Jermall Charlo Misses Weight on First Attempt for Benavidez Jr.
In his first appearance in two and a half years, WBC middleweight champion Jermall “Iron Man” Charlo (32-0, 22 KO’s) missed weight. To add injury to insult, his bout versus Jose “El Phoenix” Benavidez Jr (28-2-1, 19 KO’s) already had a contracted catchweight of 163 pounds. So, when the recently mentally troubled Texan weighed-in, he tipped the scales at a hefty 166 pounds – a full three pounds over the limit.
Naturally, this is a bad look for the returning champion. In the last weeks and days before the fight, Charlo has provided a few zany and contradictory statements to the press. This has led some to question the true stability of his present mental state. His challenger, Benavidez Jr., has relentlessly accused Charlo of being out of shape and fearful of him. This is the true reason that El Phoenix believes Charlo’s WBC 160-pound title was not on the line.
COMMITMENT OR CON GAME?
When this article went to print, Charlo was making efforts to make weight on a second attempt. Whether he makes weight or not, the damage to his reputation is already done. This unprofessional incident will also call into question his overall condition and even his true commitment to the game. Afterall, missing weight is one thing, but missing by three full pounds is a completely different animal.
Since we are on the eve of this potential slugfest, we will not have to wait long to see how this duel resolves itself. More importantly, we will finally see what condition Charlo is in and what manner of performance he delivers. Yet, this most recent occurrence does not fill one with a great deal of optimism!
