By Jack Tiernan: IBF/WBA/WBC junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) scored an impressive 10th round knockout win over WBO champion Brian Castano (17-1-2, 12 KOs) on Saturday night to become the undisputed champion at the Dignity Health Sports Park Arena in Carson, California.
Charlo’s power bailed him out tonight, as he dropped the 32-year-old Castano to get the knockout in the 10th round in a great ending.
Undercard results:
In the fight of the night by far, welterweight contender Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis (29-0, 27 KOs) obligated previously unbeaten Custio Clayton (19-1-1, 12 KOs) by a second-round knockout in an IBF title eliminator to become the mandatory challenger to champion Errol Spence Jr. in the chief support bout. Spence dropped the 34-year-old Clayton with a huge right hand to the head. When Clayton tried to get back to his feet, he was too hurt to be allowed to continue, resulting in the contest being halted on the sport.
Super bantamweight champion Kevin Gonzalez (25-0-1, 13 KOs) defeated Emmanuel Rivera (19-3, 12 KOs) by an impressive 10-round unanimous decision. The scores were 97-93, 96-94, and 98-92.
Middleweight prospect Brandyn Lynch (11-1-1, 8KO) was forced to fight harder than expected to beat Marcos Hernandez (15-6-2, 3KO) by a narrow eight rou9nd unanimous decision. The scores were 76-75, 76-75, and 77-74.
In a mismatch, bantamweight Marlon Tapales (36-3, 19KO) defeated journeyman Jose Estrella (23-19-1, 16KO) by a second-round body shot knockout.
Lightweight Jerry Perez (14-1, 11 KOs) stopped Erick Lanzas (10-1, 7 KOs) by a fifth-round knockout in a scheduled six-round fight. The time of the stoppage was at 1:58 by referee Jerry Cantu.
Super featherweight Jose Perez (10-1-2, 4KO) beat Anthony Chavez (9-3-1, 3KO) by a six-round unanimous decision. The scores were 58-55, 58-55, and 58-55.
Heavyweight prospect Luciano Sanchez (1-0, 1KO) destroyed Adrian Silva (0-1) by a first-round knockout. The time of the stoppage was at 1:37 of the first round.
Light welterweight prospect Jose Mejia (1-0, 1KO) defeated Reed (1-3) by a second-round stoppage. The bout was halted at 2:27 of the second.
Heavyweight Geovany Bruzon (7-1, 6KO) stopped Daniel Najera (9-8-1, 4KO) by a second round knockout. The time of the stoppage was at 1:39 mark.
Lightweight Anthony Cuba (4-0, 3KO) defeated Oscar Acevedo (7-1, 1KO) by a second round knockout. The time of the stoppage was at 2:11 of the round.
Preview:
“I’m going to punch more, and I’m going to punch harder,” said Jermell Charlo to Showtime Sports on what he plans on doing differently tonight against Brian Castano compared to their first fight.
“I’m going to punch harder. When I’m in dog shape, I can let out more aggression and do it for a longer time,” Jermell continued. I get stronger as the rounds go. Everybody that fought me can probably tell you that.
“I’m going to do it with what’s obvious by staying off the ropes as much, but this is boxing.
“You’re going to get on the ropes, and you’re going to get hit; you’ve got to expect these things,” said Charlo when asked how he’s going to limit the number of times he’s hit in the fight.
“What I return with and how effective I am in terms of pushing forward and being more dominant, that’s what I took advantage of for this camp.
“I think, ‘I just can’t believe I let you make it out,'” said Jermell when asked what he sees in Castano’s eyes when he looks at him during their face-offs.
“I brought you up here and made you famous. Now I’m going to take your a** right back down. Or worse,” said Jermell when told by Brian Custer of Showtime, ‘I can’t believe I got to do this to you again.’
“I represent the USA; this is our turf,” Charlo said about his decision to wear a U.S flag draped around his shoulders during his face-off with Castano.
“That’s what we do; we make history,” said Jermell’s twin brother Jermall Charlo. “My twin brother been here before. Like when he fought [Tony] Harrison, he came back and got the knockout [in the rematch in 2019]. Do you see what I’m saying?
“So this fight almost plays into the same hands where Castano, they didn’t give my brother the decision, and we’ll accept a draw. Now, we’re refocused, we’re reshaped, and we’re better.
“He’s [Jermell] smarter, he’s faster, and I feel this fight is going to go way different than the last one,” said Charlo.
“I just think everything I’ve done, I’ve earned it. I got out there, and I really worked hard, and I put in overtime in the gym, and this is just having fun right now. We’re enjoying this.
“I love the beats and the drums and the fans and the band. This is nice for me. Time to get the win the way I usually get it,” said Jermell in hitting that he’s going to be getting a knockout tonight against Castano.
“June 18th, we’re coming out, and we got a Polish kid, [Maciej] Sulecki,” said Jermall Charlo about the next title defense of his WBC middleweight strap. “He’s a tough guy. I’m not looking past him, and I’m ready to fight.
“We face adversity every time, and this is something that is part of our life. Me and my brother, this is what we do. Right now, we’re not focused on that. We’re going to be undisputed. That’s what’s going to motivate me,” Charlo said about his brother Jermell.
“Once he gets all these belts, that’s going to motivate me. So I don’t think nobody is going to stand in front of him at all,” said Charlo.
“I’m going to rehydrate to whatever size my body feels comfortable at. I’m going to eat breakfast, turn up and be us, that’s it. I’m going to win this fight.
“We’ve got an all-star team, that’s all. He deserves to be one of the top trainers of the year,” said Jermell.
Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano will meet for the second time tonight in a rematch for the undisputed championship at junior middleweight at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The two talented 154-lb champions, Jermell & Castano, will be squaring off with all four titles at stake nine months after their first fight last July.
Showtime Championship Boxing will be televising tonight’s main portion of the card beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET.