On Saturday 17 July at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, Jermell Charlo (34-1, 18 KO’s) will face off with Brian Castano (17-0-1, 12 KO’s) for the super welterweight undisputed championship.
Winky Wright became the only three-belt undisputed champion in super welterweight history when he defeated Shane Mosley in 2004, and the winner of this fight will be the first 154 lbs undisputed champion during the four-belt era, therefore this is an eagerly anticipated showdown, as true history awaits.
With the greater professional experience and home advantage, Charlo is the undoubted favourite heading in. Ever since his sole professional loss via a controversial unanimous decision to Tony Harrison in December 2018, Charlo’s comeback has been very impressive. He has bulldozed his way to 154 lbs supremacy with a third round stoppage of Jorge Cota, an 11th round redemption knockout win against Harrison to retain his WBC title, before an 8th round stoppage of Jeison Rosario to unify the WBC, IBF and WBA titles.
Charlo’s upcoming fight against WBO champion Castano may be the toughest of them all. Charlo has never faced anyone with Castano’s work rate.
In his career-best win to become champion, Castano put the pressure on his physically bigger foe, Patrick Teixeira, made it a physical fight and battered Teixeira on the inside en route to a unanimous decision victory.
Castano is certainly a live underdog and has yet to taste defeat in his 18-fight professional career. The only glitch thus far was a draw against experienced southpaw Erislandy Lara in March 2019 to defend his WBA title.
“This is my opportunity. This is the fight of my life,” Castano said during the virtual press conference. “I am world champion. Charlo is world champion. I’m training very hard every day.”
Castano proceeded to state this fight is huge for his country of Argentina and “this is my time”. Castano has determination and motivation in abundance heading into this showdown.
However, same way that Charlo has not faced somebody with Castano’s work rate and relentlessness thus far, the intrigue arises in that Castano has yet to fight somebody who possesses Charlo’s knockout power. During the virtual press conference, Brian Custer interestingly pointed out that Charlo has scored 13 knockdowns in his past 9 fights. He has scored a stoppage in 7 of his past 9 fights. With age and experience, Charlo seems to have developed devastating power with a real mean streak. Along with his twin brother Jermall, Jermell has always been widely vocal in promoting their “Lions Only” slogan. With a doggedness and menace both inside and outside the ring which Jermell now possesses alongside his devastating power, he is certainly living up to the twin brothers’ moniker now.
Charlo’s doggedness will be put to the ultimate test against Castano in a fight in which Charlo must surely dig deep to emerge victorious.
Charlo has praise and respect for Castano up to a point which he deems fit, acknowledging his recognition of Castano as a worthy opponent whilst speaking of something lying deep within, which when paired with his fire-power, may prove to be the difference.
“I’ve suffered my whole life. Nothing in this world can make me suffer more than what I’ve been through growing up and a lot of things that we’ve been through,” Charlo said during the virtual press conference. “It’s okay to not understand what I mean, but Brian Castano is a hell of a fighter, yes, he puts a lot of pressure, yes, all of that, but, you know, I know my abilities, I know my power, I know my strengths.”
Given the short history of the WBO title being recognised as a major title, the list of four-belt undisputed champions is short, with the only men having accomplished this feat so far being Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Oleksandr Usyk, Terence Crawford and Josh Taylor.
To be joining such an exclusive list will be the ultimate motivation for both fighters, and both are looking to come into the fight in the best physical shape and mind-frame of their career to create history and a legacy.
Castano is that unknown quantity who will be undermined, but he knows how to rack up the points, with a physicality and fluidity which bodes well with his underrated ability to box whilst moving forward. Will he spring the upset come July 17? Charlo has been performing at a high level for a few years, and rarely lets opponents hear the bell at championship level. Charlo enters the ring with a determined, sole objective of knocking the opponent out, and he has the power and timing to do so.
“Styles make fights”, so goes the age-old adage, and these two styles are certain to mesh and create fireworks in a historic clash for all the marbles.
By Sina Latif of SimBoxx
Twitter - @_sina93
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