Charlo twins, Lara top super welterweight showdowns

Unbeaten identical US twin brothers Jermall and Jermell Charlo and Cuban-born American Erislandy Lara are the feature attractions in Saturday's world super welterweight title showdown triple-header at Las Vegas.

The 154-pound (69.8kg) division's three main crowns are at stake in the 12-round bouts, which includes Lara defending his World Boxing Association crown in a rematch with Vanes Martirosyan.

Jermall Charlo defends his International Boxing Federation crown against former champion Austin Trout, while twin Jermell faces John Jackson for the vacant World Boxing Council crown.

The Charlo brothers, 26, could become the first twins to own world titles in the same weight division.

"We never dreamed of being able to make history on the same night and on the same card together," Jermell Charlo said. "It makes it even more intense. The stakes are much bigger. This is special."

Jermall Charlo, 23-0 with 18 knockouts, has retired 16 of his past 17 foes inside the distance while Jermell, 27-0 with 12 knockouts, has gone the distance in four of his past five starts entering his first world title fight."We've always planned on making history and the time is now," said Jermall Charlo. "I need him to go in there and do his job and at the end of the night, we'll both have our hands raised."

Jermall Charlo took the title last September from fellow American Cornelius Bundrage and defended the crown two months later against compatriot Wilky Campfort. Now he faces another US fighter in Trout, who ruled in the division for two years.

"I have a big name opponent in Austin Trout and I feel like the underdog," Jermall Charlo said. "I'm the young buck in the game who's trying to be the lion."

Trout, 30-2 with 17 knockouts, owned the WBA crown from 2011 to 2013 before losing it to Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.

"I'm probably his toughest test to date," Trout said. "I feel like I'm a better fighter. I've been through more to get to where I'm at. I'm more of a dangerous fighter."

Jermell Charlo will be tested by Jackson, a 27-year-old US Virgin Islands fighter who has won seven of his past eight fights ahead of his first world title bout.

"I've been dreaming about this moment my whole life," Jackson said. "I'm 100 percent ready for this."

"I have to get in there and prove to my opponent and the rest of the world that I'm dangerous and I will be victorious," Jermell Charlo said.

- 'Do or die' for challenger -Lara, a 33-year-old southpaw, fought to a deadlock with Martirosyan in 2012. The 30-year-old Armenian-American was cut over the left eye by an accidental head butt in the ninth round, resulting in a technical draw.

"I felt I was a better fighter than him the first time and I'm a little better in almost every area since," Lara said. "I'm definitely prepared to do what I do and that's win."

Lara, 22-2-2 with 13 knockouts, makes the third defense of the crown he won from American Ishe Smith by unanimous decision in 2014. He kept the crown by decisioning Dominican Delvin Rodriguez and stopping Slovenian Jan Zaveck last year.

Martirosyan, 36-2 with one draw and 21 knockouts, takes his first shot at one of the major titles.

"This is definitely the most important fight of my career. It's do or die," said Martirosyan. "Win and I move 10 steps forward. Lose and I go 10 steps backwards.

"Beating Lara this time is 10 times bigger than if I had won the first time. Lara has gotten better, but I'm much better too."

Source :AFP