.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Jarrett Hurd has changed his mind about who’ll win the Tony Harrison-Jermell Charlo rematch, just like he did about the result of their first fight.
Hurd initially felt that losing the WBC 154-pound championship to Harrison would recharge Charlo, make him hungrier than ever to win back his title and avenge his lone loss. But the more Hurd hears Harrison speak, the more the former IBF/IBO/WBA champ believes he’ll beat Charlo again Saturday night at Toyota Arena in Ontario, California (FOX; 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).
“The way Tony Harrison’s confidence is, it’s almost hard to go against him,” Hurd told BoxingScene.com following a press conference Wednesday in Brooklyn. “So, I was going with Charlo at one point. But after seeing these face-to-face things and press conferences, I think I’m going with Tony Harrison, man. He’s so confident in himself. And I know, for a fact, that if it goes 12 rounds, it’s gonna be a win for Tony Harrison. Charlo can only win if he gets a knockout.”
Detroit’s Harrison hasn’t fought since he upset Charlo by unanimous decision in their 12-rounder last December 22 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Their immediate rematch was supposed to take place June 23 in Las Vegas, but Harrison (28-2, 21 KOs) suffered an ankle injury that forced nearly a six-month postponement.
Houston’s Charlo (32-1, 16 KOs) knocked out Harrison’s replacement, Mexican veteran Jorge Cota, in the third round June 23 at Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Hurd (23-1, 16 KOs) is preparing for his own return from an upset defeat to Julian Williams on May 11 in Fairfax, Virginia. He’ll face Francisco Santana (25-7-1, 12 KOs) on the Danny Garcia-Ivan Redkach undercard January 25 at Barclays Center (Showtime).
There wasn’t any doubt about whether Williams defeated Hurd seven months ago. The Harrison-Charlo clash was much more competitive, enough to make Hurd go back and forth about who won.
“I didn’t think [Harrison] won the first fight,” Hurd said. “But going home and watching it, I felt like Tony Harrison won. But being there live, I felt like it was so close that you should give it to the champion. But when I went back and watched it, I said that they made the right decision – Tony Harrison won that fight.”
Hurd has a cordial relationship with Harrison, whom Hurd stopped in the ninth round of their February 2017 bout to win the then-vacant IBF junior middleweight title. Harrison and Charlo clearly dislike one another.
“It’s entertaining, man,” Hurd said. “I love it. It’s getting me hyped to watch the fight. At the end of the day, they’re doing what they’re supposed to. You can tell that the bad blood between them, it’s nothing fake. It’s personal between them guys. So, I’m stoked, man. I can’t wait to see it.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.