Charlo isn’t worried about a power surge
Jermall Charlo has liked just about everything Dennis Hogan has had to say in the build-up to their middleweight title fight Saturday at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
Hogan (28-2-1, seven knockouts), an 8-to-1 underdog, has claimed to have found new life in his move up from his usual 154 pounds to 160 to challenge Charlo for his World Boxing Council belt.
“I feel 20 percent more powerful and he’s going to feel my punches,” said Hogan, who weighed in at 158.4 pounds on Friday.
Charlo, who grew up in Alief and trains in Missouri
City, smiled at the news conference as Hogan started laying out all the ways he has discovered extra power at his new weight. It’s been almost 20 months since Charlo (29-0, 21 KOs) has finished a fight early, and he blames that in part on opponents refusing to stay in front and trade blows with him.
Hogan is talking like someone confident enough to get into a firefight against a man who is four inches taller and the naturally bigger fighter.
“If Hogan says he’s more powerful at middleweight, then he’s going to come to fight and stay in the pocket, right?” said Charlo, who weighed in at 159.8 pounds Friday.
Hogan, on the other hand, takes offense at the notion that Charlo has an overwhelming power advantage just because he’s spent more time at middleweight, including a lopsided unanimous decision over Brandon Adams in June at Houston’s NRG Arena.
“Every opponent I’ve had thinks they’re going to knock me out,” said Hogan, who grew up in Ireland but trains in Australia. “It’s not about how hard you throw a punch, it’s about how hard you can land a punch, and that’s the difficulty people have with me. That’s one of my best attributes. When I land clean, they tend to realize I mean business and don’t want to come forward.”
Hogan is accustomed to being overlooked. In April, he was a 20-to-1 underdog when he traveled to Mexico City to challenge Jaime Munguia for his World Boxing Organization welterweight championship. Hogan took Munguia the distance before losing a controversial majority decision. When Munguia refused a rematch with the tougher-than-expected opponent, Hogan opted to move up in weight for another title shot.
That battle with Munguia, Hogan’s first loss in four years, has given Hogan a confidence boost that Charlo expects will come to an end when he feels the power Charlo possesses.
“I’m going to come with a vicious attack,” Charlo said. “If he can hold it, then I’m going to try again later in the night. However the game plan plays out, I’m going to stop him.”
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