By Matt Lieberman: Jermell Charlo is ready for war against WBO 154-lb champion Brian Castano (17-0-1, 12 KOs) at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. Showtime Boxing will be televising the card at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS
Castano is expected to target Jermell’s midsection to try and wear him down with body shots on Saturday.
We saw Jermell’s twin brother Jermall Charlo weaken rapidly from the body punching that his opponent Juan Macias Montiel did in their fight last June.
Charlo has looked amazing lately, beating Jeison Rosario, Tony Harrison, and Jorge Cota.
Jermell has turned his career around since his lone defeat to Harrison in 2018, and he’s now on the verge of becoming a four-belt champion on Saturday.
The unbeaten IBF/WBA/WBC junior middleweight champion Charlo (34-1, 18 KOs) is the A-side and the favorite in this fight, meaning that if the match goes 12 rounds, he’s likely to have his hand raised.
Additionally, Charlo is fighting in his home state of Texas, so that the crowd will be supporting him over the visiting fighter Canelo. For Castano, 31, to get a decision, he’s got to make it decisive.
Fortunately, for Castano, he has the kind of high-pressure fighting style that makes rounds easier to score than other fighters.
Castano is not a big puncher, though, which will make it somewhat difficult to score rounds if Charlo is tagging him with huge shots.
Charlo ready for whatever happens
“I got to go get it; this is my job,” said Jermell Charlo to Fino Boxing. “There are so many visions that I’ve played in my head that can possibly happen, but because I’m a warrior that I am, I settle for the worst.
“It never turns out to be that bad. Being in the Hall of Fame-caliber, it’s just an amazing accomplishment,” said Jermell on what it would mean to become the undisputed champion at 154.
“Sometimes, I’m not too big on all the accomplishments and all the things I’ve done in boxing. I don’t know what my story will end, but this is one thing that I can say I accomplished.
“I’m at a very decent point in my career. I want to say that I’m in my prime. I’m very strong, young, and athletic. I don’t want to say that I’m in my prime,” said Charlo.
Castano is someone that is going to force Jermell into the type of war that he hasn’t seen yet as a pro.
While Jermell says he’s been in with many talented fighters, and he’s seen every style imaginable during his career, but he’s not fought a high-volume inside pressure fighter like Castano.
That’s why this is such a tough fight to predict because Charlo hasn’t fought anyone similar to Castano during his career. Castano is going to push a fast pace on Charlo, making him use up energy, and wear him down.
Charlo’s toughest opponents:
- Erickson Lubin
- John Jackson
- Vanes Martirosyan
- Jeison Rosario
- Tony Harrison
- Gabe Rosado
- Austin Trout
- Demetrius Hopkins
Charlo has been in with many quality fighters, but no one fights the way Castano does. Lubin is an excellent fighter with inside skills, but he was only 21 when he fought Charlo in 2017.
Erickson wasn’t nearly as good as he is today, so you can’t point to that fight to predict how Jermell will do against Castano.
Jermell impressed with Castano
“He don’t back up too much; he comes forward,” said Charlo when asked what impresses him the most about Castano. “He’s a rugged fighter; he’s got, heart.
“Any fighter with heart that doesn’t back up, that’s a thought fight. That’s what I want, and that’s what I live for. That’s what every fighter should want, to fight the best fighters.
“I’m 154, and I’ve fought just about everyone, some of the best at 154. It’s an amazing feeling knowing that I’m about to be a part of history again.
“I’ve made history before with my twin brother, but this is the first time in history that I’ve been alone by myself.
“Once it happens on Saturday night and we’re going into Sunday, we’ll see what that feeling is about,” said Jermell.
Castano is a classic pressure fighter who constantly presses his opponents and wears them out. What’s different about Castano is that he throws many shots when he’s in close, and he’s not looking for one big punch.
Castano is coming off of a 12 round decision victory over Patrick Teixeira last February. That was an exceptional effort from Castano, showing that he could handle Teixeira’s power and brawling style.
In Castano’s biggest career fight, he fought to a controversial 12 round draw against Erislandy Lara in March 2019. Many boxing fans on social media had Castano winning the fight.
One thing that sets Jermell apart from many other fighters is his honesty, and he’s not afraid to compliment his opponents. It’s a rare thing, especially going into a fight.
Jermell undecided about moving to 160
“I don’t know what I can do next. I wouldn’t want to step on any toes, and I don’t want any toes stepped on mine,” said Jermell when asked if he’ll go up to 160 if he’s successful at becoming the undisputed champion at 154 on Saturday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Bd4qfCb7Do
“This is when the team has to get stronger. I don’t know what I might do next because I don’t know what this fight [against Castano] will bring to me.
“Hopefully, it brings something better than what I’ve experienced before, but this is my time, who knows? I don’t know,” said Charlo when asked if Castano will bring out the best in him.
“I’ve fought some tough guys already, some strong opponents, some fast opponents, some pressure opponents, but I made the change,” said Jermell.
One reason why Jermell is a little conflicted about moving up to 160 maybe that he would potentially be stepping on his brother Jermall’s toes.
Look at it this way; if Jermell moves up to 160 and suddenly starts unifying the division as he did at 154, his twin Jermall is going to look bad in comparison.
Jermall has been fighting at 160 for several years now, and he’s done zero in terms of putting together unification fights.
More than that, Jermall hasn’t had any big fights, period, since going up to 160. As such, if Jermell goes up in weight to 160, he’s the type that will make things happen because he’s a doer.