Bakhram Murtazaliev will step in if either Jermell Charlo or Jeison Rosario has to pull out of their fight on Sept. 26.
Promoters are required to have backup fighters ready to step in at a moment’s notice during these unusual times.
Bakhram Murtazaliev is that backup for the Jermell Charlo-Jeison Rosario junior middleweight title-unification fight on Sept. 26 in Uncasville, Conn., according to BoxingScene.com.
The Russian contender is training to face Manny Woods (16-9-1, 6 KOs) off TV but would move into the co-feature if one of the fighters tests positive for COVID-19 or has to drop out for another reason.
Even if he doesn’t get his opportunity on the pay-per-view card, it probably will come soon for Murtazaliev (17-0, 13 KOs). He’s the mandatory challenger to Rosario’s IBF 154-pound title, meaning he’ll be first in line to fight the Charlo-Rosario winner for that belt.
Murtazaliev is coming off a one-sided unanimous decision over Jorge Fortea in November, which earned him the mandatory position.
Jermall Charlo faces Sergiy Derevyanchenko in the other co-feature on the card.
Jermall Charlo faces Sergiy Derevyanchenko in a middleweight fight on Sept. 26.
Then-welterweight titleholder Kermit Cintron was training for a title defense in 2007 when a promising 17-year-old amateur climbed through the ropes to spar with him.
Cintron, a 30-year-old veteran at the time, and the young man were exchanging punches in what appeared to be an ordinary session. Then the amateur landed a sharp jab, then another, then – BAM! – he connected with a shot that put Cintron down and hurt him, requiring him to take time to recover.
That’s when the amateur – Jermall Charlo – knew beyond doubt that he had a future in boxing.
“He couldn’t believe it,” said Charlo, who defends his middleweight title against Sergiy Derevyanchenko on a Sept. 26 pay-per-view card in Uncasville, Conn. “I hit him so hard with an uppercut. I always knew I was good but that was the moment I knew I belonged.
“I always wanted to be a big-time boxer. Now I’m that big-time boxer.”
Charlo’s journey started years before that, as a child in Lafayette, Louisiana. His father used to organize boxing tournaments in their yard and instruct his boys – Jermall and twin brother Jermell – to have at it. As Jermall put it, “I started out by knocking out my neighbors.”
Jermall Charlo (pictured during a recent workout) faces his biggest middleweight test in Sergiy Derevyanchenko on Sept. 26. Andrew Hemingway / Showtime
Then, after the elder Charlo ran afoul of the law, the Charlos’ mother moved the family to Houston. And, well aware of the boys’ love for boxing, she found a gym. The rest is a boxing success story.
Jermall had a stellar amateur career, finishing with a reported record of 65-6. He was track to challenge for a berth on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team but a toe injury scuttled his plans.
Was he disappointed? To some degree. He had dreamed about fighting on the ultimate amateur platform but he had a good second option. Jermell had already turned pro in 2007. It was time to join him.
Jermall tore through the junior middleweight division, winning 21 consecutive fights – 16 by knockout – to set up a shot at Cornelius Bundrage’s IBF 154-pound title in November 2015.
And he made a loud statement in what should’ve been a significant challenge: Fast, powerful and determined, he put an overwhelmed Bundrage down four times and stopped him in the third round to win his first major title.
“You never put a dog in the pen with a lion,” he roared immediately after the fight. “I am the future of boxing.”
The victory, he told Boxing Junkie recently, only confirmed what he already knew.
Charlo isn’t convinced he’ll win over his critics no matter what he does. Andrew Hemingway / Showtime
“It was amazing,” he said. “I went home and suddenly I had a lot of new friends. I said to people, ‘I told you I was good. You didn’t listen to me.’ I had been trying to tell them but it’s hard to convince people how good you are.
“You have to prove your point. I always had a chip on my shoulder. I always wanted to be better than other people.”
