Canada’s Custio Clayton suffers 2nd-round KO loss to Jaron Ennis | CBC Sports

Jermell Charlo became the first undisputed super welterweight champion in the four-belt era when he stopped Argentina’s Brian Castano in the 10th round of their rematch Saturday night in Carson, Calif.

After an outstanding bout with ample toe-to-toe action, Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) dropped Castano twice in rapid succession in the 10th. Charlo leaped onto the ropes in celebration while the referee was still counting out his opponent, celebrating the addition of Castano’s WBO 154-pound title to his WBC, WBA and IBF belts.

After unbeaten Philadelphia welterweight Jaron Ennis stopped Custio Clayton, of North Preston, N.S., with a vicious right hand in the second round of the show’s penultimate bout, the main event was slightly delayed because Castano showed up late to the arena, according to the fight’s promoters.

Ennis (29-0, 27 KOs) underlined his status as an elite welterweight with a violent victory in a meeting of unbeaten contenders. Clayton (19-1-1) went down in a heap after the chopping right hand from Ennis, and the Canadian stood on wobbly legs before the bout was waved off.

“I keep telling y’all every single time: We’re in and out like a robbery,” Ennis said. “We don’t get paid for overtime.”

After an impressive California debut, the 24-year-old Ennis is waiting for an opportunity take on elite welterweights like Errol Spence Jr., who attended this bout.

Charlo survived several impressive early rounds by Castano (17-1-2) in the rematch of the fighters’ split draw 10 months ago in Texas. Charlo is only the seventh fighter to simultaneously hold every major title in any weight class since the four-belt era began in 1988.

Charlo, the Houston native and twin brother of middleweight champ Jermall Charlo, executed a tactical, counterpunching game plan impressively under a nearly full moon at Dignity Health Sports Park, the famed outdoor stadium south of downtown Los Angeles.

After catching Castano with a right uppercut and a left hook for the first knockdown, Charlo dropped Castano again seconds later with two left hands to the head and a left to the body, leaving Castano on the canvas.

Both fighters came out eager for exchanges, with Castano again pressing forward and Charlo counterpunching adroitly. Charlo was sharp off the ropes, but Castano got the better of him in back-and-forth action during a thrilling fourth round.

The fifth round was even better, with devastating shots thrown by both fighters. Charlo then buckled Castano’s knees with a huge left hand in the seventh, but Charlo curiously didn’t move in to pursue a finish.

Turns out Charlo had a better plan after all.

Charlo’s continued success

Charlo’s victory is a landmark moment in the history of top fighters between middleweight and welterweight.

Charlo won his first version of a 154-pound title in 2013, and he claimed the WBC belt in May 2016. He lost it to Tony Harrison in December 2018, but reclaimed it with a knockout victory in the rematch and swiftly added the WBA and IBF belts by stopping Jeison Rosario in September 2020.

Castano has carved out an impressive career fighting out of Buenos Aires, although he has trained in Los Angeles since January. He held versions of the WBA 154-pound title for three years before claiming the WBO strap last year.

Castano got agonizingly close to an impressive upset in his first meeting with Charlo last July. Despite his disadvantages in height and reach, Castano pressed forward constantly and forced Charlo into less-attractive counterpunching.

But the judges couldn’t decide, with one scoring it for each fighter and the third seeing a draw. No belts changed hands, and the fighters scheduled a rematch for February — but Castano tore his biceps muscle and required a postponement.