Jarrett Hurd Wants Fights With Julian Williams and Jermell Charlo Before a Permanent Move to 160
It has been seventeen months since former unified IBF/WBA “Super” World Junior-Middleweight champion Jarrett “Swift” Hurd (24-1, 16 KOs) has been in a boxing ring. The time off has not been easy for the 30-year-old from Accokeek, Maryland. His last fight was a ten-round unanimous decision win over Francisco Santana in January of 2020. However, he did not fight for the rest of the year. Then the former champion was forced to deal with a personal loss that rocked him to his core. On March 11, 2021, Hurd announced the passing of his father, Fred Hurd Sr. It was unexpected, losing the man who was the bedrock and stabling force of his life.
Having grieved and mourned the loss, Hurd makes his return to the ring on June 6 to face Luis Arias (18-2-1, 9 KOs) at the Hardrock Stadium in Miami, Florida. A ten-round middleweight contest, the fight will take place live on SHOWTIME PPV.
During the final pre-fight press conference, the man nicknamed “Swift” told 3KingsBoxing affiliate Brawler Sports Media how he has been coping since his father’s death.
“People ask me if things will be different and I look at it like this. I feel like he’s always watching. The things he used to call and tell me, I hear those things when I’m not being disciplined to the sport.
I feel like he’s watching me all the time. Now, I feel that I’ll be on the top of my A-game.”
FOCUSED ON ARIAS, BUT HAS SIGHTS ON BIGGER FISH
Hurd is ranked in the top ten by all of the major sanctioning bodies (IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO). Not far from another world title shot, he understands the task at hand in Miami. The goal is to get past Arias, then target the bigger names in the junior middleweight division.
Unified IBF/WBA ‘Super’/WBC Junior Middleweight champion Jermell Charlo is considered the man at 154 pounds. However, prior to a showdown against Charlo, Hurd’s number one target is the man who handed him his only defeat as a pro, Julian “J-Rock” Williams.
“The biggest fight that everyone wants to see is me versus Jermell Charlo. That’s the biggest fight at 154 right now. For me personally, I want to revenge my loss before moving up. I want both of those fights. I’m not going to be at this weight for too much longer. I want those fights ASAP.”
In January of 2019, Williams defeated Hurd to capture the unified IBF and WBA titles. If Hurd is to get his chance at either vengeance against Williams or a fight against Charlo, he must take care of business against Arias.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
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