Stephen Fulton is again to proving himself once more when he takes on Carlos Castro

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Stephen “Scooter” Fulton overtly wonders what extra he has to do. The previous WBO and WBC junior featherweight titlist feels he deserves to be on the pay-per-view portion of this Saturday’s Canelo Alvarez- Edgar Berlanga undercard from the T-Cell Area in Las Vegas. The frustration has induced Fulton to be uncharacteristically quick with media. It’s tarnished a profitable, jovial persona and made him just a little surly.

Perhaps it’s precisely what Fulton (21-1, 8 knockouts) wants when he takes on Carlos Castro (30-2, 14 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight struggle on the preliminary, pre-PPV portion of the Alvarez-Berlanga card. It is going to mark the primary time in 14 months Fulton might be combating since his first professional loss, an eighth-round knockout to junior featherweight world champion Naoya Inoue final July 25 in Tokyo.

“You already know I’m indignant, indignant at myself for not being extra ready, not being the very best model of me within the Inoue struggle,” Fulton admitted in July when speaking to The Ring at a membership present in Philly. “I’m not saying I might have overwhelmed Inoue, or he would have overwhelmed me, however the very best model of me was higher than how I carried out. That’s what pisses me off. I had to check out myself. I discovered quite a bit about myself, issues I have to sharpen about myself professionally and personally. I don’t wish to dwell an excessive amount of on the previous. However I’m completely different.

“Count on me to look completely different.”

Inoue would be the solely fighter on the earth who may beat Fulton between 122 and 126.

However Fulton doesn’t wish to hear that.

He has modified trainers, shifting from coach/supervisor Wahid Rahim to coach Bozy Ennis, the daddy, supervisor and coach of his son, IBF welterweight titlist Jaron “Boots” Ennis, though Rahim has continued to be Fulton’s supervisor. Fulton burdened a change needed to be made. Each consider it was in the very best curiosity for every of them.

Being off the PPV, the Castro struggle gives the chance for Fulton to be seen probably by the biggest TV viewers he had ever fought earlier than.

“From a enterprise facet, Scooter is in wonderful place proper now,” Rahim stated. “He’s one struggle away from combating for one more world title. He does have an opportunity to struggle earlier than a big viewers. It is a psychological take a look at for him. Scooter is a former world champion, acknowledged all through the world by boxing followers. He was within the beginning 5, and to him proper now, being off the pay-per-view, that is like he has to come back off the bench once more. Folks should perceive one thing: This child has been handed nothing. Al Haymon and PBC have been superb to him, don’t get me flawed.

“However Scooter needed to earn his solution to the highest. Personally, I don’t really feel like he’s coming off the bench. It’s only a matter of him proving himself once more. I respect Bozy 100-percent. I didn’t need Scooter to take the Inoue struggle, as a result of Scooter was the champion, and the champion mustn’t need to journey to defend his title. However Scooter is a particular fighter. He’s prepared to anybody anyplace, so he went. We agreed the coaching factor was not working with us. We have been mates earlier than we have been working collectively, and I really like him. We are going to all the time be mates. I nonetheless deal with his enterprise. With Bozy on board, that is really a profit to our entire crew. This took day without work my plate as his coach and provides me extra time to work on his enterprise and his future.”

However why has Fulton been so indignant just lately?

Anybody that is aware of Fulton additionally is aware of that isn’t actually his persona. He has been quick with media (who don’t know him), he has given quick solutions to questions and has projected an angle that he does wish to be bothered. In different phrases, the exact opposite of Fulton’s upbeat persona.

“I perceive that, and we do know, that isn’t who he’s,” Rahim stated about Fulton. “The truth is, which he’s very proper about, he has put a lot work into being a star, he looks like he’s ranging from sq. one once more. The enterprise facet of it’s this struggle will give him extra publicity. I do know he nonetheless has a whole lot of damage from the Inoue loss. I do know that, you recognize that, everybody who is aware of him is aware of that. He is aware of he may have completed higher, much better than he did. That pisses him off. It pisses me off.

“We hope that is the primary of two fights this yr. We want to struggle once more in December. I’ll say this, Carlos Castro higher watch his ass. Scooter wanted that kick within the ass Inoue gave him. He has a lot expertise, a lot means that Scooter generally doesn’t see it himself. That may come out towards Castro. I cannot look by Castro. I do know Scooter gained’t. I do know he’s able to explode.”

The grand scheme for Fulton, needs to be beat Castro, who’s on a three-fight profitable streak since a July 2022 stoppage defeat to Brandon Figueroa, is to face the winner of WBA featherweight titlist Nick Ball’s October 5 protection towards Ronny Rios in Liverpool, England.

“When Scooter is at his finest, targeted, prepared, nobody, not even Inoue, may beat him,” Rahim burdened. “I don’t simply significantly assume that; I do know that for a truth. The one one who may Stephen Fulton is Stephen Fulton. I inform him that on a regular basis.”