Brian Castano says Jermell Charlo is not the only one bringing muscle to the fight
For WBO junior middleweight champion Brian “El Boxi” Castano (17-0-1, 12ko), his climb to the top of the mountain was done the hard way. Furthermore, he is very confident going into the undisputed fight with rival unified champion Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (34-1, 18ko).
El Boxi’s path to one of the most important fights in boxing history did not come without roadblocks. He had to overcome tough obstacles and defy stiff odds to be on this type of stage. The entire boxing world will be watching the bout to crown the first undisputed junior middleweight champion of the four-belt era.
The 31-year-old Argentine fighter has been in big fights before, and he has shown up every time to answer the call. In 2017, he would defeat stop Emmanuel de Jesus en route to becoming the WBA interim titleholder. It was a very significant win because shortly afterward, the organization elevated him to Regular champion when former WBA Regular champion Demetrius Andrade vacated the title.
FROM CHAMPION TO CONTENDER AND BACK TO CHAMPION
Castano, now a world champion, would then defeat challengers Michel Soro and Cedric Vitu. In 2019, he was in a big fight against former WBA ‘Super’ champion Erislandy Lara. It was just the moment he had waited. This was a fight against high caliber opposition and a chance to prove himself as a top-tier fighter.
The Argentine boxer fought like a man possessed, despite being viewed as an underdog. The fight would end in a draw, but the majority of watchers felt he should have gotten the victory. Castano tried to get a rematch with Lara. However, the WBA stripped him of the championship for not fighting mandatory challenger and former victim in Soro.
The former champion continued to fight forward like a true warrior and fought his way back into another title opportunity. On February 13, 2021, Brian Castano, determined more than ever, shocked the world once again by defeating then-WBO champion Patrick Teixeira. Then, without hesitation, he looked toward Charlo for undisputed.
Castano’s hard road to becoming a two-time divisional champion has helped him understand fully what a fight of this magnitude means.
“This is my opportunity. This is the fight of my life. I am training hard every day in training camp here in the USA. This is my year, this is my time. I am focused on July 17.”
The WBO champion is fully aware of the type of fighter he is facing in Charlo and he admits it is a tough fight.
“This is a great opportunity for me, my team, and my family. This is my hardest fight. Charlo is good fighter. He is strong, but me too.”
By: Garrisson Bland
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