By Jeff Zimmerman
It was a hot, quiet day last week at the R&R Boxing Club in Dallas, Texas, where WBC super welterweight champion Jermell Charlo (30-0, 15 KOs) and his trainer Derrick James were preparing for a light workout as they wound down camp and put together the finishing touches to fight former world champion Austin Trout (31-4, 17 KOs) as the two collide on Saturday at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.
Charlo was in a great mood and is having the time of his life as he showed off his million-dollar smile throughout the workout. He even engaged in conversation about the Jack Johnson pardon and North Korea.
Charlo talked with FightNews.com® about working with his stablemate Errol Spence Jr, his amazing relationship with James and what he expects against former champion Trout.
How’s camp going?
Camp is camp. It’s always hard to sacrifice every time I get ready to step in the ring. I’m super excited on this fight. Every fight is a big fight because I make history every time to myself. I’m ready to go.
How is it being in camp with fellow world champion Errol Spence Jr. as you guys fight one week apart?
Errol is a champion. I told him before he won the title, before he beat Brook. Hey you’re a champion in my eyes. I got all the respect for him, he trains like a monster. Still to this day, when it comes down to training I love my body, I did this to my body, but Errol is definitely #1 when it comes to training. You can ask Floyd these questions, Broner, all these guys that trained with him before we got into camp. I heard Errol say he wasn’t getting the work he’s getting now, so this is super to me, this is big, so yea, I pushed myself to another level. I got a lot of followers, I got a lot of fans that is riding behind me, Texas is big, but the outcome is always in doubt. I am curious to see what this guy is going to do, because I put my life on the line every time I fight and regardless of how many wins or losses an opponent has. I’m zero and zero and he’s zero and zero. I feel like he’s a man and I’m a man and I’m a dog at it so let’s go see what’s going to happen.
You go from fighting Erik Lubin (in you last fight), who was highly touted but lacking big fight experience to Trout who has fought a ton of guys like your brother, Jarrett Hurd and Miguel Cotto?
Lubin was a fighter that everybody thought was the next big thing. My performance that I had gave him the look of an inexperienced fighter so when I get in there with Trout, obviously the critics will say whatever they have to say. I couldn’t care less from one opponent to the next opponent from Trout to the inexperience (of Lubin), it’s about what I do.
Any weakness in Trout that you can expose?
I expect to come in there and be fast, quick and move. We make adjustments as the fight goes on so it’s not something me and my coach are game planning, or this is what we do. There are things we will capitalize on when it happens, but we’ll wait until it happens.
Where is the recent power coming from and the impact from your trainer Derick James?
Obviously, Derrick lets me sit down on my punches more. It’s all about steps and moves with Derrick so definitely a lot is Derrick and I am growing as a man and growing into my man strength so now these guys are starting to feel it and the world is starting to see it. I’m more active with the world on Showtime and fighting on TV and the network so it’s not something it hasn’t already been there, it’s just something the world is being exposed to plus the coaching is different.
Do you feel it physically when you throw a punch that it is stronger?
Definitely I know how to turn it up. I know how to turn it down. I know how to control my power, just like someone can control their speed, throw a fast punch and a slow punch, I know how to throw a punch with more power and a punch with less power. That’s what Derrick has worked on, being able to control our distance and being able to control the speed and the power and the thrust we put on different punches.
What impact has Derrick James made on you as a person?
Definitely a big brother that’s just as dedicated as me. He’s in shape just as well as his fighters are. And so, with that being said, how can that coach be a more shape than the fighter. It happens. In our world, Derrick doesn’t let his fighters come in out of shape. We start camp in shape, we end camp in shape. He makes sure I am not out here making bad decisions in the regular world, regular life, he also keeps me sharp. We talk on the phone often and text often, he’s completely active and I love that about him. And I feel like, if there is somebody else in this world that I can count on to be a father figure, it would definitely be Derrick James, but also a big brother at the same time.
Has Derrick James been a game changer for your career?
Definitely. It’s fun. Training camp is fun. It’s like a whole vacation just knowing that I have to come to Dallas to be with him where he resides and he has multiple fighters and its reason why he wants us here. It’s a great city and he’s great people.
You are one of the most entertaining guys in the ring and out of the ring today with your different mottos and sayings like “Keep Runnin Ya Mouth” but we have not heard anything from you this camp. Is that because Trout doesn’t incite you like the others?
You just got to wait until fight week. That fire is always lit in me so that lion roars when it’s time and I know I have to harvest and I have to step up for me and my team and the pledge that we make. So, it’s definitely going to be an exciting fight. I did see Trout running his mouth a lot, I’m just quiet though. I don’t care if he is trying to give himself motivation to promote himself higher or whatever he’s doing. It doesn’t work. I’m excited to step in the ring. I’m going to be fly, flashy and smooth at the same time and headed to a victorious win.
Do you feel like your stock has risen recently and the boxing community is starting to take notice as you always seem to fight with a chip on your shoulder?
I’m getting the respect that I deserve now. At the same time, I’m getting the hate that comes with it as well. That’s what continues to light the fire. It doesn’t matter who it is, it could be fighters from my own city that wish they were in my position and probably wish I wasn’t in this position. I see it, I hear about it. It’s cool to me. I don’t care, I do what I got to do. My stock is going to be what it is and I know for a fact because I have guys from different countries and different cities offering multi-millions of dollars to make deals with us and I have folks wanting to buy into the Lions Only brand. I know for a fact that delivers a different type of fighter in me, but it doesn’t change me who I am or change me on the inside or outside the ring. I have to get in there and do what I have to do no matter what and no matter who it is. I want to be the best and that’s the number one thing I have on my mind and to focus on.
Your brother has already fought Trout. Does that take anything from the fight? Is there added pressure on you?
It puts added pressure on Trout, it does nothing for me. I’m Jermell Charlo not Jermall Charlo.
What should we expect?
I got a knockout streak going and I want to continue it. I don’t know what round and I don’t want to make a prediction, but I know for a fact if he wants to trade, I like to bang and I like to box so at the end of the day that’s an outstanding performance from me if I could do both.