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Jermell Charlo & Jaron Ennis
Los Angeles Media Workout
Quotes
Unified WBC, WBA, and IBF 154-pound world champion Jermell
Charlo and unbeaten welterweight rising star Jaron “Boots”
Ennis previewed their respective upcoming showdowns at a
media workout in Los Angeles Wednesday, before they enter
the ring this Saturday, May 14 live on SHOWTIME from Dignity
Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., headlining a Premier
Boxing Champions event.
Charlo made clear his goal is to prevent the judges from
deciding his fate when he faces WBO 154-pound world champion
Brian Castaño in a rematch of one of 2021’s most significant
fights, which ended in a hotly contested split draw They
again will seek to become the first undisputed super
welterweight male champion of the four-belt era.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m.
ET/6 p.m. PT and will also feature Philadelphia’s Ennis in
an IBF Welterweight Title Eliminator against unbeaten
Canadian Olympian Custio Clayton that serves as the co-main
event. Ennis said he was looking forward to recording a
knockout in front of a new Southern California fanbase,
while also predicting a win for Charlo in the rematch.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB
Promotions and Lions Only Promotions, are on sale now and
can be purchased through AXS.com.
Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from
Churchill Boxing Club in Santa Monica:
JERMELL CHARLO
“I don’t want this fight to go the distance. I don’t get
paid for overtime.
“I’m excited and I’m ready to go. I’m ready to rock. I’m
putting it all on the line and I’m ready to destroy. I’m
going to give the fans an exciting and entertaining show and
just have fun out there.
“Castaño is going to have to do something different this
fight. If not, he knows he’s getting slept. Whatever he does
or whatever move he makes, I’m going to be on him. My goal
is to knock him out.
“I approach this fight like I approach any fight. I come in
there like I’m 0-0. Let’s go in there and see who’s better.
Let’s see who the real dog is.
“I don’t take much from the last rematch I had against Tony
Harrison. That was a totally different opponent. I’m just
preparing for Castaño. There’s no correlation with my last
rematch. I’m just focused on who I’m facing.
“I’m just focused on my career and my craft. Being on the
undisputed list means more to me than being on
pound-for-pound lists. I want to be on the top tier and for
people to see that I’m undisputed and say that he’s an
animal. This is my moment.
“I’ve made some changes, but it’s still going to be the same
Jermell Charlo. I’m ready to take advantage of what’s in
front of me.
“I don’t know if this fight will be like the first one. It
could be a quicker night. It should be. If not, it’s going
to be entertaining for 12 rounds.
“I don’t worry about pound-for-pound lists and whether I’m
on them. If I win these belts, they might have to. If I go
in there and knock him out, or handle my business for 12
rounds, that’s it. They won’t be able to deny me.
“I haven’t fought at this venue since much earlier in my
career. It’s a little bit chilly right now in Southern
California, but I know that once I get warmed up, I’ll be
able to adapt no matter what it’s like Saturday.”
JARON ENNIS
“It doesn’t matter to me who I’m facing. I want everybody
and anybody. They can line ‘em up, and I’ll knock ‘em down.
Doesn’t matter who it is.
“Everyone already knows how this fight is going to go. I’m
going to put on a show. I’m going to get in the ring and be
dominant. I’m getting that knockout at the end of the night
and making a statement.
“It feels great to be performing here in Southern
California. I can’t wait for Saturday to shine in front of
my new fans. It’s a new fanbase to see me get another
knockout.
“I don’t know too much about my opponent. I don’t usually
watch film on who I’m fighting, unless I’ve just seen it by
chance. I let my team look at those kind of things. I’m not
too worried about what he’s going to bring.
“I’m going to do what I always do. I can figure these
opponents out in like 30 seconds. I see how they’re coming
and go from there.
“I feel like I’m going to get my opportunity sooner than
later. I think end of the year or next year is possible. I’m
either going to fight Errol Spence Jr. or Terence Crawford,
or fight for a vacant belt.
“I don’t believe that any fighter is scared of another
fighter. I know the top guys are just making business
decisions. It’s what’s best for their careers. If I can’t
get the top welterweights while they’re here, I’ll see them
at 154 pounds.
“I don’t feel like I have to prove anything to anyone but
myself. I’m not worried about any outside noise. As long as
I’m doing my thing and winning, putting myself in line for
the world title, then that’s all that matters.
“Charlo and Castaño should both be confident heading into
this fight. They went to war the first time, but I think
Charlo will win this time. I think he figured Castaño out.
Charlo was picking it up at the end of the first fight and I
think he’s going to start earlier this time and go for the
knockout.”
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