Jermell Charlo is aware that his intense skepticism of Brian Castano’s recent biceps injury may make him sound like he is some Zapruder film debunker.
But the unified WBC, WBA, and IBF 154-pound titlist from Houston, Texas could not care less about giving off such an impression, given what he feels to be insurmountable evidence – however circumstantial – that Castano and his team are trying to pull some shenanigans.
A livid Charlo let off some steam in a recent interview regarding the postponement of his undisputed title rematch against WBO beltholder Brian Castano of Argentina. The fight, originally scheduled for March 19 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, was waylaid when it was reported that Castano suffered a right biceps injury. According to a previous BoxingScene.com report, the fight will take place on May 14; a venue has not yet been chosen.
Pulling up a video clip posted on Instagram by one of Castano’s trainers on his phone, Charlo showed a figure he purports to be Castano executing sprints on the beach; Castano himself has stated that he will continue to train but will do so by carefully refraining to use his right arm. Charlo, however, is suspicious that one can engage in any sort of rigorous exercise that requires a “swinging motion” of the arms without affecting the injured biceps.
"He doing videos showing [of him] training,” Charlo told Brian Custer on The Last Stand Podcast. “Unfortunately, those people don’t even know how to keep their nose clean. These are videos of Brian Castano working out. But if your right biceps is injured— he working out, doing all his training. That's the one that exposes you, your own people.
“Brian Castano's injury doesn’t need surgery, ok? So now it's about healing process,” Charlo continued. “But he's still working out and running. That right arm that he supposedly didn’t use to train, he’s swinging it. I hate to be the guy to pull up these, but I gotta state all the facts.
“[Castano is] using the left arm, only the left arm, throwing hooks. But the right arm he’s not using [it], he’s keeping it stable. I know that if you have a slightly torn biceps you would have it taped up, wrapped up – don't go taping now Brian. No point in taping it now after I already recognized it. But I'm happy. I won’t worry.”
A visibly frustrated Charlo believes Castano’s injury is just a ruse to buy more time to get in shape.
“Brian Castano is not, to me, injured,” Charlo added. “Personally, he [is] overweight. He can’t make the weight. It’s gon’ be hard to make this weight. He gonna drain himself and you all of a sudden come out of nowhere with a right biceps injury, but when you're running your stride, you’re using your arms. Slow it (the video) down. That's the same biceps that you hurt.”
The injury caused a brief kerfuffle with the WBO, the sanctioning body whose title Castano owns, as it put a snag in the organization’s mandatory defense schedule. Australia’s Tim Tszyu, the son of boxing great Kostya Tszyu and Castano’s mandatory, sent a letter to the WBO shortly after news broke of the postponement, putting their foot down on getting their title shot. The matter has since been resolved, thus allowing the unification bout to proceed, after Castano declared he would allow Team Tszyu to choose an independent medical firm to confirm the extent of Castano’s injury.
The 31-year-old Charlo (34-1-1, 18 KOs) and 32-year-old Castano (17-0, 12 KOs) battled to a slightly controversial split decision draw last July at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.
Charlo swore that Castano won’t be so fortunate the next time.
“If they’re using a bicep injury, I will give you a real bicep injury!” Charlo said. “That’s what you want, come get your injury. I’mma knock you the f--- out!”