Charlo: If Castano tries to come charging at me I’m going to smash him
Charlo says he’s ready to dominate a Castano rematch and says he would fight Crawford but he hasn’t done anything at 154 to deserve a shot.
Junior middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo spent some time catching up with the media ahead of his impending rematch with Brian Castano, whom he fought to a draw last year. Charlo says if Castano tries to fight him the same way it’s going to go badly for Castano before fielding a question about potentially facing Terence Crawford. Check out some excerpts below.
Charlo on his upcoming rematch with Castano
“They talk ‘Jermell Charlo was on the ropes’ (during first fight with Castano). What? I fought myself off the ropes, who got hurt? Who got hurt more? Who got buckled? To me, I won all that shit. I’m him. At the end of the day, I just won’t get on the ropes that much, and when I start being on the ropes I’m gonna start getting myself off the ropes, put it back in the center of the ring.
“Castano’s a guy that throws 100,000 punches...not against me! So what, I won that opportunity, I won that objective. He didn’t throw as many punches at me why? Because if he did he would’ve got hurt, the fight would’ve ended. Let him come in there charging me up like that again, I’m gonna come in that motherfucker and smash him!”
On if he expects Castano to fight him the same way in their rematch
“I don’t understand what else he can do...Brian Castano is a rugged fighter, yeah, he can come forward, but can he back up? I don’t know what skill set he gained...I ain’t worried about the 19th, I ain’t worried about Brian Castano, I’m worried about the best of Jermell Charlo — one of the Charlo twins, the reason why Lions Only is so poppin’. It’s me, guys.
“I make all of these people somebody — Tony Harrison, Lubin, all these people that fought me before. Nobody knew who these people was, who Brian Castano was...I hope I get the judges that really understand boxing...everybody so used to me knocking people out the moment I don’t knock somebody out they say ‘oh, it’s an issue with this kid, something ain’t right.’ Why? Because I didn’t knock him out?! Like god damn, this is a skillful sport.”
On if he becomes undisputed would he’d be willing to fight a Spence-Crawford winner to put two undisputed champions up against one another
“I have no intentions to fight my stablemate. Now Crawford can get that work, I don’t give a fuck about him. I don’t know that man, he don’t know me, we can make anything happen...Crawford ain’t did shit in 154, how ya’ll want him to fight me?...where that tall lanky motherfucker (Sebastian Fundora) at?