Jermall Charlo of Missouri City will challenge Cornelius Bundrage for the IBF junior middleweight title at the Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. on Saturday. The bout, a classic youth-versus experience matchup, will be promoted by Dibella Entertainment and aired on NBC.
"All my life I've always wanted to be a world champion," Charlo said. "Every kid growing up who takes to boxing, their goal is to win a belt. I've been doing this since I was eight years old."
Since turning pro in 2008, Charlo's career has been riddled with starts, stops, surges and speed bumps.
He watched his identical twin Jermell steadily climb the rankings as his own career stagnated. But after signing with influential manager Al Haymon in 2012, Jermall's career began to take off.
Last March, with only 17 fights under his belt, he was given a title shot but the fight fell through after belt-holder Carlos Molina was arrested two days before the fight and subsequently deported to Mexico.
In August of 2014, it was is twin's turn to have a world title fight canceled at the last minute after his opponent Demetrius Andrade had a falling out with the promoter.
Jermall, in the meantime, had raised his record to 21-0, 16 KOs, positioning himself as the mandatory challenger to Bundrage (35-5, 19 KOs), who had dethroned Molina in Mexico.
"Canine (Bundrage's nickname) has to be ready for me," Charlo said. "I'm a different type of fighter and I'm a different style for him. I'm not necessarily worried about who he's fought or who I've fought to get to this point. That's all in the past. I'm only pushing forward.
"I'm not necessarily worried about my age or his age," Charlo added. "I'm just going in there to fight, persevere with force and see if the old man can take it."
A 20-year veteran of the ring, Bundrage, 42, placed third in season 2 of The Contender on ESPN in 2006 before winning the IBF belt on two separate occasions in 2012 and 2014.
The Detroit fighter is the perfect opponent for Charlo to rise to the occasion against, said trainer Ronnie Shields.
"At a certain point in your career, you'll want to fight a guy with a lot of experience," Shields said. "In order for you to get to that (world) stage you'll have to fight guys with experience, no ifs or buts about it. It's just the way boxing works. But just because you have experience it doesn't automatically mean you're going to win the fight. "
In preparation for Bundrage, Shields has had Charlo sparring against Erislandy Lara (21-2-2, 12 KOs), Edwin Rodriguez (27-1, 18 KOs), Steve Lovett (13-0, 11 KOs) and Don Moutan (14-9-1, 12 KOs). Shields was predictably guarded when asked about his game plan.
"Bundrage, sometimes he tries to put pressure on you, sometimes he tries to go on the outside and just plain box," Shields said. "The thing is, though, we're going to make him adjust to what we're doing, not us adjust to what he's doing. We're going to dictate whatever happens in the ring."
In his last outing, Charlo was extended the 10-round distance by Michael Finney (12-3-1, 10 KOs) in March.
Although it snapped a 14-fight knockout streak, Charlo said he was glad in retrospect that it unfurled that way rather than a knockout since it tested his stamina and endurance.
"It was a 10-rounder, the most I ever did," Charlo said. "I got to accomplish that and see I how I felt. I liked the work that I did for the 10 rounds and I got through it. I'm a strong fighter but I never look for the knockout."
He predicts dethroning Bundrage via 12-round decision on Saturday.
Should that happen, Charlo would bring an end to a seven-year dry spell of world titleholders in the Houston area. Houston boxers have gone 0-5-1 in world title fights since Juan Diaz lost his three lightweight belts in March of 2008.
"Everybody has a job to do when they get up in the morning and mine is to go and fight," Charlo said. "I've been giving it 100 percent. I'm ready for a world title shot and I've trained hard enough for it."
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