Charlo (30-0, 22) still has his doubters.
He moved up to 160 pounds after stopping Julian Williams in his third and final title defense, in December 2016. And he continued to roll, winning five fights at his new weight and picking up a secondary title when the WBC elevated Canelo Alvarez to “franchise” champion.
However, none of his five victims – Jorge Sebastian Heiland, Hugo Centeno Jr., Matvey Korobov, Brandon Adams and Dennis Hogan – had the star power to lift Charlo to the next level, where the stars reside.
People were asking: When is he going to face an elite middleweight? The answer is now.
Derevenyanchenko (13-2, 10 KOs) fell short in his two biggest fights – against Daniel Jacobs and Gennadiy Golovkin – but fought both on at least even terms, losing close decisions each time. In the process, he won the respect of pundits and fans alike.
Charlo said he believes greatness is within his grasp. Andrew Hemingway / Showtime
The 34-year-old Ukrainian can box and he can punch, much like Charlo, who knows he has to win and look good doing it to win people over.
“This guy’s gonna be tough,” Charlo said. “If I can’t master being great in this fight, if I don’t look superb, people are going to criticize me. If I know this dude out, they’ll say he was nothing. If I struggle, if it’s a straight out brawl, they’re going to say I’m not ready for Canelo.
“I really have nothing to lose at this point.”
Charlo would love to fight Alvarez. And why not? They sit atop the rankings the most-important sanctioning body. They’re both 30 years old, in their primes. The fans would eagerly eat up that matchup.
And if Charlo were to win? “Then world couldn’t say s—,” he said with a laugh.
Of course, everyone wants to fight Alvarez. Charlo might be in line but exactly where is anybody’s guess. He also might never get the accolades he feels he deserves. There are no guarantees in an unforgiving sport.
That’s OK with Charlo. He has dreams of being remembered as one of the greatest boxers of all time but, he said, he’ll be fine regardless of his fate.
“I feel I’m doing everything right at this point in my life,” he said. “My mom is happy for me. I have a wife and kids. I’ve invested my money. I bought a big mansion. I’m living the best life I can. Thank God for that. I really can’t complain.
“And I feel that [in boxing] I’m leading the race and finish is right up ahead of me. It’s right there. I just have to be great, to feel great about myself, to be who I want to be.”
Jermall Charlo faces Sergiy Derevyanchenko in a middleweight fight on Sept. 26.
Then-welterweight titleholder Kermit Cintron was training for a title defense in 2007 when a promising 17-year-old amateur climbed through the ropes to spar with him.
Cintron, a 30-year-old veteran at the time, and the young man were exchanging punches in what appeared to be an ordinary session. Then the amateur landed a sharp jab, then another, then – BAM! – he connected with a shot that put Cintron down and hurt him, requiring him to take time to recover.
That’s when the amateur – Jermall Charlo – knew beyond doubt that he had a future in boxing.
“He couldn’t believe it,” said Charlo, who defends his middleweight title against Sergiy Derevyanchenko on a Sept. 26 pay-per-view card in Uncasville, Conn. “I hit him so hard with an uppercut. I always knew I was good but that was the moment I knew I belonged.
“I always wanted to be a big-time boxer. Now I’m that big-time boxer.”
Charlo’s journey started years before that, as a child in Lafayette, Louisiana. His father used to organize boxing tournaments in their yard and instruct his boys – Jermall and twin brother Jermell – to have at it. As Jermall put it, “I started out by knocking out my neighbors.”
Jermall Charlo (pictured during a recent workout) faces his biggest middleweight test in Sergiy Derevyanchenko on Sept. 26. Andrew Hemingway / Showtime
Then, after the elder Charlo ran afoul of the law, the Charlos’ mother moved the family to Houston. And, well aware of the boys’ love for boxing, she found a gym. The rest is a boxing success story.
Jermall had a stellar amateur career, finishing with a reported record of 65-6. He was track to challenge for a berth on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team but a toe injury scuttled his plans.
