Super middleweight stars Jermall Charlo and Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna previewed their upcoming showdown at a Los Angeles press conference before they co-headline PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video on Saturday, May 31 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
Charlo squared off with veteran contender LaManna, while co-headliners Caleb Plant and Armando Reséndiz also came face to face at the event on Wednesday.
Plant will top the card with a defence of his Interim WBA super middleweight title against the hard-hitting Reséndiz, while unbeaten two-division champion Charlo begins his quest for a title in a third weight class against LaManna in the 10-round co-main event.
The lineup will begin at 8pm ET / 5pm PT / 1am BST and also features top middleweight contenders Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez vs Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis, plus rising contender Isaac “La Bestia” Lucero against hard-hitting Omar Valenzuela in a super welterweight attraction that opens the streaming presentation, exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries.
Here is what the press conference participants had to say Wednesday from The Mayan in Los Angeles:
JERMALL CHARLO
“It’s been a journey and a long time coming. I’m going up to 168 to make a statement. I’ve been focused and locked in. I wanna get this fight out of the way and possibly get it on with Caleb Plant. I have big plans in the works, so keep it locked in. Lions Only.
“I just miss boxing, period. I miss getting up and just focusing on boxing and I’m back to doing that at the highest level.
“The sky’s the limit for me at this weight. I’m sparring bigger guys and I can lift more now. I’m squatting more than I ever did and using my body more than I ever did. I feel like this is the division I’m gonna end my career in.
“You’re gonna see me go out and be more explosive than you’ve ever seen me before in my life.
“I’m gonna go do my job. I got bigger fights and bigger fish to fry. I’m not overlooking him. I know he’s training for Jermall Charlo. I know how they come at me. ‘Breadman’ Edwards is sitting right there, he’ll tell you that I stand up to the challenge every time.
“This guy LaManna is trying to Facetime me and write me on Instagram and all this stuff. Go train, I’m busy man.”
THOMAS LAMANNA
“I’m grateful to be here. Professionally and personally, I’m not supposed to be here. A win over Jermall Charlo changes my life. I’m glad he’s here and on May 31, we’re gonna rumble and the best man is gonna win.
“I’ve been in this same seat before and I came up short when I fought Erislandy Lara. I never want to go through that again. It messed me up. We all know what the task at hand is and we’re gonna give this my best shot. I’m gonna give it my all. We’re gonna upset the apple cart.
“He’s a two-division champion who’s been at the top level. I won’t take that away from him. We can talk about what we’re gonna do, but that’s why we fight the fights. Talking about sparring and training won’t win the fight.
“We’re gonna see what happens on May 31. I’m gonna shock the world. That’s what I’m coming to do.
“He’s put me on ice since the end of September. I just wanted to know what we’re doing. I wasn’t getting answers and I wanted answers. I’m not trying to play mind games. We don’t know each other. But now I know we’re fighting May 31 and that’s all that matters.”
