What’s Next After Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano Draw?

Now that the dust has settled from Saturday night’s disputed draw in San Antonio, TX for the Undisputed World Jr. Middleweight Title fight between Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano, we wonder for both: what’s next?

First, the controversy continues about the split-draw announced inside the AT&T Center, when many believed the unbeaten Argentine had beaten the Texan Charlo in his home state.

As we wrote, the fight was close, but marred by one un-defendable scorecard that had Charlo winning a phantom 9 of the 12 rounds. This, when Castano, now 17-0-2, clearly pressed the action early, scored the more important punches and Charlo, now 34-1-1, chose to hang on the ropes getting outfought through the first nine rounds.

Now, in the tenth the tide turned and Charlo had his best round of the whole fight. He repeatedly rocked Castano with straight right hands and lefts to the body. However, he couldn’t put Castano on the canvas.

And most importantly, Charlo couldn’t finish him over the next two rounds.

So, we are left unfulfilled.

No Undisputed champ.

But, is there really going to be a quick rematch? That is unknown.

Castano certainly gained some serious respect by fighting well against the toughest opponent of his career and could take that performance into another publicized battle with Australia’s Tim Tszyu, who is ranked #1 by the WBO.

Tszyu made it clear shortly after the draw verdict was read that he’s ready for Castano, next,

Congrats Brian Castano.
I'm ready when you are…

— Tim Tszyu (@Tim_Tszyu) July 18, 2021

The challenge will be whether Tszyu will be willing to come to the U.S. or elsewhere to have that bout or if Australian organizers could pay Castano enough to forgo the Charlo immediate rematch to head down under and fight him?

As for Charlo, there has been great speculation that had he won legitimately Saturday night and gained the fourth of four world titles at Jr. Middleweight that a potential mega-fight with unbeaten WBO Welterweight Champ, Terence Crawford would be waiting.

Certainly, it’s a juicy potential matchup and it largely would still have the same appeal, even though Charlo didn’t win Saturday night. And it would likely be the biggest guaranteed pay day of both of their careers to fight each other.

But, does either fighter want that fight in 2022?

Charlo has repeatedly answered all questions about a possible Crawford fight (or with anyone else) with the response that he’ll fight whomever Al Haymon and PBC want him to, when they want him to do it. That also includes a possible Castano immediate rematch.

But, if Crawford is playing out his final fight with Top Rank Boxing in October and about to be free, that could be next. Then, again here was Crawford on social media Sunday afternoon,

I been gone for a min but @TwinCharlo last night is the reason you not on the P4P list sir. Gotta do better.

— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) July 18, 2021

And further, just as Canelo Alvarez has been dealing with since last December before he agreed to fight England’s Callum Smith and now trying to lockdown a September bout with PBC’s Caleb Plant, if you don’t want to do a multi-fight deal with PBC, you aren’t getting at one one of their fighters.

That’s the same for Crawford, in this case with a possible Charlo fight. He will have to agree to multiple fights with them, to get it.

The rest of the landscape for Charlo at Jr. Middleweight includes the likes of WBC #1 contender Erickson Lubin or possibly, Erislandy Lara (whom he’s already beaten). But, those aren’t that attractive.

Lots of options for both fighters who left the ring in the Alamo city unsatisfied Saturday night.

But, the best one may just be them fighting each other again, next.