Was he disappointed? To some degree. He had dreamed about fighting on the ultimate amateur platform but he had a good second option. Jermell had already turned pro in 2007. It was time to join him.
Jermall tore through the junior middleweight division, winning 21 consecutive fights – 16 by knockout – to set up a shot at Cornelius Bundrage’s IBF 154-pound title in November 2015.
And he made a loud statement in what should’ve been a significant challenge: Fast, powerful and determined, he put an overwhelmed Bundrage down four times and stopped him in the third round to win his first major title.
“You never put a dog in the pen with a lion,” he roared immediately after the fight. “I am the future of boxing.”
The victory, he told Boxing Junkie recently, only confirmed what he already knew.
Charlo isn’t convinced he’ll win over his critics no matter what he does. Andrew Hemingway / Showtime
“It was amazing,” he said. “I went home and suddenly I had a lot of new friends. I said to people, ‘I told you I was good. You didn’t listen to me.’ I had been trying to tell them but it’s hard to convince people how good you are.
“You have to prove your point. I always had a chip on my shoulder. I always wanted to be better than other people.”
Charlo (30-0, 22) still has his doubters.
He moved up to 160 pounds after stopping Julian Williams in his third and final title defense, in December 2016. And he continued to roll, winning five fights at his new weight and picking up a secondary title when the WBC elevated Canelo Alvarez to “franchise” champion.
However, none of his five victims – Jorge Sebastian Heiland, Hugo Centeno Jr., Matvey Korobov, Brandon Adams and Dennis Hogan – had the star power to lift Charlo to the next level, where the stars reside.
People were asking: When is he going to face an elite middleweight? The answer is now.
Derevenyanchenko (13-2, 10 KOs) fell short in his two biggest fights – against Daniel Jacobs and Gennadiy Golovkin – but fought both on at least even terms, losing close decisions each time. In the process, he won the respect of pundits and fans alike.
Charlo said he believes greatness is within his grasp. Andrew Hemingway / Showtime
The 34-year-old Ukrainian can box and he can punch, much like Charlo, who knows he has to win and look good doing it to win people over.
“This guy’s gonna be tough,” Charlo said. “If I can’t master being great in this fight, if I don’t look superb, people are going to criticize me. If I know this dude out, they’ll say he was nothing. If I struggle, if it’s a straight out brawl, they’re going to say I’m not ready for Canelo.
“I really have nothing to lose at this point.”
Charlo would love to fight Alvarez. And why not? They sit atop the rankings the most-important sanctioning body. They’re both 30 years old, in their primes. The fans would eagerly eat up that matchup.
And if Charlo were to win? “Then world couldn’t say s—,” he said with a laugh.
Of course, everyone wants to fight Alvarez. Charlo might be in line but exactly where is anybody’s guess. He also might never get the accolades he feels he deserves. There are no guarantees in an unforgiving sport.
That’s OK with Charlo. He has dreams of being remembered as one of the greatest boxers of all time but, he said, he’ll be fine regardless of his fate.
“I feel I’m doing everything right at this point in my life,” he said. “My mom is happy for me. I have a wife and kids. I’ve invested my money. I bought a big mansion. I’m living the best life I can. Thank God for that. I really can’t complain.
“And I feel that [in boxing] I’m leading the race and finish is right up ahead of me. It’s right there. I just have to be great, to feel great about myself, to be who I want to be.”
Sergiy Derevyanchenko sees no point in looking backward at his setbacks. His focus is on Jermall Charlo.
You probably shouldn’t try to get Sergiy Derevyanchenko to talk about the past, including his losses to Daniel Jacobs and Gennadiy Golovkin. He doesn’t see the point of living in the past.
The future? Same thing, even as he approaches his 35th birthday. Derevyanchenko is focused on the now. And he has significant challenge directly in front of him: Jermall Charlo on Sept. 26 in Uncasville, Conn.
