Jermall Charlo says he’s ready to “stand in the paint” with Thomas LaManna, when the pair square off on May 31 at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. The 10-round super middleweight contest serves as the co-feature to Caleb Plant vs Jose Armando Resendiz, live on Prime Video.
Former two-weight boxing champion Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) steps through the ropes for the first time in 18 months. The native of Lafayette, LA was last in action in November 2023 at the same venue, scoring a unanimous decision against Jose Benavidez Jr. in a 10-round non-title bout. The outing was the 34-year-old’s first fight since mid-2021, when he defeated Juan Macias Montiel, also by UD, to retain his WBC middleweight belt.
“This is gonna be a fight. I gotta do what I always do. He’s gonna come at me and make it a fight,” Jermall Charlo said during a virtual press conference on Thursday. “I expect the best out of him and I’ll be ready to make the adjustments.”
“Thomas LaManna is standing in the way of my goals and my dreams. But I’m ready to stand in the paint with him.”
“I’m ready to get back in the ring. Those two years actually helped me. They made me better. Not only have I not taken damage, but they’ve made me stronger.”
“I’m back at 100%. I feel stronger and better. I’m fully back. My team is better and everything is falling into place perfectly. I got Houston back on my back. I can carry them now.”
“There’s bigger fish to fry. I just hope Thomas can go back to his family happy after.”
LaManna prepares for ‘the biggest fight’ of his life
LaManna (39-5-1, 18 KOs) targets his 10th straight victory since suffering a first-round knockout against Erislandy Lara in May 2021. The 33-year-old native of Belleville, NJ, is coming off a win via second-round TKO against Noe Alejandro Lopez in March in Philadelphia.
“We’re gonna shock the world on May 31. That’s what we’re coming to do,” Thomas LaManna said. “I’m glad this fight is finally here. The timing is right and I’m excited and ready. We’ll both be in that ring and ready to rumble.”
“He is who he is in this sport. He’s been off for a while, but he’s never lost. This is the biggest fight of my life and I’ve been training like it.”
“I’ve gotten a lot more experience since I fought Erislandy Lara. The best lesson in life is experience. Every day you get better. I’ve gotten more comfortable with these last nine wins.”
“Once the call came for this fight, I answered. I’m here to write my own legacy.”
Atop the fight card, former IBF super middleweight champion Caleb Plant (23-2, 14 KOs) of Nashville, TN takes on Jose Armando Resendiz (15-2, 11 KOs) of Mexico. The bout is scheduled for 12 rounds, with Plant’s WBA interim 168-pound title at stake.
If both Plant and Charlo are successful in their respective fights, the pair is expected to meet in a grudge match later in 2025.