The 32 year-old suffered a third loss in seven when challenging Charlo for his IBF belt seventeen months ago and now gets the chance to contest the same red strap against Jarret Hurd on Saturday night.
“There was no reason for the layoff, no injuries, no nothing. I really can’t tell you why I’ve had such a layoff,” explained Trout.
“I’m not happy about it but it is what it is but I thank God I’ve been in the gym and keeping in shape, call it vanity or not, trying not to get fat and trying to keep this beach bod so I’m still sharp, we’ve knocked all the ring rust out in camp. It’s time to work.
“I’ve been trying to get a fight, especially after Charlo dispatched Julian Williams I felt my stock grew and I should have been put right back in but things happen and things don’t happen for reasons.
“I did want – not to say a tune-up but a get back fight – but at the same time you can’t pass up these opportunities because they don’t come too often. I wasn’t going to turn down this shot. I had to come and take what they gave me.”
On the task standing in front of him against unbeaten Hurd, Trout added: “Everybody knows that he’s the undefeated champion for reasons so you can’t smack on a kid like that.
“He is a big strong dude and it’s crazy, because I don’t know how these big dudes make 154 but I feel like I’ve been here before.
“My last fight was on a stacked card with Junior Middleweights and this guy was extremely big for the Junior Middleweight division, he was the undefeated champion of the IBF, former fight Deja vu.
“At the same time, him and Charlo are not the same person or the same guy. Again we see holes in his game. At the end of the day it’s just going to end up being me and him and we have to punch through those holes,” he stated.
Tickets for this event are available starting at $400 for VIP ringsides down to 50 bucks. They can be purchased at TicketMaster.com, BarclaysCenter.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000 also at the American Express Box office at the Barclays Center.