“I move forward,” he told Boxing Junkie through a translator, who happened to be his wife, Iryna. “I don’t look back. All my wins make me stronger. All my losses, the same thing. All my fights give me experience, they make me better. So I move forward.”
Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KOs) lost a tight split decision to Jacobs in October 2018. And his fight with Golovkin might’ve been closer even though Triple-G won a unanimous decision.
Sergiy Derevyanchenko (right) came up just short against Daniel Jacobs in 2018. AP Photo / Frank Franklin II
The 34-year-old Ukrainian could’ve had his hand raised both times if he had landed a few more punches here and there. Many thought he did enough to win the brutal fight with Golovkin, which would’ve made him a middleweight titleholder and a bigger player.
Is he bitter? Nope. Again, no dwelling on the past.
Derevyanchenko acknowledged that he experienced what he called a “bad emotion” after each loss but moved on quickly. Does he believe he deserved to win those fights? If so, he wouldn’t say that. Instead, he accepted the judges’ decisions and used them to his benefit.
“I don’t think I did enough to win those fights. That’s why I’m working harder,” he said.
“The Technician” hasn’t fought since the Golovkin fight, which took place last October. In that time, he said, he never allowed himself to get out of shape. He trains religiously for a simple reason, he said: It’s part of the job.
In other words, you can be sure he’ll be at peak fitness when he’s face to face with Charlo in the ring.
Derevyanchenko respects Charlo, who holds a secondary 160-pound title. He was asked whether he believes the Houston fighter is in the same class as Jacobs and Golovkin. He didn’t even wait for his wife to translate, saying “yes.”
Derevyanchenko hopes to have his hand raised on Sept. 26. Amanda Westcott / DAZN
“At middleweight there are strong fighters,” he said. “Canelo, Golovkin, Charlo, Andrade. Top fighters. They are all elite fighters. They can all beat each other. It depends on preparation, the situation, the judges, if they meet in the ring.
“Everyone has an opportunity to win. And nobody knows what will happen. That’s why it’s so interesting to be part of this.”
Derevyanchenko has definitely been in the thick of it. He will have fought three elite middleweights in a span of four fights, which is almost unheard of these days. For him, it is just part of the plan.
Six months before the Jacobs fight, he said, he compiled a list of middleweights he wanted to face and pinned it to a wall. The names on the list: Gennadiy Golovkin, Daniel Jacobs, Jermall Charlo, Canelo Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders.
He’ll be able to check off Charlo after Sept. 26. And he hopes that this time he can put a “W” next to the name on the list.
He was asked whether the third time will be the charm but neither he nor Iryna understood the expression. After it was explained to them, Derevyanchenko chuckled and said, “I like that. Yes, I think it will be the charm.”
Again, Derevyanchenko isn’t comfortable peering beyond the Charlo fight. He’ll be 35 on Halloween but says he feels better now than he did when he was 25, meaning he has barely thought about the concept of retirement.
But he did reveal a wish he has for the future: He doesn’t want to be forgotten.
“I just want my name to go down in history,” he said. “I want young fighters to watch my fights and learn something from my style, from my mistakes, from my wins. Yes, this is something that’s important to me.”
Sergiy Derevyanchenko sees no point in looking backward at his setbacks. His focus is on Jermall Charlo.
You probably shouldn’t try to get Sergiy Derevyanchenko to talk about the past, including his losses to Daniel Jacobs and Gennadiy Golovkin. He doesn’t see the point of living in the past.
The future? Same thing, even as he approaches his 35th birthday. Derevyanchenko is focused on the now. And he has significant challenge directly in front of him: Jermall Charlo on Sept. 26 in Uncasville, Conn.
“I move forward,” he told Boxing Junkie through a translator, who happened to be his wife, Iryna. “I don’t look back. All my wins make me stronger. All my losses, the same thing. All my fights give me experience, they make me better. So I move forward.”
Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KOs) lost a tight split decision to Jacobs in October 2018. And his fight with Golovkin might’ve been closer even though Triple-G won a unanimous decision.
Sergiy Derevyanchenko (right) came up just short against Daniel Jacobs in 2018. AP Photo / Frank Franklin II
The 34-year-old Ukrainian could’ve had his hand raised both times if he had landed a few more punches here and there. Many thought he did enough to win the brutal fight with Golovkin, which would’ve made him a middleweight titleholder and a bigger player.
Is he bitter? Nope. Again, no dwelling on the past.
Derevyanchenko acknowledged that he experienced what he called a “bad emotion” after each loss but moved on quickly. Does he believe he deserved to win those fights? If so, he wouldn’t say that. Instead, he accepted the judges’ decisions and used them to his benefit.
“I don’t think I did enough to win those fights. That’s why I’m working harder,” he said.
“The Technician” hasn’t fought since the Golovkin fight, which took place last October. In that time, he said, he never allowed himself to get out of shape. He trains religiously for a simple reason, he said: It’s part of the job.
In other words, you can be sure he’ll be at peak fitness when he’s face to face with Charlo in the ring.
Derevyanchenko respects Charlo, who holds a secondary 160-pound title. He was asked whether he believes the Houston fighter is in the same class as Jacobs and Golovkin. He didn’t even wait for his wife to translate, saying “yes.”
Derevyanchenko hopes to have his hand raised on Sept. 26. Amanda Westcott / DAZN
“At middleweight there are strong fighters,” he said. “Canelo, Golovkin, Charlo, Andrade. Top fighters. They are all elite fighters. They can all beat each other. It depends on preparation, the situation, the judges, if they meet in the ring.
“Everyone has an opportunity to win. And nobody knows what will happen. That’s why it’s so interesting to be part of this.”
Derevyanchenko has definitely been in the thick of it. He will have fought three elite middleweights in a span of four fights, which is almost unheard of these days. For him, it is just part of the plan.
Six months before the Jacobs fight, he said, he compiled a list of middleweights he wanted to face and pinned it to a wall. The names on the list: Gennadiy Golovkin, Daniel Jacobs, Jermall Charlo, Canelo Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders.
He’ll be able to check off Charlo after Sept. 26. And he hopes that this time he can put a “W” next to the name on the list.
He was asked whether the third time will be the charm but neither he nor Iryna understood the expression. After it was explained to them, Derevyanchenko chuckled and said, “I like that. Yes, I think it will be the charm.”
Again, Derevyanchenko isn’t comfortable peering beyond the Charlo fight. He’ll be 35 on Halloween but says he feels better now than he did when he was 25, meaning he has barely thought about the concept of retirement.
But he did reveal a wish he has for the future: He doesn’t want to be forgotten.
“I just want my name to go down in history,” he said. “I want young fighters to watch my fights and learn something from my style, from my mistakes, from my wins. Yes, this is something that’s important to me.”
Danny Roman returns to the ring against Juan Carlos Payano on the pay-per-view card featuring the Charlo brothers on Sept. 26.
Danny Roman begins the road back on Sept. 26.
The junior featherweight from Los Angeles lost his world titles to Murodjon Akhmadaliev by a tight split decision on Jan 30 in Miami. He returns to the ring against veteran Juan Carlos Payano on the pay-per-view card featuring the Charlo brothers on Sept. 26 in Uncasville, Conn.
Roman (27-3-1, 10 KOs) believes the Payano fight will be a step toward another title fight.
“A victory will put me right back on the doorstep for a world title,” he said. “I feel that I’m still one of the best fighters at super bantamweight, but I must get past Payano. There are so many big fights at super bantamweight, because this division is one of the deepest in boxing.
“My mind is set on becoming a world champion again, and a victory against Payano will bring me closer to that goal.”
