Jermell Charlo Gave Props To Brian Castano Tuesday Night
Three nights after their hard fought 12 round draw for the Undisputed Jr. Middleweight title, the WBC, WBA, IBF champ, Jermell Charlo, made sure to give his respect the WBO titleholder, Brian Castano.
Off the Split-Draw in San Antonio, TX, that saw one judge give each fighter their nod with the third card even, Charlo took to Instagram Tuesday night,
“Brian Castano is one hell of a better fighter than anyone gave him credit for and he came to fight for his life Saturday. If fights are scored as a whole I landed the harder and better shots, but boxing isn’t scored that way. Boxing is scored round by round,” the Charlo post said.
“I’ve always said to take a belt from a champion you need to take that belt and the judges felt neither of us did enough to take those other belts and they ruled a draw. I don’t want to become undisputed by a narrow controversial decision. I want to make a statement. I didn’t do my part to get the KO and as always I will continue to learn and improve. When we run it back, just like I adjusted in Harrison II, there will be no doubt about the result.”
There was certainly doubt about this result. This as, Puerto Rican judge Nelson Vazquez’s Saturday card showed he had Charlo winning five of the first six rounds, even though Castano, now 17-0-2, was clearly dominating the action and scoring more punches.
It’s almost as if Vazquez had already put 10’s by Charlo’s name in advance or he was wearing a blindfold for the fist 18 minutes of the fight. This as, Castano put the pressure on Charlo along the ropes and was out scoring him 2-1 and even 3-1 in the early rounds.
Clearly, Charlo knew he had to rally at the end of the fight and his own corner was even telling him, as such. He did pour on the pressure in the 10th round staggering Castano on a couple of occasions.
And, all three judges, including veteran championship scorers Tim Cheatham and Steve Weisfeld gave Charlo each of the final three rounds 10 – 12. And, that’s what saved the now 34-1-1 Charlo from defeat Saturday night.
Castano did not hesitate post fight to say he wanted Charlo in a quick rematch. For his part, just as the Instagram post said Tuesday, Charlo always defers to the head of Premier Boxing Champions, Al Haymon, on what to do next?
It seems that a November or December showdown between Charlo-Castano to decide 154 lb. supremacy works, but who knows if Haymon wants another fight for Charlo first or not?
No matter, Charlo did the right thing publicly Tuesday by reinforcing that Castano was worthy of winning, even if he didn’t get the decision Saturday.
A veteran broadcaster of over 25 years, T.J. has been a fight fan longer than that! He’s the host of the “Big Fight Weekend” podcast and will go “toe to toe” with anyone who thinks that Marvin Hagler beat Sugar Ray Leonard or that Tyson, Lennox Lewis or Deontay Wilder could have beaten Ali!
