World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman has expressed his full support for the organization’s middleweight world champion, Jermall Charlo.
Charlo is nearing a two-year stint of inactivity after being out of the ring for 21 months and counting.
While some have called for Charlo’s removal from the title position, Sulaiman makes it clear that the WBC will continue to recognize Charlo as its middleweight world champion.
Sulaiman recently met with Jermall Charlo, during last month’s super middleweight clash between David Benavidez and Caleb Plant in Las Vegas.
“It was a wonderful meeting, very nice,” Sulaiman told Izquierdazo. “He has been through complicated personal issues. He thanked the WBC for the support that we have given to him.”
Asked to elaborate if the WBC will keep Charlo as its champion despite the backlash regarding his inactivity, Sulaiman was reluctant to provide a concrete answer, but suggested that such will be the case.
“He is our champion, and he is coming forward,” Sulaiman said.
Charlo’s last fight was on June 19, 2021, when he scored a unanimous decision victory over Juan Macias Montiel.
In the last week, a couple of videos have surfaced in YouTube with Charlo resuming training with his coach Ronnie Shields in Houston, Texas, and with his stablemate, WBA ‘regular’ super middleweight champion David Morrell.
At the moment, the number one rated middleweight boxer under the WBC is former unified champion Gennadiy Golovkin. However, Golovkin recently vacated his WBA and IBF titles and it’s not clear if, or when, the veteran will compete again. Sitting at number two is Jaime Munguia, but currently it’s not clear which direction he will go in.