Danny Roman and trainer Eddie Gonzalez get down to work. Kyte Monroe / Thompson Boxing
Roman has been training at Fundamentals Gym in L.A. He said he and trainer Eddie Gonzalez have studied video of the Payano (21-3, 9 KOs) – a former bantamweight champ — and are working hard to make a strong statement.
The Dominican has lost only to Rau’shee Warren, Naoya Inoue and Luis Nery.
“Payano is one of the toughest and roughest fighters in the division,” Roman said. “His only losses are to elite fighters. This fight will be all action because Payano likes to mix it up, as do I. The fans will get to see two warriors going at it as I’m fully prepared for a grueling fight. …
“It’s been a very productive training camp thus far. We’ve been going strong, but smart, since early August. Coach Eddie has been studying Payano and we see some flaws in his game that we feel we can capitalize on. I’m in great shape and its full steam ahead for Payano showdown.”
The pay-per-view card will be split into two parts, with a half-hour intermission.
In Part I, Jermall Charlo faces Sergiy Derevyanchenko in a 12-round middleweight showdown. Also, Brandon Figueroa takes on Damien Vazquez in a 12-round junior featherweight bout, and John Riel Casimero defends his bantamweight belt against Duke Micah.
In Part II, Jermell Charlo and Jeison Rosario face off in a junior middleweight title-unification clash. Nery fights Aaron Alameda for a vacant junior featherweight title. And Roman vs. Payano will take place after intermission.
Danny Roman returns to the ring against Juan Carlos Payano on the pay-per-view card featuring the Charlo brothers on Sept. 26.
Danny Roman begins the road back on Sept. 26.
The junior featherweight from Los Angeles lost his world titles to Murodjon Akhmadaliev by a tight split decision on Jan 30 in Miami. He returns to the ring against veteran Juan Carlos Payano on the pay-per-view card featuring the Charlo brothers on Sept. 26 in Uncasville, Conn.
Roman (27-3-1, 10 KOs) believes the Payano fight will be a step toward another title fight.
“A victory will put me right back on the doorstep for a world title,” he said. “I feel that I’m still one of the best fighters at super bantamweight, but I must get past Payano. There are so many big fights at super bantamweight, because this division is one of the deepest in boxing.
“My mind is set on becoming a world champion again, and a victory against Payano will bring me closer to that goal.”
Danny Roman and trainer Eddie Gonzalez get down to work. Kyte Monroe / Thompson Boxing
Roman has been training at Fundamentals Gym in L.A. He said he and trainer Eddie Gonzalez have studied video of the Payano (21-3, 9 KOs) – a former bantamweight champ — and are working hard to make a strong statement.
The Dominican has lost only to Rau’shee Warren, Naoya Inoue and Luis Nery.
“Payano is one of the toughest and roughest fighters in the division,” Roman said. “His only losses are to elite fighters. This fight will be all action because Payano likes to mix it up, as do I. The fans will get to see two warriors going at it as I’m fully prepared for a grueling fight. …
“It’s been a very productive training camp thus far. We’ve been going strong, but smart, since early August. Coach Eddie has been studying Payano and we see some flaws in his game that we feel we can capitalize on. I’m in great shape and its full steam ahead for Payano showdown.”
The pay-per-view card will be split into two parts, with a half-hour intermission.
In Part I, Jermall Charlo faces Sergiy Derevyanchenko in a 12-round middleweight showdown. Also, Brandon Figueroa takes on Damien Vazquez in a 12-round junior featherweight bout, and John Riel Casimero defends his bantamweight belt against Duke Micah.
In Part II, Jermell Charlo and Jeison Rosario face off in a junior middleweight title-unification clash. Nery fights Aaron Alameda for a vacant junior featherweight title. And Roman vs. Payano will take place after intermission.
Damien Vasquez has said that he plans to make his fight against Brandon Figueroa on Sept. 26 a “Mexican War.” That works for Figueroa.
