The most mouthwatering matchup of the year is here as Jermell Charlo and Brian Castaño meet again to crown an undisputed 154-pound world champion Saturday night on PBC on SHOWTIME.
OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN: Jermell Charlo vs Brian Castano 2 | #CharloCastano2
On Saturday, May 14, live on SHOWTIME from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, Premier Boxing Champions presents unified WBA, WBC and IBF Super Welterweight World Champion Jermell Charlo (34-1-1, 18 KOs) meets WBO Super Welterweight World Champion Brian Castaño (17-0-2, 12 KOs) in a much-anticipated rematch of their exciting 2021 unification split-decision draw.
The winner becomes the first ever undisputed 154-pound champion in the four-belt era. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING broadcast (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) also features rising welterweight star Jaron “Boots” Ennis against undefeated Canadian Olympian Custio Clayton in an IBF welterweight title eliminator co-main event. Opening the telecast, unbeaten Mexican contender Kevin González battles Puerto Rico’s Emanuel Rivera in a 10-round super bantamweight contest.
The Story
Last July, Charlo and Castaño executed their respective game plans, with each having moments of success throughout the 12-round unification clash. The end result was a contest that proved to be one of the most entertaining battles of 2021.
True to form, the Houston native, Charlo, boxed tall, utilizing his five-and-a-half inch reach advantage while shooting off a stiff jab and looking for opportunities to score with lightning-quick counters.
Argentina’s Castaño, meanwhile, did what he does best—push forward and work to do battle inside, flinging fists and trying to impose his will.
The clashing ring styles and conflicting mindsets made for a compelling bout with continuous ebbs and flows in momentum. The split decision draw generated plenty of post-fight debate as to who, really, deserved to win the compelling battle.
Now, ten months later, Charlo-Castaño is being revisited with all four super welterweight belts still at stake and history on the line. Added to the historical significance of this bout is a personal grudge as both men are burning to prove who, definitively, is the better man.
The Stakes
At stake now is what was at stake in their first go-round: All four recognized world title belts and the distinction of being the first four-belt undisputed super welterweight champion in boxing history.
The Matchup
The 31-year-old Charlo fights tall and uses a beautifully sharp jab to create space and set up opportunities to showcase his picture-perfect punching technique.
Although he’s earned a reputation as a mean-spirited banger, Charlo is a clinical, cautious boxer-puncher at heart who works to find ideal opportunities before letting his hands go. Trained by Derrick James, he can do just about everything well in the ring, but movement and rhythm-busting unorthodoxy have served to handcuff him in the past, including at times in his first bout with Castaño.
On defense, Charlo utilizes good upper body movement and picks off incoming shots with his gloves. Keeping opponents at arm’s length with his jab also helps give him a split-second more reaction time.
“ I’m going to let him keep talking, because I’m going to be dangerous in this fight. ” WBA/WBC/IBF Unified World Super Welterweight Champion - Jermell Charlo
Castaño is a come-forward volume puncher who works his game with supreme confidence. Although not gifted with one-punch power, the 32-year-old Buenos Aires native has quick hands and wears opposition down with constant pressure.
At just a bit over 5-foot-7, Castaño likes to fight relatively low and does his best work on the inside where he can let his hands go and apply pressure.
Defensively, Castaño is deceptively good with a high-guard defense and a low center of gravity that allows him to work underneath incoming shots.
The Words
Jermell Charlo
“I hate that I didn’t close out the first fight the way I should have. I’m going to be better, faster, stronger and more relentless in this fight. I’m dead focused and laser sharp. I’m going to have him hurting and crying. I’m going to let him keep talking, because I’m going to be dangerous in this fight. I was made for this and bred for this.”
Brian Castaño
“I want the knockout. I need it and I crave it. That’s my chance to redeem myself and prove that I should have won the first fight outright. My only objective is to walk out of there with four belts. A victory will make my dream come true. When you’re in the prime of your career and you have a chance like this, you just can’t let it go.”
The Breakdown
In their first fight, Charlo and Castaño did well, but both could’ve done more.
Charlo could’ve been more active, throwing his heavy right hand behind the ever-present jab more frequently and pushing the Argentinian back more often. Castaño could’ve worked his way inside more, possibly using his solid, but underutilized jab to get there and create fast-paced chaos.
What makes this rematch so intriguing is that both fighters were able to nullify the other’s strengths to an extent. In this part two of their rivalry, they will have to take more risks, walk through the fire more, and make more of an emphatic case for their superiority. This guarantees a classic rematch battle.
Their respective paths to victory remain basically the same as in their first encounter, though.
Charlo will need to win Castaño’s respect and establish proper distance, busting up the pressure fighter in front of him and taking away his will to push forward.
Castaño, meanwhile, will have to get up close, taking away Charlo’s long game, and unloading combinations that create the kind of firefight that works to his benefit.
If Charlo-Castaño I proved to be outstanding, expect the rematch this Saturday to be even more compelling.
The stakes are still high and history is still there to be made, but now there’s a very personal component to this rivalry. Not only do both fighters want to be the first ever undisputed 154-pound champion in the four-belt era, they really and truly want to beat one another as a point of pride and to prove, once and for all, who is the better man.
For a closer look at Charlo vs Castaño 2, check out our fight night page.
