By: Sean Crose
Saturday night, at Carson California’s Dignity Health Sports Park, WBA, WBC and IBF champion Jermell Charlo and WBO champion Brian Castano battle once again for the undisputed junior middleweight title. . Their first match for divisional dominance took place in July 2021. It was a great battle, ending in a controversial draw. The rematch aims to bring clarity to the division, as well as an unquestionable king. Like their first game, Charlo-Castano 2 is scheduled for 12 championship rounds.
Charlo landed well the first time around. However, Castano appeared to kick his man in the last minute of the round. It was an interesting opening chapter. Charlo continued to land well into the second, although Castano continued forward. Castano’s rampage could have continued to tell the story of season three. However, Charlo’s punches are sharp and precise. The fourth was a very high octane one, with both men throwing and landing. The final seconds of the round, which saw both men trade to each other with punches, were explosive.
The frenetic pace continued into the fifth round, but it was Charlo who delivered the more effective moves… until the end of the round when the fight turned into a tense battle of attrition. Season six saw Castano relentlessly make his way to Charlo, who was still making a good landing. By the end of the inning, it’s worth wondering how each one still stands.
Castano’s leg was bent in the seventh part – but he was still standing. Charlo controlled the tempo of the eighth round, through a powerful jab and sharp counter-punch. Charlo was able to maintain range in the ninth. In fact, the Texans seem to be mingling with a current. The question is whether he can keep Castano in for the final three rounds of the match. Season ten largely saw Charlo remain in control.
Then, with only about a minute left of the chapter, a flurry of punches brought down the brave Argentine. Castano stood up, but Charlo put him down again. The referee counts to five, then aborts the game. It was a brilliant battle, but it was Charlo who cleared all doubts. Without a doubt, he was the base middleweight ruler.