Damien Vazquez has said that he plans to make his fight against Brandon Figueroa on Sept. 26 a “Mexican War.” That works for Figueroa.
The junior featherweight contender has built his reputation and winning record largely by getting the better of his opponents in toe-to-toe exchanges. If that’s what Vazquez wants, Figueroa said, he’s happy to oblige him.
Figueroa and Vazquez are scheduled to fight on the pay-per-view card featuring the Charlo brothers in Uncasville, Conn.
“I feel like the action fighting has been my style and game plan since day one,” said Figueroa (20-0-1, 15 KOs). “But I obviously believe I’d also have an advantage boxing him at distance. So he can say whatever he wants, I don’t think he’s going to want to go toe-to-toe with me. I can guarantee you he’ll regret that.
“I see this as the biggest opportunity of my career, and Vazquez is standing in my way. This is my chance to show everyone why I’m one of the best fighters in the world.”
Brandon Figueroa (left) said Damien Vazquez will regret it if he goes toe-to-toe with him. Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions
Figueroa’s willingness to engage his opponents almost backfired in his most recent fight, a brutal split draw against Julio Ceja on the Deontay Wilder-Luis Ortiz card on Nov. 23.
Ceja came in a whopping 4½ pounds over the 122-pound limit, which technically made him a junior lightweight. Plus, Figueroa said, he was at less than 100 percent because of minor injuries.
Still, Figueroa, who weighed 122, went through with the fight, which turned into the taxing Mexican War Vazquez described.
“Heading into my last fight, I had some injuries that I was dealing with,” Figueroa said. “But with this pandemic and the quarantine, I got a chance to recover and fully heal. I’ve never had this much time between fights, so I feel great now and I’m prepared for this fight. I’m just anxious to fight at this point.
“I don’t take anything away from Ceja, though. He came to fight. But we learn from every fight. What I took away from it was that even at the worst moment of my career, I didn’t lose. I’m a different fighter now, though. I’m healthy heading into this upcoming fight and I feel like everyone is going to see a different type of Brandon Figueroa.”
And if he beats Vazquez (15-1-1, 8 KOs)?
“At this point, I feel like any fight with me against a top 122-pounder is a great fight,” he said. “I’m willing to mix it up with any of them. I honestly don’t care who wants to fight me, I’ll take any of them to put on a great show for the fans.
“My team knows that as well. So hopefully after September 26 we can make a great fight with any of the other top fighters in my division.”
Damien Vasquez has said that he plans to make his fight against Brandon Figueroa on Sept. 26 a “Mexican War.” That works for Figueroa.
Damien Vazquez has said that he plans to make his fight against Brandon Figueroa on Sept. 26 a “Mexican War.” That works for Figueroa.
The junior featherweight contender has built his reputation and winning record largely by getting the better of his opponents in toe-to-toe exchanges. If that’s what Vazquez wants, Figueroa said, he’s happy to oblige him.
Figueroa and Vazquez are scheduled to fight on the pay-per-view card featuring the Charlo brothers in Uncasville, Conn.
“I feel like the action fighting has been my style and game plan since day one,” said Figueroa (20-0-1, 15 KOs). “But I obviously believe I’d also have an advantage boxing him at distance. So he can say whatever he wants, I don’t think he’s going to want to go toe-to-toe with me. I can guarantee you he’ll regret that.
“I see this as the biggest opportunity of my career, and Vazquez is standing in my way. This is my chance to show everyone why I’m one of the best fighters in the world.”
Brandon Figueroa (left) said Damien Vazquez will regret it if he goes toe-to-toe with him. Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions
Figueroa’s willingness to engage his opponents almost backfired in his most recent fight, a brutal split draw against Julio Ceja on the Deontay Wilder-Luis Ortiz card on Nov. 23.
