At the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, Saturday over Showtime Tom Brown (TGB Promotions), PBC and Leonard Ellerbe (Mayweather Promotions) presented the super welterweight unification match between IBF, WBA and WBC champion Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo and former WBA Super Welter and WBO champion Brian “El Boxi” Castano ending in a split decision draw in the Main Event. In the co-feature WBA interim World Lightweight champion Las Vegas’ Rolando “Rolly” Romero defended his title stopping No. 14 ranked Anthony Yigit with several knockdowns.
In the Main Event IBF, WBA and WBC Super Welterweight World champ Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo, 34-1-1 (18), #153, of Houston, TX, ended in a split draw with WBO World champ Brian “El Boxi” Castano, 17-0-2 (12), #153 ¼, of Isidro Casanova, Bueno Aires, ARG, over 12 rounds.
In the second round Charlo countered Castano hurting him with a left hook on the chin at the end of the first minute of the round. In the final seconds of the third round Castano buckled the knees of Charlo with a left hook on the chin. In the fourth round Castano outworked Charlo who came back to take the fifth and sixth rounds.
In the seventh and eighth rounds Castano came back late in the rounds to pull them out. In the ninth and tenth rounds Charlo came back to outwork Castano. In the eleventh round it was close with Castano possibly pulling it out. In the twelfth and final round Charlo seemed to pull it out with his jab. Referee was Hector Afu.
Scores were 114-113 Castano, 117-111 Charlo and 114-114 as did this writer.
“I thought I won the fight. He’s a good fighter,” said Charlo. “Basically I won the fight. He hit hard. I want to thank the fans in San Antonio and felt I did enough to win the fight,” said Castano.
In the co-feature WBA interim World Lightweight champ Rolando “Rolly” Romero, 14-0 (12), #135, of Las Vegas, NV, retained his title stopping late sub inactive for 2 years Olympian southpaw Anthony “Can You Dig It” Yigit, 24-2-1 (8), #140 ¼, of Stockholm, SW, at 1:54 of the seventh round of a scheduled 12.
Note: Yigit came in over the 135 limit so he couldn’t win the title even if he won the fight.
In the first four rounds Romero outworked Yigit. In the fifth round Yigit lost a point hitting on the break from referee Rafael Ramos. At the bell a right from Romero on the chin knocked Yigit down for an 8-count.
In the seventh round a right from Romero on the chin dropped Yigit for an 8-count halfway through the round. In the final minute a counter left hook from Romero on the chin of Yigit and down he went again causing the referee to call a halt.
“I want Gervonta Davis at 140,” said Romero. Romero is No. 1 WBA ranked to Davis who is partial champ at 135 and 140 in the WBA.
Middleweight Amilcar “Pety” Vidal, Jr., 13-0 (11), #161 ½, of Montevideo, Uruguay, won a majority unpopular decision over Immanuwel “The Chosen One” Aleem, 18-3-2 (11), #162, of Richmond, VA, over 10 rounds with the crowd not agreeing nor did this writer.
In the first three rounds Aleem was moving and jabbing while Vidal was following him unable to cut off the ring. In the fourth round Vidal finally got inside and outworked Aleem. In the fifth round Aleem mixed it up well. In the sixth round Vidal had Aleem hurt to the body.
In the eighth and ninth rounds the action picked up with Aleem outworking Vidal. In the tenth and final round both let it all hang out with Aleem pulling out the round. Referee was Ellis Johnson.
Scores were 95-95 and 97-93 twice Vidal while this writer had it 97-93 Aleem.
Super Welter Bakhram Murtazaliev, 19-0 (14), of Grozny, Russia, defeated, Khiary Gray, 16-6 (12), of Worcester, MASS, over 8 rounds.
Scores were 79-73 twice and 79-74.