockout, but he hadn’t lost since then and seemed to in groove going into his title challenge in Philadelphia, Williams’ hometown.
However, not many expected to see what would unfold in the ring.
Williams outboxed Rosario in the first round but things changed in the second, when a jab from Rosario opened a cut on Williams’ left eye lid. Suddenly, Williams was somewhat tentative because of the cut and, it seemed, Rosario was emboldened.
The fight was competitive until a single moment in Round 5, when Rosario landed a left hook that rocked Williams and then followed with an overwhelming onslaught of power punches.
Williams held Rosario in an attempt to remain on his feet but eventually fell. He got up but his eyes were glassy and his legs were unsteady. Moments later a vicious right uppercut, followed by a left hook, staggered Williams and prompted referee Benjy Esteves to jump between the fighters and stop the fight.
Esteves looked Williams in the eye and the now-former champion nodded, his way of saying that the referee made the right move.
Just like that a fighter whose impressive performance in his previous fight seemed to portend a long reign as champion was cut down by a fighter with whom few were familiar. The moment wasn’t lost on Rosario, who wept.
“I gotta keep crying because I’m so emotional in this moment right now,” he said through a translator. “When I lost my last fight I said I’d never lose again until I won the championship of the world and that’s what happened tonight.
“I came prepared. So I knew before the fight I was going to win it.”
Rosario would lose his titles to surging Jermell Charlo in his next fight but he will always be able to look back on his special moment in Philadelphia with pride.
Runner up: Alexander Povetkin TKO 5 Dillian Whyte.
Jeison Rosario’s knockout of Julian Williams to win two 154-pound titles in January is Boxing Junkie’s Upset of the Year.
Editor’s note: This is the third in a six-part series. Boxing junkie will reveal one year-end award each day through Dec. 30. Today: Upset of the Year.
***
UPSET OF THE YEAR
JEISON ROSARIO KO 5 JULIAN WILLIAMS
ROSARIO SHOCKED THE BOXING WORLD WHEN HE TOOK DOWN ONE OF ITS HOTTEST FIGHTERS in january
Julian Williams was a 19-1 favorite the day before the fight on Jan. 18, according to Forbes. He was coming off a sensational unanimous-decision victory over then-unbeaten Jarret Hurd, who seemed to be a rising star, to win two 154-pound titles. He had climbed onto to some pound-for-lists.
And Jeison Rosario destroyed him.
Those who had followed the career of the strapping Dominican knew he was a capable all-around fighter. He had slipped up against Nathanial Gallimore in 2017, losing by knockout, but he hadn’t lost since then and seemed to in groove going into his title challenge in Philadelphia, Williams’ hometown.
However, not many expected to see what would unfold in the ring.
Williams outboxed Rosario in the first round but things changed in the second, when a jab from Rosario opened a cut on Williams’ left eye lid. Suddenly, Williams was somewhat tentative because of the cut and, it seemed, Rosario was emboldened.
The fight was competitive until a single moment in Round 5, when Rosario landed a left hook that rocked Williams and then followed with an overwhelming onslaught of power punches.
Williams held Rosario in an attempt to remain on his feet but eventually fell. He got up but his eyes were glassy and his legs were unsteady. Moments later a vicious right uppercut, followed by a left hook, staggered Williams and prompted referee Benjy Esteves to jump between the fighters and stop the fight.
Esteves looked Williams in the eye and the now-former champion nodded, his way of saying that the referee made the right move.
Just like that a fighter whose impressive performance in his previous fight seemed to portend a long reign as champion was cut down by a fighter with whom few were familiar. The moment wasn’t lost on Rosario, who wept.
“I gotta keep crying because I’m so emotional in this moment right now,” he said through a translator. “When I lost my last fight I said I’d never lose again until I won the championship of the world and that’s what happened tonight.
“I came prepared. So I knew before the fight I was going to win it.”
Rosario would lose his titles to surging Jermell Charlo in his next fight but he will always be able to look back on his special moment in Philadelphia with pride.
Runner up: Alexander Povetkin TKO 5 Dillian Whyte.
