Undisputed WBO Jr. Middleweight Championship: Jermell Charlo Fights Brian Castano July 17th On Showtime
Unified World Champion Jermell Charlo and WBO World Champion Brian Castaño will battle for undisputed status at super welterweight as all four 154-pound belts hang in the balance for the first time in history on Saturday, July 17 live on SHOWTIME from AT&T Center in San Antonio in a Premier Boxing Champions event.
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will also feature unbeaten Interim WBA Lightweight Champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero taking on Austin Dulay in the co-main event, plus unbeaten middleweight Amilcar Vidal matching up against veteran contender Immanuwel Aleem in a 10-round bout that opens the telecast.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through www.attcenter.com. Romero vs. Dulay is co-promoted with Mayweather Promotions.
“This is going to be a monumental and historic event on July 17 at AT&T Center in San Antonio,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Charlo and Castaño will be vying to become the first undisputed champion at 154-pounds in the four-belt era.
This is a big moment for the sport and I’m expecting both fighters to do whatever it takes to accomplish something that’s never been done before. Whoever emerges victorious on July 17, will cement their legacy and become the undisputed top fighter in one of the most stacked divisions in all of boxing.”
After years of scintillating matchups, memorable showdowns, and drama-filled bouts, the super welterweight division will crown an undisputed champion on July 17 when the unified champion Charlo puts his three titles on the line against the hard-charging world champion Castaño. The winner of this matchup will become the first four-belt champion of the 154-pound division.
Houston’s Charlo (34-1, 18 KOs) became a unified champion in his last fight, dropping Jeison Rosario three times on his way to an eighth-round knockout that earned him the WBA and IBF titles.
Before that fight, Charlo had avenged the only loss of his career, as he reclaimed his WBC belt via an 11th-round knockout of Tony Harrison in one of 2019’s best fights.
The 31-year-old is trained by Derrick James in Dallas and won his first world title in his debut fight with James by scoring an eighth-round knockout of John Jackson in 2016. He followed up that victory with three successful defenses, knocking out Erickson Lubin and Charles Hatley, while winning a decision over former world champion Austin Trout.
“I’m more than excited for July 17,” said Charlo. “I have so much potential and I’m just doing everything I can to get better and do better day by day.
I’m hungrier than ever because I know I’m on the verge of capturing this undisputed title and doing something that nobody has ever done before at 154 pounds.
There’s nobody out there that’s as fast, strong and elusive as me. Castaño doesn’t possess anything I haven’t seen before, and we’ll see if he can take my power and the pain I’ll bring.
But there’s nothing that worries me about this fight. I’m training super hard and aggressive and just taking it one day at a time. I’m so ready for this and more than likely he’ll walk into every shot I throw.”
The 31-year-old Castaño (17-0-1, 12 KOs) put on a spectacular performance to capture the WBO title in February, as he dominated Patrick Teixeira to wrest the belt away via unanimous decision.
A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, a win on July 17 would be a monumental achievement in the storied history of Argentine boxing.
Prior to winning his title, Castaño fought to a draw against two-division world champion Erislandy Lara in a 2019 action fight, and also owns triumphs over Michel Soro, Cedric Vitu, and Wale Omotoso.
A highly experienced amateur, Castaño notched victories over unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. and top middleweight Sergiy Derevyanchenko before he turned pro.
“This is the biggest opportunity of my life and I won’t let it get away,” said Castaño. “I’ll make Charlo suffer more than he ever thought was possible. I’m training with only one goal in mind, to leave the ring with all of the belts on July 17.”