Jermall Charlo won the WBC middleweight title in 2018 and has made five successful defenses. However, the Texas-born champion has not fought since 2021, and while he returns to action on November 25, it will be for a non-title affair against Jose Benavidez Jr. at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.
Charlo faces Jose Benavidez Jr. in a catchweight bout in the co-main event under David Benavidez vs. Demetrius Andrade. Both fights will take place on what will be the final Showtime Boxing PPV telecast.
Boxing fans are excited to see Charlo back following a two-year layoff, which he used to focus on his mental health.
There were the expected groans when it was announced that Charlo’s title would not be on the line. Benavidez felt slighted and called Charlo out during a heated virtual press conference.
“It’s at 163 because this guy had to make up excuses that he couldn’t make the weight,” Benavidez said via Boxing Scene. “So, he was going through some hard times, I guess, so he can’t make the weight. So, we have to go at ’63. So, you ask him about that. The boy’s not disciplined. The boy’s not disciplined, so it is what it is.”
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Charlo turned pro in 2008. He won the IBF super welterweight title in 2015, moved to middleweight, and beat Hugo Centeno Jr. in 2018 for the then-interim WBC title. Competing on the same cards aw his twin brother, former undisputed super welterweight champion Jermell, the 33-year-old boxr-puncher last fought in June 2021, when he beat Juan Macias Montiel.
Why hasn’t Jermall Charlo been stripped of the WBC middleweight title?
Charlo has held onto the title since the Montiel fight, while the rest of the division has moved on. Carlos Adames has been interim champion since 2022 but hasn’t had a chance to face Charlo as yet.
Given the circumstances, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman has been pretty relaxed regarding Jermall's championship status.
“Basically, in 2021, Charlo was ready for a big fight with Jaime Munguia,” Sulaiman told Izquierdazo via World Boxing News. “Then Munguia didn’t want to fight with [Carlos] Adames in a final elimination fight. Charlo then accepted a fight with [Maciej] Sulecki, and Adames was ordered to fight [for the interim title] so the title could have activity. Munguia left negotiations, and Charlo got injured. When Charlo was recovering from his injury, he suffered a mental health episode. It was a serious and important one.
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“If people want to be yelling and kicking because we didn’t strip him of his title for not fighting, that is why. We will be supporting him unconditionally.”
Regarding Charlo’s future, win or lose against Benavidez, the former will have to defend his title soon. The WBC announced it would order Charlo vs. Adames following the Benavidez fight.
