After Saturday night’s captivating draw with Brian Castaño in San Antonio, Jermell Charlo wants to prove his superiority in a rematch.
WBC, WBA Super and IBF 154lbs king Charlo needed a late rally in the final three rounds to snatch a draw on the judges’ cards with many observers feeling WBO champion Castaño’s fearless pressure and feverish workrate deserved the verdict.
The Argentine certainly performed above expectation before Charlo turned the tables with a dominant 10th round where his heavier hands left the visitor beating a hasty retreat.
Now Charlo has expressed his admiration for Castaño and insisted he wants that rematch to put the record straight. The Houston dynamo believes he can adjust and improve in the return, just as he did in avenging his sole defeat to Tony Harrison (WKO11) in December 2019.
“Brian Castaño is one hell of a better fighter than anyone gave him credit for and he came to fight for his life Saturday,” said Charlo in a statement on Instagram. “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.
“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.”
Main image: Sean Michael Ham/TGB Promotions.