FIGHT fans are going to get a war on September 26. Jermell Charlo and I are two of the biggest punchers in the division. We both fight with a lot of pride. We’re two very aggressive fighters who want to fight in the middle of the ring, so we’re going to bring the action and make this an epic war.
We know we’re facing a strong, explosive opponent, so we’ve done everything during this 16-week camp to prepare for him. We brought in great sparring partners with similar style to Charlo’s, so I’m as ready for him as I possibly can be.
I think Julian Williams was probably more skilled technically, and he was harder to hit because he changes up his angles a lot. Charlo is stronger, a bigger puncher, and I think he’s a more athletic fighter than Williams. We’re preparing for the best Charlo and we know that means we have to be at our very best too.
Training with coach Luis Perez has led to a lot of improvements and allowed me to reach my full potential. My camps for the Williams fight and the Charlo fight are the first real training camps of my career. After I fought Jorge Cota, I knew that I needed to make changes and be more dedicated.
There are no distractions or excuses for me now. A better diet, better conditioning and more focused training has all played a part in the changes. For this fight, I’m going to be even stronger than I was against Williams. My body wasn’t really used to the training camp going into that fight. My body is responding even better after my second 16-week training camp.
I fight with a lot of pride and emotion. I just try to be myself, but I also want to represent the Dominican Republic the best way I can. I fight for my kids and my country and I leave it all in the ring. One of my biggest motivations for me was my economic status as a child. Living in the street as a kid, we were very poor. I didn’t want my kids to go through that, so that fed my hunger to provide for my family and take care of them the best I can.
I always knew that I could be good, but I never imagined being in this position. God’s timing is perfect. Everything came when it was supposed to. I’ve been very lucky and got the opportunities at the right time. I started training with Coach Perez at the right time. I got the Williams fight at the right time and took full advantage of the opportunity. Now, we’re here with a chance to unify the division, and I believe September 26 will be my time.
