Jermall Charlo was an afterthought over the last few years. The current WBC middleweight champ has been sequestered on the sidelines due to a nagging back injury but more importantly, personal issues.
It may have taken two-plus years, but Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) has finally gotten his head in the game and plans on making a return this upcoming weekend. First up for the surly belt holder will be Jose Benavidez Jr. Although it’s been a while since anyone has seen him underneath the bright lights, Charlo has reassured his fans that he’ll be as dominant as ever.
“I’m back to my old ways,” Charlo told Bryson Boom Paul during a recent interview. “I’m ready to knock something out.”
Before taking his sabbatical, Charlo flirted with the idea of moving up in weight. Making 160 pounds didn’t seem too arduous, but with a lack of big names associated with the middleweight division, Charlo saw more opportunities available to him at 168 pounds.
By and large, Charlo’s right. So, in an effort to ease his way back into the mix, his showdown against Benavidez will take place a few pounds above 160.
There are a ton of questions surrounding the pugnacious champ. Will he be as dangerous as he was in the past? Is his mean streak a thing of the past? How about his deleterious knockout power?
In the next few days, every question will be answered. To at least a certain extent, Charlo might be challenging himself. Missing out on 30 months smack-dab in the middle of his prime could have an irreversible effect on him going forward. With that said, despite everything that’s going on around him, Charlo is convinced that the rest of his peers still aren’t on his level.
“I’m still the best in the world.”