Ceja came in a whopping 4½ pounds over the 122-pound limit, which technically made him a junior lightweight. Plus, Figueroa said, he was at less than 100 percent because of minor injuries.
Still, Figueroa, who weighed 122, went through with the fight, which turned into the taxing Mexican War Vazquez described.
“Heading into my last fight, I had some injuries that I was dealing with,” Figueroa said. “But with this pandemic and the quarantine, I got a chance to recover and fully heal. I’ve never had this much time between fights, so I feel great now and I’m prepared for this fight. I’m just anxious to fight at this point.
“I don’t take anything away from Ceja, though. He came to fight. But we learn from every fight. What I took away from it was that even at the worst moment of my career, I didn’t lose. I’m a different fighter now, though. I’m healthy heading into this upcoming fight and I feel like everyone is going to see a different type of Brandon Figueroa.”
And if he beats Vazquez (15-1-1, 8 KOs)?
“At this point, I feel like any fight with me against a top 122-pounder is a great fight,” he said. “I’m willing to mix it up with any of them. I honestly don’t care who wants to fight me, I’ll take any of them to put on a great show for the fans.
“My team knows that as well. So hopefully after September 26 we can make a great fight with any of the other top fighters in my division.”
Jermall Charlo sees his fight against Sergiy Derevyanchenko on Sept. 26 as an opportunity to prove his greatness.
Jermall Charlo seems to have a chip on his shoulder. And for good reason. He doesn’t believe people believe in him.
Well, he’ll have a chance to remedy that soon. He is scheduled to face Sergiy Derevyanchenko in what many see as Charlo’s first serious test at middleweight on Sept. 26 in Uncasville, Conn.
The pay-per-view card will also feature a title fight between twin brother Jermell Charlo and Jason Rosario.
“Everybody is doubting me,” Jermall Charlo said on a Zoom call. “I’ve been doubted for years. It’s not anger. I don’t care what my opponent or his trainer says about me. I’m a fighter and I’m ready for this. I really want to just get in there and fight.
“After this fight, people are going to say that I’m a great fighter. I’m the best in the world.”
Jermall Charlo is (right) coming off a seventh-round KO of Dennis Hogan in December. AP Photo / Michael Owens
It probably won’t be easy.
Charlo (30-0, 22 KOs) is a former 154-pound titleholder with victories over Austin Trout and Julian Williams, which lifted him to what might be described as semi-stardom.
And he’s had success at middleweight, beating Matvey Korobov, Brandon Adams and Dennis Hogan at 160 pounds and picking up a secondary title along the way. The problem is that only Korobov was capable enough to give Charlo significant resistance, which allows questions about Charlo to linger.
Derevyanchenko? The former Ukrainian amateur star lost to top-tier opponents Daniel Jacobs and Gennadiy Golovkin but fought both on even terms, losing razor thin decisions each time and garnering tremendous respect in the process.
That’s why some observers give Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KOs) a good chance of handing Charlo his first loss. And that’s fine with Charlo. A victory over a respected middleweight is what he seeks.
“He lost both of those fights against Gennadiy Golovkin and Daniel Jacobs,” Charlo said. “Competitive or not, that’s what happened. He’s a warrior, though. And I want him to be sharp so he can give me the best he can give me. This is going to be a real fight, just know that.
“I’m going to be super sharp. That’s the message I want to deliver to all of the other middleweights out there.”
That said, Charlo isn’t making bold predictions. He hasn’t proclaimed that he’ll be the first to stop Derevyanchenko. And isn’t putting pressure on himself to defeat his opponent more convincingly than Jacobs and Golovkin did.
It’s all about fighting his fight, emerging victorious and looking good.
“I thought I might need to out-perform Jacobs and Golovkin, but as long as I continue to be myself, I will get the victory and I’ll have my hand raised,” Charlo said. “I’m smarter, stronger and better than I used to be.
“Every fight is a different fight. I let my trainer do the studying. I’m just focused on what I have to do.”
