Blood Score! Lightweight Osnel Charles Calls Out Raphael Luna and Dmitriy Salita For Rematch
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
In a Real Combat Media exclusive, Atlantic City lightweight Osnel Charles called Real Combat Media, and made a most unusual call out to New York City boxing promoter Dmitriy Salita and Mexican lightweight Raphael Luna, who appeared on Salita’s last card.
Hey Dmitriy Salita? Want an action packed eight round fight for your next card on February 27, 2013, in Brooklyn? From a fighter who doesn’t care about the money, Atlantic City, New Jersey lightweight Osnel Charles has a win win proposition for you. Charles (no relation to the late World Heavyweight champion Ezzard Charles, also from New Jersey) wants to fight an eight round rematch with Albany, New York Lightweight Raphael Luna, who Charles fought a controversial toe-to-toe six round draw with at Bally’s Hotel Casino in Atlantic City in July 2012.
Luna, an experienced ringer from Mexico, fought what was probably New York State’s fight of the year on Dmitriy Salita’s last card on December 18, 2013. Luna earned a six round draw against overhyped 4-0-2 Kazakhstan prospect Dimash Niyazov. Battering Nizazov for the last four rounds of the fight, Luna got robbed, with judge Frank Lombardi giving Luna the bout 58-56, and the other two judges scoring it a draw. Luna called out Niyazov for an eight round rematch inside the ring after the bout, for Salita’s next card. If Niyazov doesn’t show, and odds are he won’t (given his performance against Luna) the crowd pleasing Luna, 4-6-3, against Charles, 9-8-1, would prove a wicked and exciting matchup. Luna proved to Salita he surely comes to fight, and Charles is calling him out to settle a personal blood score in the ring.
Real Combat Media: “Osnel, why do you want fight a rematch with Raphael Luna?”
Osnel Charles: “Because Raphael Luna comes to fight, and I come to fight! We both like an action fight. We stand in the middle of the ring and fight toe-to-toe, not running from each other. Old school style.”
Real Combat Media: “What’s your country of origin? Does it figure into your wish to fight Raphael Luna of Mexico again?”
Osnel Charles: “I was born in Haiti. As long as the Haitian people know I’m coming to fight, the Haitian boxing fans and community will come out for me, especially in the New York City area. It will be Haiti versus Mexico. Tickets will sell. Sounds real good.”
Real Combat Media: “Why an eight rounder for the rematch?”
Osnel Charles: “The six (rounder) we (my team) fought against Raphael Luna in Atlantic City didn’t do (us) no justice. Luna wants an eight rounder. I want a ten rounder. We’ll meet in the middle. I’m not looking for a decision, I’m looking for a knockout, and he knows I’ve got the power to stop him!”
Real Combat Media: “Luna never stops punching. Don’t you think he’s dangerous?”
Osnel Charles: “Raphael Luna puts pressure on his opponents, if you show you’re afraid of him. (To me) he’s not dangerous. My jab will stop Luna. He knows that.”
Real Combat Media: “Your trainer, Arnold Robbins, is also the trainer of middleweight contender Patrick Majewski, who currently in training for a January 24 Atlantic City television date with Curtis Stevens. Do you think you’ll have enough time to prepare for a rematch with Luna if Dmitriy Salita puts the rematch bout together for February 27?”
Osnel Charles: “Yes I will.”
Real Combat Media: “Will you knock Raphael Luna out in a rematch?”
Osnel Charles: “That’s the plan. If I don’t knock him out, he (Luna) gonna wish I knocked him out the way I’ll hurt him.”
Real Combat Media: “Luna can be a dirty fighter, with head butts, hitting below the belt, hitting behind the head, holding and hitting. Are you prepared for Luna’s dirty arsenal of tricks?”
Osnel Charles: If Raphael Luna wanna put dirty in the game, I can get dirty also.”
Real Combat Media: “The Mexican fans are pro-Luna, and are loud and violent in New York City.”
Osnel Charles: “The only way to shut him (Luna) up is with a jab. Once I hit him in the jab, left hooks, right hands, if you drop a pin in the ring you can hear it. That’s how you shut up the Mexicans.”
Real Combat Media: “What happened in your first fight with Luna?”
Osnel Charles: “The first fight with Raphael Luna I was winning (and) winning. Then came the fifth and sixth round, and I took my foot off the pedal. The judges scored it a draw. If you go to (watch the fight on) Go Fight Live, clearly I won the bout with Luna.”
Real Combat Media: “Would you also be willing to fight Dimash Niyazov, who Luna drew with?”
Osnel Charles: “I fight at 135 pounds. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter to me. A fight’s a fight!”
Real Combat Media: “What would you say to promoter Dmitriy Salita about giving you the chance to fight Luna? Is it a money thing?”
Osnel Charles: “No. I’m fighting to become a world champion. When I become a world champion, the money will come. Right now I’m fighting because I love the sport of boxing, and to get some fights. If he (Dmitriy Salita) gives me the opportunity to fight, he won’t regret it. If I was fighting for money, I would be taking any fights. That’s not me. Give me the opportunity to show the world I can win again. Dmitriy Salita, give me Raphael Luna!”
Real Combat Media: “Does fighting Raphael Luna in a rematch mean that much to you?”
Osnel Charles: “Tell Dmitriy Salita this. When Raphael Luna and I fought the first time, we had a great fight. We want to show the world this is boxing, we want to make it happen again. We are boxers who fight like the old school, in the center of the ring, in a toe-to-toe fight!”
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