Harrison and Mell Charlo Try To Draw Blood Before Saturday Scrap

Haven’t seen many better beefs, words wars, between fighters this year in the lead to a scrap, as we have for the Tony Harrison versus Jermell Charlo tussle which unfolds Saturday, on FOX.

They fought one year ago, in a too tactical for some sort of bout.

And the Michigan boxer Harrison had his hand raised, to the surprise of Jermell, who had to hand over his WBC 154 pound strap. He will seek to wrest it back Saturday, and so he looked to gain the upper hand as him and Harrison volleyed and verbally jousted in pressers and face to facers. Who won the battle of sniping? That’s for you to say….And it may not have anything to do with who wins Saturday. But it has been entertaining, yes? Maybe not for Jermell. “This fight sold cuz of me. This motherfucker can’t even complete a sentence, he half retarded,” Harrison declared during Heidi Androl’s Q n A.

NOTE: Do you ever wonder if Charlo loses some energy, from being so tightly wound up? He LOOKS like he burns lots of fuel getting riled…but only he knows how much his emotions drain him.

Here is a release with quotes from the Thursday press conference, which saw Harrison try to slap away the hand of Charlo as they jawed after a stare down.

ONTARIO, Calif. (December 19, 2019) – WBC Super Welterweight Champion Tony “Superbad” Harrison and former world champion Jermell Charlo continued their war of words Thursday at the final press conference before they rematch this Saturday, December 21 in the FOX PBC Fight Night main event and on FOX Deportes from Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.

The press conference also featured heavyweight sensation Efe Ajagba and Georgia’s Iago Kiladze, who meet in the 10-round co-feature, plus 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas and Mexico’s Rene Tellez Giron, who battle in an eight-round lightweight fight that opens the broadcast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Toyota Arena box office and Ticketmaster.com.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from Toyota Arena:

TONY HARRISON

“I’m hungrier now because of the layoff since the first fight. It hasn’t affected my mindset for one moment. Sparring has been intense for me. That’s where I got the rust off. I was pushed every day with guys trying to knock me out, just like he’s going to try to do.

“Nothing about me is fake. Everything I say, I do it. It comes from my heart. The beef between us is real when it comes to my eyes. I don’t like anything about him. The tables turned after what he did right after the first fight. I’m a humble beast and he woke me up.

“I trained in Florida because I needed to be hungry again. I made the changes for me. I was out a year and I had to get mentally correct. He woke me up. I didn’t need to be in Detroit, they know I’m the champ. Now I’m ready to beat you again on Saturday.

“I had three judges who said I won, so I don’t think I have to change anything in my game plan. I’m happy. I don’t care about what him and his team is telling him. I don’t have to do anything different.

“He had 12 rounds and never rocked me, never stumbled me. He gave me everything he has. The same Jermell that you have seen in every fight is the same you’ll see Saturday.

“We’re here once again and once again I’m going to exactly what I have to do. This is what needs to be done to him. I love everything about this. I love everything about the talking, the back and forth, and all the noise.

“Jermell knocked out Jorge Cota, so he’s back on top right? I’m going to humble him again, that’s my job. I’m going to ease him of his pain. He acts like he’s the strongest guy in the world, but he’s up against an animal.

“I just have to be myself and win again. He can’t handle someone who’s himself. I’m rattling him every five seconds. I just have to throw the 1-2 off of that and we’re good.”

JERMELL CHARLO

“He talks a lot but he has to see me Saturday night. You’re going to get the same thing I gave to Jorge Cota. He just gave me more time getting out of the fight in June. I’m much stronger, much better and much faster now.

“I’m a fighter who lives and learns. I know how to progress. It’s okay for me, because I understand how to go down and come back up. When I come back, I come back way harder. They made the true champ come out of me.

“They know he’s not on my level. They know what I possess and what I do. Him not liking me has nothing to do with what I’m going to do Saturday.

“Nothing he’s said has gotten under my skin. It’s unbelievable to think that you could get inside another man’s head who gets in the ring and puts it all on the line for this.

“He will get what he deserves. I’m a man of my word and everyone knows what I do. I’m ‘Mr. Keep Running Your Mouth.’ This is what I do.

“I want to knock him out and I’m going to knock him out. I’m going to set up the right shots. I’m going to set up what he’s not going to see. I’m going to show you how to take the belt.

“All I know is that I’m ready to fight. He’s all hype. The only thing fake about him is that injury he put up to get out of the rematch, but we’re here now so its whatever. I’m going to crush him.”