Jermall Charlo wasn’t as dismissive of Thomas LaManna on Wednesday as he was when they exchanged words during a virtual press conference last month.

The former WBC middleweight champion still emphasized that he doesn’t view LaManna as much of a threat to upset him May 31 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino’s Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. DraftKings has established Charlo as a 14-1 favorite over LaManna in advance of their 10-round super middleweight match on the Caleb Plant-Armando Resendiz undercard.

The odds on their fight would be even wider if Charlo wasn't fighting for the first time in 18 months.

Charlo, who will turn 35 on May 19, hasn’t competed since he outboxed Jose Benavidez Jr. in a 10-round bout he won by unanimous decision in November 2023 at Michelob ULTRA Arena. A careless Charlo came in 3.5 pounds overweight for his fight with Benavidez, which was contracted at a catch weight of 163.

Charlo-LaManna, which will be streamed by Amazon’s Prime Video, will mark just the second fight for the former IBF junior middleweight champ in almost four years. The Houston native has been open about his mental health issues during his long layoffs.

“It’s been a journey, long time coming,” Charlo said during their press conference Wednesday at The Mayan in Los Angeles. “I don’t like to keep saying that I’m back, but y’all get it. Y’all get the concept. I’m going up to 168 to make a statement. Thank you, Thomas LaManna, for taking the fight. I been focused. I been locked in.

“I wanna get this fight out the way, then possibly get it on with Caleb Plant, if that’s possible. So, I got some big things in the works, so y’all keep it locked in. Thank y’all. Lions Only.”

Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) and Plant (23-2, 14 KOs) have history, most notably when the latter smacked him in the face following the Terence Crawford-Errol Spence Jr. weigh-in July 2023 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Plant took exception to Charlo grabbing his face and pulling on his beard that afternoon. The former IBF super middleweight champ later struck Charlo with his open left hand as they exited the building.

Plant, who is a 20-1 favorite to defeat Mexico’s Resendiz (15-2, 11 KOs), also alluded Wednesday to finally facing Charlo later this year if they both win. Charlo and Plant spoke briefly behind emcee Ray Flores as he conducted the press conference.

LaManna, meanwhile, has plans of his own for his most meaningful fight since WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara knocked him out in the first round of their 160-pound title fight in May 2021 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

LaManna, 33, of Millville, New Jersey, has won nine straight fights since Lara (31-3-3, 19 KOs) beat him, but against a much lower level of opposition than Charlo. Like Charlo, LaManna (39-5-1, 18 KOs) also will fight at the super middleweight limit of 168 for the first time.

“I been in this same, exact seat, the same side of the podium on the stage,” LaManna said. “I came up drastically short, badly short, when I fought Lara. And I don’t ever wanna go through that again. It messed me up, put my family back with a lotta things and just don’t wanna do that again.

“This time we all know what the task at hand is. We already know what I’m up against. So, Imma make it my last shot, my best shot. We all know it’s my last shot, it’s my best shot. Imma give it my all and upset the applecart. It is boxing, like [promoter] Tom [Brown] said. Anything can happen. And May 31st ain’t gonna be nothing different. So, that’s what it’s about.”