By Barry Holbrook: Jermell Charlo will be attempting to avenge his loss to Tony Harrison this Saturday night on December 21 from Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. Former WBC junior middleweight champion Charlo (32-1, 16 KOs) still has hard feelings about his loss to Harrison (28-2, 21 KOs)
Despite having a low KO percentage of just 48, Charlo is promising that he’s going to knockout the 29-year-old Harrison in their rematch on Saturday.
Charlo’s overriding goal is to make sure he takes the 3 judges out of the equation this time, because he feels he should have won his previous fight with Harrison.
Charlo lost a 12 round unanimous decision on December 21, 2018 by the scores 115-113, 115-113, 116-112. Unfortunately, Charlo is still bitter and nursing hurt feelings over the lost.
Charlo and Harrison will be televised on FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes. Jermell will need to be in control of his emotions in the rematch for him to have a shot at winning, because he was fighting with anger last time. Harrison, who remained calm during the fight, took advantage of Charlo’s hot temper, and picked him off with punches the entire night.
Jermell Charlo is “mentally weak” – Harrison
“You a young cub,” said Harrison to Charlo in their FACE TO FACE | PBC ON FOX. “You’re a clown. I’m in his head. He’s mentally weak. You’re emotional, man.
“Nobody cares. I’m a better athlete than this man,” said Harrison. “I will beat this man. I will beat this man at anything we do. I’m just a better athlete, and I know in my heart that I would never lose to a sucker, and he’s a sucker. ‘Oh, the referee didn’t like me.’ They ain’t got nothing to do with the scoring of a fight. I’m here now. He fears me, and he fears everything about me. I’m a threat to him,” said Harrison in analyzing Charlo.
The rematch could play out just like the first fight, being that Charlo is in the same high anxiety state he was last time. During the Face to Face with Harrison, Charlo looked like he wanted to bound over the table to start throwing down. Harrison was so calm, and laughing at Charlo.
The moderator had no control over Charlo, who interrupted Harrison virtually every time he tried to speak. Instead of getting upset about it, Harrison sat back and let Charlo do most of the talking.
Harrison is made of styrofoam – Charlo
“This energy he’s portraying ain’t really him. I know something about you, boy,” said Charlo. “You made out of styrofoam, and they made you up to be a clown. It’s not right, because you got a different animal in front of you. Me and you that fought on December 21st isn’t the same Jermell Charlo.
“I know the difference in me, but you don’t know the difference in me,” said Charlo. “The good thing is, and I get a chance to show you on December 21st. It’s mental and physical. You going to lay it down, homeboy, and you going to give it up,” said Charlo about Harrison.
“You could have fought last June, but unfortunately [he pulled out due to an injury],” said Charlo. “Because I found out where your heart is at, and they ain’t going to mention. You pulled out of the fight for whatever I was getting ready to deliver to your. I get more ammo to invest in destroying you,” said Charlo.
With all the trash talking Jermell has done, he’s going to look silly if he loses again. Charlo’s career is going to be badly hurt if he gets beaten again. He’ll be viewed as someone that talks a good game, but who can’t back up his words. Harrison already created the blueprint on how to beat Charlo by using a jab, and fighting smart. Charlo throws wildly looking for knockouts, and he gets picked off easily.
Charlo needs to listen to what Harrison is saying by pointing out that he’s “emotional” and “mentally weak.”
Harrison: I’m going to beat Charlo like he stole something
“I’m going to dominate that man,” said Harrison. “He’s going to talk, and live his own fantasy. As long as he’s walking this earth, there’s nothing he can do to me. I won’t lose to suckers. I want to beat him 12 rounds like he stole something. I’m going to hold him up with a belt. ‘You shouldn’t have did that, son.’ I want to dominate that man.
“I want to spank you every round, and take you across my lap. And I won on every judge’ cards, right? I don’t even know why we’re going by the last fight. I beat him already. I’m talking about now. I just got to do me x 2, and I can’t just sit back and let him think he’s a dominant guy, which he’s not. I just got to take it to him. I’m coming. You soft. You know damn well I ain’t going to shake your hand,” said Harrison.
Jermell’s fighting style is one that Harrison has seen many times in the gym in Detroit. Harrison has been knocked out twice in his career by Willie Nelson and Jarrett Hurd, but those two fighters had to take massive punishment first.
Charlo, 29, is less willing to put his chin on the line than those fighters, and that’s why it’s probably not worth pursuing a knockout win.
When Jermell does KO guys, he’s generally throwing one punch at a time, and looking for big KO. Harrison does well against those types of fighters. It’s the combination punchers that give him issues.
Charlo: I’m going to knockout Harrison
“I’m the peoples champion. You’re a belt holder,” said Charlo on Harrison. “A lot of people in boxing don’t like the Charlo twins. They don’t like the gift that we have. I’m passionate. He says I’m ’emotional.’ I say I’m passionate. Unfortunately, you cannot back up one word you say. Come on, how is this rematch going to be different? I’m going to knock his a– out,” said Charlo.
It would be better for Jermell to go back to his roots, and box Harrison instead of swinging for the fences. Charlo tried to knockout Harrison last December, and it didn’t work. He was just swinging wildly, and missing with his shots, and getting caught.
Charlo isn’t cut out to knockout the better fighters in the 154-lb division, because he’s not a huge puncher. Jermell’s twin brother Jermall is the one with the power. It would be a mistake for Jermell to try and follow in Jermall’s footsteps by trying to to knockout everyone he faces, because he might lose again.