One of the most important fights of the year occurs this Saturday at the War Grounds in Carson, CA. WBA, WBC & IBF junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo (34-1-1) will be going up against WBO champ Brian Castano (17-0-2) for the right to be called the king of the division. Although it would be worthy of a PPV, this card will be shown on Showtime.
This has been an interesting fight week as there hasn’t been much hype about the fight as it is a true 50/50 fight. This is the second time they meet, as the first fight could not determine a winner, with the judges calling it a split draw. That first fight had plenty of interesting moments and momentum shifts which had fans on the edge of their seat. At one point, it looked as though Jermell Charlo was about to put together a savage knockout, but then Brian Castano looked as though he had Charlo in la-la land.
Both men showed that they belonged in that fight, and they proved to be the champions they are. After Castano pulled out of the originally scheduled fight due to an injury, we are finally at fight week, and all signs point toward these two men facing each other on Saturday night.
The venue for this one is The Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, which is known to host the biggest battles of titans. It reminds me of the Roman Coliseum as gladiators go in there and have savage wars against one another. The crowd also resembles it as fans attend to see blood and for the fighters to go at it. The shape of the venue is that of a tennis court but makes for premier viewing regardless of where you sit. Some fighters have even mentioned feeling as if the” fans are on top of them.”
What does Jermell Charlo have to do to win?
He has to bring the pressure and make Castano fight on his back foot. When doing that, he still needs to keep it at a mid-range as Charlo saw plenty of success in the first fight doing this, which almost earned him a knockout. Also, he cannot forget the body. In the second Harrison fight, the body shots were the difference, which opened him up for the late knockout. Jermell needs to also stay busy with the jab and keep it in Castano’s face. If he can do all of this, we can potentially see a late fight stoppage.
What does Brian Castano have to do to win?
He has to pressure Jermell Charlo and be first when it comes to offense. Castano had plenty of success when the fight was in close, and he had Charlo up against the ropes. Smothering, holding, and leaning on him will zap Charlo’s endurance. Castano has to avoid the firefights at mid-range while switching up his approach when coming into Charlo’s kitchen. If Castano can do that, he could dominate those late rounds and come away with the decision victory.
Charlo vs. Castano 2 Prediction
I don’t think Castano has another level when watching the first fight, and we may have seen the best version of him. Jermell Charlo looks more like the fighter that will make the adjustments both prior to the fight and in-ring. We will all be highly entertained but in the end, we get another narrow decision but this time around, Jermell Charlo will come out victorious. “Experience is the teacher of all things.”- Julius Caesar.
CHARLO VS. CASTANO 2 FIGHT DATE, START TIME
- Date : Saturday, May 14
- Time : 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m PT
- Ringwalks (approx): 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT*
*These times could change due to the length of the other bouts.
HOW CAN I WATCH CHARLO VS. CASTANO 2?
- Showtime & the Showtime App
CHARLO VS. CASTANO FIGHT CARD
- Jermell Charlo (34-1-1) vs. Brian Castano (17-0-2); For the undisputed super welterweight title
- Jaron Ennis (28-0) vs. Custio Clayton (19-0-1); welterweight
- Marcos Hernandez (15-5-2) vs. Brandon Lynch (10-1-1); middleweight
- Jerry Perez (13-1) vs. Erik Lanzas Jr. (10-0); lightweight
Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano 2 betting odds
According to BetMGM, Jermell Charlo is favored at -200 while Brian Castano is the underdog at +175. This is a real “pick ’em” fight as the first one resulted in a draw.
Method of Victory
Charlo by KO/TKO/DQ or Technical decision: +275
Charlo on points: +125
Castano by KO/TKO/DQ or Technical decision: +600
Castano on points: +300
Draw: +1600
For the most up to date Odds, click HERE.
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